AMÁLIA RODRIGUES: "Amália Na Broadway"

Original released on LP Columbia 2402441

(PORTUGAL, December 1984) (1965 recordings)

Era de esperar que num ano (1984) em que Amália precisava de resolver alguns problemas de saúde se editasse um disco compilatório, para não haver "silêncios" na sua discografia. Ironicamente, enquanto ela lutava pela vida em Nova Iorque procurando consolo nos velhos filmes de Fred Astaire (todo um símbolo da Broadway), em Portugal era editado no final desse mesmo ano este disco com os principais standards da Broadway. Gravado em 1965, com arranjos e direcção de orquestra do inglês Norrie Paramor, este disco, apesar das muitas oportunidades que houve, só foi editado vinte anos depois. Nunca saberemos se Amália, que não estava contente com o resultado final das gravações, acabaria por tomar a decisão de o tornar público, depois desta sua nova presença na cidade de Nova Iorque. Clássicos de Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers e Georges Gershwin corporizam-se de uma forma esplendorosa na vibrante voz de Amália de 1965, com pequenos erros quase imperceptíveis na pronúncia. Na capa colorida, um tanto óbvia para um disco como este, vemos uma glamorosa fotografia sobreposta, de uma famosa sessão de Augusto Cabrita (Ramiro Guiñazú in "Amália no Mundo")

Os 2 Albuns de ANTÓNIO VARIAÇÕES

Edição original em LP EMI Valentim de Carvalho 3VCLP 10040

(PORTUGAL, 1983)

A vida e obra de António Variações (nascido António Joaquim Rodrigues Ribeiro) seguem a tendência apoteótico-apocalíptica de muitas das grandes figuras mediáticas do século XX: um período de intensa visibilidade pública acompanhado de um furor criativo tão meteórico quanto fugaz. António actualizaria, à sua maneira, o mito do artiste maudit, subtraíndo porém a esta matriz o lado sombrio da incompreensão alheia e da genialidade solitária. De facto, desde cedo a sua aparição mediática foi bem acolhida pelo público português, tanto na excentricidade da sua persona artística como na estranheza refrescante e vanguardista da sua música. Por outro lado, como António nunca recebera uma educação musical formal, o seu talento e musicalidade inatos não teriam florescido sem a colaboração de uma hoste de músicos de renome, seus contemporâneos, que o ajudariam a moldar o som entre Braga e Nova Iorque. A sua visão musical manifestar-se-ia, assim, sem par no panorama musical português. A profunda originalidade da síntese que efectuou entre música popular ligeira, folclore, fado e o pop/rock internacional – síntese profundamente pós-modernista – continua a suscitar interesse. A actualidade dessa visão justifica o interesse renovado com que se volta regularmente à sua obra enquanto referência central da música portuguesa. Variações deixou um acervo considerável de registos áudio não editados em cassetes de gravação caseira, que tem sido apreciado por novos artistas como forma de honrar a sua obra, ressuscitando-a no presente. A confirmar esse entusiasmo recorrente estão, por exemplo, as incontáveis versões dos temas mais populares, nomeadamente, "Canção de Engate" e "Estou Além"; os cinco temas originais editados em 1989, na voz de Lena d'Água com o álbum "Tu Aqui"; o projecto Humanos (2004); e, mais recentemente, a edição do inédito "Parei na Madrugada"(2014) pelo grupo OqueStrada. O teste do tempo tem recuperado e dignificado Variações como um dos talentos maiores da música popular portuguesa do século XX. 

António nasce em Dezembro de 1944, no lugar de Fiscal, concelho de Amares, distrito de Braga. Aos 12 anos parte para Lisboa, fascinado pelas estrelas do mundo da música e do espectáculo, e, já possivelmente, acalentando o sonho de um dia se tornar uma delas. Desempenharia vários ofícios, de marçano a escriturário, antes de cumprir serviço militar em Angola; regressado de Angola decide procurar outros destinos, alargar horizontes, partindo rumo ao estrangeiro, tendo Londres como primeiro destino, onde reside durante alguns anos e onde aperfeiçoa a língua inglesa; em 1976 regressa a Portugal por pouco tempo e parte novamente à descoberta, desta feita para Amsterdão. O relativo desconhecimento em relação à substância das suas estadias no estrangeiro permite porém adivinhar o contacto de António com elementos da cultura artística e musical que se vivia além-Pirinéus e, por meio dessa Europa, com o Mundo. É no estrangeiro que aprende o ofício que o viria a sustentar depois do regresso a Portugal, o de barbeiro. Pouco depois do seu regresso a Lisboa abre o seu próprio salão unissexo, intitulado P'ró Menino e P'rá Menina, frequentado por uma clientela em sintonia com as novidades do estilo e da moda mais arrojadas de então. António integra a pequena elite cultural e artística que começa a desenvolver, num Portugal ainda provinciano, sintomas de uma Europa desenvolvida, culta, civilizada e aberta ao mundo.

Edição original em LP EMI Valentim de Carvalho 1775151

(PORTUGAL, Março de 1984)

Essa elite começa a alterar a vida cultural da cidade a partir de pólos hoje míticos, como o Trumps, inaugurado em 1980 – verdadeira rampa de lançamento da carreira musical de António e ponto de encontro de vários notáveis do mundo das artes, da televisão e da música – bem como o Frágil, aberto em 1981, num bairro de má reputação que se viria a transformar no território por excelência do cosmopolitismo vanguardista deste período. O início dos anos 80 assistiu a uma verdadeira revolução de costumes, que se introduziu através da movida nocturna lisboeta, abrindo efectivamente a atmosfera provinciana da cidade a ventos de mudança. António e o seu espírito iconoclasta estiveram na linha da frente desta mudança radical que deu novos mundos ao pequeno mundo português – relativamente intocado, na sua essência, pela revolução de 1974. O período entre 1981-84 corresponde ao desenrolar, breve mas intenso, da carreira de António Variações, catapultada pela sua aparição televisiva no Passeio dos Alegres de Júlio Isidro (1981), e finalmente consolidada através da edição do seu primeiro álbum "Anjo da Guarda" (1983), vários anos depois de assinado o contrato com a editora Valentim de Carvalho. O seu desaparecimento prematuro, em 1984, deixou pelo caminho uma carreira musical que se afigurava promissora.

É já no leito de morte que António recebe a notícia da edição do segundo álbum "Dar e Receber" – edição que viu a luz do dia por insistência do próprio António, uma vez que a editora EMI pretendia adiar a edição devido à sua doença. Nem por isso a sua memória se desvaneceu, em grande parte fruto das homenagens e revisitações feitas à sua obra por vários vultos da música portuguesa durante as décadas seguintes, movimento que continua ainda hoje. A sua memória permanece no ouvido dos portugueses de todas as gerações, o que atesta bem a intemporalidade da sua música e dos seus textos. António, visto à distância de 30 anos, surge inevitavelmente como um dos pais fundadores da música pop/rock portuguesa contemporânea. O rótulo é, apesar de tudo, redutor e trai o ecletismo e a riqueza inovadora das canções que nos deixou. O seu fantasma paira sobre a música portuguesa, como elemento de ligação entre um Portugal profundo e ancestral – eventualmente perdido – e uma modernidade cosmopolita em cujo seio conquistou a pulso um lugar seguramente merecido. António não estava à frente do seu tempo. António estava no seu tempo e conseguiu mostrá-lo de forma fulgurante.

Fernando Conde, Maio de 2014

(Revisto por Jaime Rodrigues Ribeiro, Herdeiro e representante dos Herdeiros de António Variações)

ROGER HODGSON: "In The Eye Of The Storm"

Original released on LP A&M SP-5004

(US, 1984)

Vocalist/guitarist Roger Hodgson must have really felt stifled toward the end of his tenure in Supertramp in the early '80s - despite co-writing and singing many of the band's biggest hits - because his solo debut, 1984's "In the Eye of the Storm", is a remarkable work of explosive creativity. Hodgson wrote, sang, arranged, and produced "In the Eye of the Storm", but the real kicker is the fact that he played every instrument himself, with a few exceptions such as drums and fretless bass guitar on a few cuts. As a result, "In the Eye of the Storm" is easily the best synthesis of pop and progressive rock since, well, prime Supertramp. The spirit of traditional progressive rock experimentation is alive on this album; five of the seven songs exceed six minutes. The brilliant leadoff track, "Had a Dream (Sleeping With the Enemy)," is nine minutes long. An edited single just missed the Top 40, but every second of the sound effects, driving piano, tasteful guitar, and Hodgson's aggressive singing of this cynical song must be heard to be fully appreciated. "In Jeopardy" has a cha-cha, shuffle-like flavor and Hodgson's monotone vocals provide a faintly creepy effect. The gentle ballad "Lovers in the Wind" is sweetly arranged. "Give Me Love, Give Me Life" is exuberantly optimistic and hyperactively bouncy. "I'm Not Afraid" fearlessly flows back and forth between darker sounding melodies and upbeat pop. The creamy "Only Because of You" can be favorably compared to the floating instrumental passages on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Wish You Were Here". Without question, "In the Eye of the Storm" is an exceptional piece of highly listenable craftsmanship. (Bret Adams in AllMusic)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: "Born In The U.S.A."

Original released on LP Columbia QC 38653
(US 1984, June 4)

Bruce Springsteen had become increasingly downcast as a songwriter during his recording career, and his pessimism bottomed out with "Nebraska". But "Born in the U.S.A.", his popular triumph, which threw off seven Top Ten hits and became one of the best-selling albums of all time, trafficked in much the same struggle, albeit set to galloping rhythms and set off by chiming guitars. That the witless wonders of the Reagan regime attempted to co-opt the title track as an election-year campaign song wasn't so surprising: the verses described the disenfranchisement of a lower-class Vietnam vet, and the chorus was intended to be angry, but it came off as anthemic. Then, too, Springsteen had softened his message with nostalgia and sentimentality, and those are always crowd-pleasers. "Glory Days" may have employed Springsteen's trademark disaffection, yet it came across as a couch potato's drunken lament. But more than anything else, "Born in the U.S.A." marked the first time that Springsteen's characters really seemed to relish the fight and to have something to fight for. They were not defeated ("No Surrender"), and they had friendship ("Bobby Jean") and family ("My Hometown") to defend. The restless hero of "Dancing in the Dark" even pledged himself in the face of futility, and for Springsteen, that was a step. The "romantic young boys" of his first two albums, chastened by "the working life" encountered on his third, fourth, and fifth albums and having faced the despair of his sixth, were still alive on this, his seventh, with their sense of humor and their determination intact. "Born in the U.S.A." was their apotheosis, the place where they renewed their commitment and where Springsteen remembered that he was a rock & roll star, which is how a vastly increased public was happy to treat him. (William Ruhlmann in AllMusic)

SADE Debut Album

Original released on LP Portrait FR 39581

(US 1984, July 16)

Former model Sade made an immediate and huge impact with her 1984 debut album, "Diamond Life". Her sound and approach were deliberately icy, her delivery and voice aloof, deadpan, and cold, and yet she became an instant sensation through such songs as "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love Is King," where the slick production and quasi-jazz backing seemed to register with audiences thinking they were hearing a jazz vocalist. (Ron Wynn in AllMusic)

ELBA RAMALHO: Do Jeito Que A Gente Gosta

Edição original em LP Barclay 823.030-1

(BRASIL, Junho 1984)

WATERS: "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking"

Original released on LP Harvest SHVL 2401051

(UK 1984, April 30)

When dissected carefully, "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" becomes a fascinating conceptual voyage into the workings of the human psyche. As an abstract peering into the intricate functions of the subconscious, Waters' first solo album involves numerous dream sequences that both figuratively and symbolically unravel his struggle with marriage, fidelity, commitment, and age at the height of a midlife crisis. While the songs (titled by the times in which Waters experiences each dream) seem to lack in musical fluidity at certain points, they make up for it with ingenious symbolism and his brilliant use of stream of consciousness within a subconscious realm. Outside from the deep but sometimes patchy narrative framework, the music slightly lacks in rhythm or hooks, except for the title track that includes some attractive guitar playing via Eric Clapton. David Sanborn's saxophone is another attribute, adding some life to "Go Fishing" and "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking." But it's truly the imagery and the visual design of the album that is front and center, since the importance lies in what Waters is trying to get across to the audience, decorated somewhat casually by his singing and the music. With Pink Floyd, the marriage of Waters' concepts and ideas with the talented musicianship of the rest of the band presented a complete masterpiece in both thought and music, while his solo efforts lean more toward the conceptual aspects of his work. With this in mind, "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking" continues to showcase Waters' unprecedented knack of addressing his darkest thoughts and conceptions in a most extraordinary fashion. (Mike DeGagne in AllMusic)

"Song To The Siren" By THIS MORTAL COIL

SRV: "Couldn't Stand the Weather"

Original released on LP Epic FE 39304

(US 1984, May 15)

Stevie Ray Vaughan's second album, "Couldn't Stand the Weather", pretty much did everything a second album should do: it confirmed that the acclaimed debut was no fluke, while matching, if not bettering, the sales of its predecessor, thereby cementing Vaughan's status as a giant of modern blues. So why does it feel like a letdown? Perhaps because it simply offers more of the same, all the while relying heavily on covers. Of the eight songs, half are covers, while two of his four originals are instrumentals - not necessarily a bad thing, but it gives the impression that Vaughan threw the album together in a rush, even if he didn't. Nevertheless, "Couldn't Stand the Weather" feels a bit like a holding pattern, since there's no elaboration on Double Trouble's core sound and no great strides forward, whether it's in Vaughan's songwriting or musicianship. Still, as holding patterns go, it's a pretty enjoyable one, since Vaughan and Double Trouble play spiritedly throughout the record. With its swaggering, stuttering riff, the title track ranks as one of Vaughan's classics, and thanks to a nuanced vocal, he makes W.C. Clark's "Cold Shot" his own. The instrumentals - the breakneck Lonnie Mack-styled "Scuttle Buttin'" and "Stang's Swang," another effective demonstration of Vaughan's jazz inclinations - work well, even if the original shuffle "Honey Bee" fails to make much of an impression and the cover of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" is too reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's original. So, there aren't many weaknesses on the record, aside from the suspicion that Vaughan didn't really push himself as hard as he could have, and the feeling that if he had, he would have come up with something a bit stronger. (Stephen Erlewine in AllMusic)

DAVID GILMOUR: "About Face"

Original released on LP Harvest SHSP 2400791

(UK 1984, March 5)

David Gilmour released his second solo venture in 1984, following the apparent dissolution of Pink Floyd. He had released a record on his own in 1978, but "About Face" is much more accessible. Gilmour has a stellar band backing him, including Jeff Porcaro (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), and Anne Dudley (synthesizer). The songs on "About Face" show a pop sensibility that Pink Floyd rarely was concerned with achieving. Although the album didn't attract the attention of a Floyd release, several cuts did manage to get airplay. "Until We Sleep" is rife with shimmering synthesizers and cavernous drums, and "Blue Light" was a minor pop hit, with Gilmour's trademark delay-drenched guitar giving way to a driving, horn-laced rocker. Pete Townshend wrote two of the tracks: "Love on the Air" and the propulsive "All Lovers Are Deranged." Of course, there's more than enough of Gilmour's fluid guitar playing to satisfy, including the gorgeous "Murder," a gentle acoustic track that explodes with some fiery organ by Steve Winwood and concludes with a fierce coda. "About Face" is well-honed rock album that is riveting from beginning to end. (Tom Demalon in AllMusic)

LEONARD COHEN: "Various Positions"

Original released on LP Passport PB 6045

(CANADA, December 1984)

Nobody is going to make the mistake in calling "Various Positions" Leonard Cohen's best album, but there is enough on here to recommend to the casual Lenny fan, despite some shaky production work. "Dance Me to the End of Love" is the sound of French Canada. It has a romantic European aura, and it's a little bit cheesy. Most of the album has to do with old Cohen standbys like heartache and loneliness. But, despite the universal themes, Cohen expresses with a sharper and deeper slant than maybe anybody has since the phonograph was invented. "Heart With No Companion" breaks no new ground in subject matter, but few can say "I feel your pain" like Cohen can: «And I sing this for the captain / Whose ship has not been built / For the mother in confusion / Her cradle still unfilled.» The "Hunter's Lullaby" is another example. A sad tale of a runaway father, could easily sound maudlin in the hands of other artists, but Cohen can keep the emotional intensity without resorting to cliche heart-tugging. Instead, of making the father out to be a negligent ogre, he writes of a man whose soul has to be on the move. Having been covered by everyone this side of Heaven itself, "Hallelujah" has been heard by all of us, maybe too many times. However, it's hard to tire of imagery as beautiful as a woman bathing on a rooftop under moonlight: «Your faith was strong but you needed proof / You saw her bathing on the roof / Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you / Hallelujah.» There is a touch of filler in "Various Positions" (but not much) that keeps it from playing together as a cohesive whole, but Cohen's filler is better than most artists Greatest Hits. Fans will enjoy this album - multiple listens reveals more and more hidden nuggets of beauty (in RateYourMusic)