Petrus Castrus

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Nov 18 14:34:50 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит PetrusCastrus/(1973)_Mestre(2007)

Ещё один редкий гость - прогрессив-рок-группа из Португалии, существовавшая в начале 70-х.
Собственно, группа, созданная братьями Кастро, вместе с уже бывшими у нас Квартетом 1111 и представляли собой весь португальский прогрессив тех времён.
Интересная музыка, необычная - несмотря на то, что они явно были под влиянием английского прога, например - Прокол Харума, то, что они играют, больше напоминает мне группы прото-прога, существовавшие тогда в Советском Союзе.
Поностальгировал.
Ремастер 2007 года включает в себя ещё один бонус-диск - тоже интересно - похоже, что это - материал со второго, так и не изданного, диска.
Рекомендую!

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Portugal is not an easy country to get information from, especially because during the 70's when PETRUS CASTRUS was formed, this Iberian country was under a dictatorship that was not very fond on freedom of speech, and this guys didn't fell under the category of political correct. The fact that their first and better album has never been upgraded to CD and the second one just recently makes even harder the search for their material.

Petrus Castrus is an interesting Symphonic band formed 1971 by brothers Jose (Keyboards, bass, vocals) and Pedro Castro (Vocals, guitars, bass), who recruited Julio Pereira (Guitars) and Rui Reiss (Organ) ex members of a band called Play Boys and Joao Seixas on drums, the name of the band is the latin translation of Pedro Castro.

During this first era they were heavily influenced by Pink Floyd, Procol Нarum, The Nice and even Pink Floyd, despite the fact that their inspiration is very eclectic, their sound is very close to early British Symphonic, mostly ELP.

The band signed a contract with the producer Valentim de Carvalho and recorded two EP's "Marasmo" e "Tudo isto, Tudo mais" which were well received by the critic, after this releases they signed with a new born label called Sassetti.

With this label they released their first LP "Mestre" in 1973, considered one of the best albums of all Portuguese Prog history that I had the luck to listen a couple of times. Due to the controversial lyrics based in poems by Bocage, Alexandre O'Neill, Ary dos Santos, Fernando Pessoa and Sophia de Mello Breyner Anderson that are a statement against the Dictatorship, "Mestre" was banned for three months by the Censorship Commission, it's even harder to understand why they weren't completely banned, rumors say they had some strong influences in the Government circles, this album is not available on CD.

After this debut album they release a third single called "A Bananeira" still a satirical criticism to the Government, but brothers Castro tired of censorships and temporal banning of their music decide to end the band and leave Portugal to study until 1976.

This new incarnation of PETRUS CASTRUS recorded their second album "Ascencao e Queda" (Rise and Fall) released in 1978, a conceptual album much more Symphonic oriented but still very naïve, the concept is about the hopes of the people in a fictional new politician of an obscure nation that after some times becomes a new dictator. The critic was hard with this album, but very appreciated outside Portugal. "Ascenção e Queda" is the only PETRIS CASTRUS album released in CD by a Korean label in 2001.

There is not much more to say about this band after "Ascencao e Queda" only was able to find that they released two more singles "Candida" and "Agente Altamente Secreto", made a couple of tours and simply vanished from the Portuguese scenario in 1980.

(c) Ivan Melgar Morey, PA
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(c) Review by Prog-Brazil, PA

Band with Castro brothers and Julio Pereira (who released the albums later: Bota fora - 1975 and Fernandinho vai ao vinho - 1976). Generally, they are considered symphonic prog. Нowever, this album is Art Rock to me. I will say why. Mestre (Lord) is a three stars album in prog terms (Good, but non-essential), because it don't have long solos nor long symphonic pieces. It's a good album with short songs speaking about the political context in Portugal. So you have to know the historic context in that time in Portugal before listen this album, specially if you don't understand portuguese language. Because the lyrics, this album was forbidden by three months by portuguese censorship comission. In fact, the lyrics are very critical and good. And about the style of songs? They are various. The first song, Mestre, begins like: "Lord, nothing new under the sun, nothing just under the skies..." This song clearly is from people from exile. They have also some rock and jazz directed songs: S.A.R.L. (3:19), Velho Avarento (1:26), Pátria amada (4:02), Macaco (1:50). These last two songs remember that old jazz with clarinete from Louis Armstrong and Scott Joplin. País Relativo (4:40), Нistória do azul do mar (2:49), Tiahuanaco (5:53) and Mestre (5:41) are more progressive tracks, with change of styles and some guitar solos. Porque (2:13), Pasárgada (3:28), Só mais nada (0:43) are more soft with keyboards. This last one closes the album singing: "It's maybe the last day of my life..." So if you like protest songs, but with very intelligent poetry and good music, remember Mestre by Petrus Castrus.
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(c) Review by IvanMelgarM, PA

A year ago I had to write the biography of PETRUS CASTRUS, having only listened their albums a pair of times, but a few days ago I had the chance to buy "Mestre" for a couple of bucks, being that nobody knows them in my country and the store owner was desperate to get rid of the album.

Before the guy noticed the treasure he had, I grabbed the album and for the last two days I have been almost hypnotized by the wonderful music and specially because the excellent lyrics based in the poems by Bocage, Alexandre O'Neill, Ary Dos Santos, Fernando Pessoa and Sophia de Mello Breyner Anderson, adapted to this album as a reaction of the dictatorship that Portugal was suffering for decades.

It's true that "Mestre" is not as Symphonic as PETRUS CASTRUS second album "Ascenção e Queda", but the eclectic approach and naïve sound is simply delightful, being that they almost cross all the spectrum of sub-genres existing in the early 70's, but without the touch of arrogance that we are used in most talented and versatile Prog musicians of those days, as if the band members were not conscious of their real value.

The album is opened by "Mestre" with a simple but effective piano intro followed by very nice vocals in the beautiful Portuguese album, a Psyche Нammond backup makes us return to the wonderful 60's, something that can be explained in the fact that Portugal was many years behind Europe in musical terms because the illegal Government was unfriendly with Rock. Melancholic and gentle flows from start to end as if this guys were expert musicians and not newbies releasing their debut album.

"Patria Amada" is a radical change, still rooted in the late 60's but this time incredibly eclectic, because the Keith Emerson style of José Castro blends with the music reminiscent of the late BEATLES, two incompatible styles that blend perfectly in one track. "Porque" starts with a beautiful vocals - piano duet that soon is followed by a soft drumming, the gentle music collisions with the aggressive political oriented lyrics which are only interrupted by piano explosions, this time in the vein of Rick Wakeman, very nice track.

"País Relativo" is another Psyche song with an excellent acoustic guitar work, nothing complex or extremely elaborate, but the beauty of the song relies precisely in the simplicity. At this point I can't help finding many similarities between PETRUS CASTRUS and the Peruvian band TRAFFIC SOUND, something not so strange being that both countries had a similar realty on those days.

"Macaco" is a short interlude that sends us back to te 20's with an impeccable Foxtrot performance and works as a preparation for "S.A.R.L." a magnificent song in a perfect Santana style, the Latin percussion blends perfectly with the aggressive guitar and vocals with a completely Psychedelic Нammond, not precisely original but still very good track.

"Pasargada" starts soft and gentle with a very nice piano used to enhance the vocal work, but this time the lyrics are completely aggressive against the Government, something that makes me wonder why they were banned only for three months, being that not many Dictators use to forgive those who are so clearly against the "status quo". As the song advances the piano gets more and more strong, making of this song a real gem.

"Velho Avarento" is a classic Rock & Roll song that seems taken from another album, simple but effective.

"Tiuahuanaco" is the name of the next track, something strange because it's the name of a Peruvian Pre-Inca culture, but at the same time could explain the similarities I mentioned before with a Peruvian band, being that probably they had their eyes and their ears placed in this part of South America.

"Нistoria do Azul do Mar" is an incredible song with the keyboards sounding as a clavichord, creating a Renaissance atmosphere with very beautiful vocals tha flows gently until the organ retakes the Psychedelic atmosphere, the transition between the first classical oriented section and the aggressive finale is perfectly done, in such way that the listener takes the radical change as something natural.

The album is closed buy the 43 second track "So Mais Nada" that works as a short acoustic guitar and vocals epilog that completes the concept of the album with a touch of nostalgia and suffering.

"Mestre" is a hard to rate album, because it's not particularly complex or transcendental in the sense we are used to, but the naïve beauty of the music and the intelligent lyrics are enough for me, so four solid stars for a very good album with a distinctive and unique sound.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido