47 de FEVEREIRO - LUTA PELA MANUTENÇÃO (2018) PORTUGAL

Hello dear brothers of this fascinating world we call music. Long time no see. I'm so sorry but after a long time unemployed a ton of work came my way, so,...
A few days ago i came across something that caught my attention. Being portuguese i have to say that in this small piece of land fronting europe against the trump feud, it breaks my heart to say that Portugal doesn't have a rock scene, everyone who attempts it, has to live underground, so it was with enormous joy that i received a copy of a new rock project called 47 de FEVEREIRO. (47 of February; the same is to say 19th of march). The name of the band says it all, or better yet, says nothing. Eheheh. I like this, i truly do. Uncompromised rock with a lot of everything and then again a lot of nothing. Nonsense with humorous play, but... there is a lot of maturity in it, everything was made with a purpose, so if you start to listen to this collection of pieces of irresponsible music i might just take your fun right now and spoil it for you, these 4 boys know exactly what they are doing, and they are very hardcore, (on the attitude towards life and society, not the music itself, allthough,...).
As musicians they have been around for a long time in several well known projects in the portuguese music scene, and now they came together like a "buzz" on a sunday night, saying i don't want to go to work tomorrow, man ...
This is a street fight statement on society. Random acts of inglorious lives that instead of being captured by a camera were captured on musical statements; a true exhibit for the Casa de Serralves.
The record then. Songs build upon slogans and football metaphores, with some very higly regarded passages of people like Gunter Grass or George Orwell. "stayed for the intention, in extremis, la favorita, infiltrated, vagabond, pigs in the attic, outside the law, extra time"; are a bouquet of fabulastic musical arrangements, flute, portuguese guitar, vocals that sang in italian or in medieval expressionism; what do you say to some doom metal played with portuguese guitar melodies and arrangements in fresh and captivating theme called "á margem da lei"? Or some psycho prog in "la favorita". And again some misterious flute played on first take as if on a jam in a dark prog ambient of Gunter Grass. who is Jon Anderson? Jethro Tull on a heavier tuxido.
This record was made under no influence, that means, no record company pressure, in fact there's non what soever, this is an independent effort and if you dont like it, the band says; "that's cool, bro! we do! and that's enuff". For the record companies, well, some "green mint". As for the other kind of influences, only the band can confirm or deny.
Before listening to this record, i was adressed to the new effort of the swedish outfit Freak Kitchen in wich i find a lot of resemblances with this 47 de Fevereiro's debut. I believe they don't know of each other but the influences could very well be the same, Rage Against the Machine, Body Count, Motorhead, Metallica, or some electric jazz fusion; this is what some people call "a Trip". Let's take one? So what are you waiting for, go listen,...
For the rest of the world, this record might seem a frustrating journey, but music is universal and "gUgle" translator might help you surpass some of that disapoitment. For the latin boys and girls, this will be an amazing treatment, or as my dear friend Roque Xandeiro used to say, espantástico!(a mix word of amazing and fantastic); remember this, old friend?
This record was edited on the 19th of march 2018, that saying, 47 of february, cool, hah?
Glad to be here for all of you!
McLeod has spoken!

DARREL TREECE-BIRCH - HEALING TOUCH (2017) UK

Wouldn't everybody like to be healed by touch? I most certainly would! But then again, i think i'd rather be the healer, because sometimes by healing others we heal ourselves. Just like Darrel Treece-Birch does with is new opus, fresh from the mixing tables;
He manages to give us a natural treatment of sounds that we can't stay indiferent to it. Darrel's new idea is to give us a healing touch through music; it's not new, but not many can acomplish that. He reached inside and with the help of that little particle of god that each and everyone of us has inside, in that place where we call our soul, he redacted a speech of musical notes transforming it in a conceptual manifesto for a better human being.
The 23rd of september 2017, will be the official premiere of the new work from blackpool's son, Darrel Treece Birch. For the less understood in the music business, Darrel is non other than the key player for the british top hardrock band TEN. As a musician,
he also drives a solo career were the prog ambients are is nature. Being a son of the senventies, Darrel explores his roots in that amazing era when the explosion of the prog, art, psychadelic and sympho movements aroused. ELP, King Crimson, YES, Mike Oldfield, Alan Parsons, Manfred Mann, Pink Floyd, JM Jarre, Vangelis and many others reached the top of the music scene, were they still stand high and will keep on being acknowledge for their capacity of touching inside of us until the end of times, because they didn't made music for the masses, they made music for the soul. Are you indiferent to Alan Parsons' "Sirius", or Vangelis' "Conquest of paradise", Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells", ELPs "Fanfarre"? No you're not! And Why? Because it's fuel for the soul. And today, giving the pleasure of pre-listening the new collection of themes that DTB produced; and as a matter of fact he also did everything else on this record, inclusively he painted the cover; once again i vow to the fact that this new record is in fact music for the soul.
Ambient, art, prog, a bit psychadelic a times, and a little vanguard, why not; also with some good guitars, i believe we can place this new record among prog rocks' best moments. I must tell you all in advance, that this is a collection of musical moments that will come to you as hard work. I sincerely think not, but unless you think that opening one to himself is that much of a trouble, or you're tired and bored and many other stupid excuses, well, i work too, but good things come first, so let's give it a good spin.
Healing Touch is a conceptual record. It's a humongous task to do it without words, but, guess what, Darrel did it!
"God's prescription" is a  nice way to start. a wanderer tune that implies HE is everywhere soothing our souls and telling us to be happy. But then, HE becomes serious and warns us to live within boundaries or a road to an oblivion in pain will be our prize. A 12 min. theme that send us on the path of introspection.
"From the mouth" comes straight from that era where psycadelic rock ruled. A power tune that connects the default of loud mouth to the non sense alter ego that so many times we succumb to. Too much words, not so much work. Can you hear it? Well, not yet, but you will.
"Cast it out" comes as a mass to take the evil from you. Like an exorcism. not so dark, but anyway, tubular bells also wasn't a dark tune. Love this one.
"Re-boot" is just it, start all over. New hopes, new ways to follow... if only you could feel it too.
"The fruits of the spirit" is like giving birth. Sorry guys, i'm man enough and i don't have any issues with my manhood, but to give birth isn't just making babies. When you create something of your own, your giving birth to something. Heavy or confusing terms? No. Just lack of use and fear of others ignorance.
"The stand". Can you take one? Don't fear, your time is now, your time is here! Protect yourself and stand for what you created. This is my favourite tune of this record. A "light up your mood" tune with voices from a guitar. Amazing.
"The release" is the follow up of your stand. Grow wings and fly, go where you've never been before and release your life among equals.
"The expanse" as the intro of the theme plays, it's a command for spreading your seed, and that being everything you intend it to be. Life, art, good will, whatever you want, it's up to you...
"No fear here" will be your follow up stage of life. when we create, give birth, we expand, we enter a new almost supernatural stage of life, we know it all, been all over, seen it all, heard it all, and it's time not to fear but to teach, to leave a legacy not of ours but of life itself through our own experiences.
"God's medicine" is the prize of the accomplishment. if you hear this record and execute the same exercice that i made writing this considerations about what i felt by doing it, i'm pretty sure you'll be amazed with the final result; and that's God's medicine.
In a declaration of interest, i must tell you that i haven't spoken with the artist or anyone else about what was that he intended with this conceptual trial to our brain capabilities. The presentation of this pre-listening said that this is a conceptual instrumental record, and from there i started my journey. I don't know if what i wrote about this new DTB opus is near, on the spot or far away from the artist's intended to present us, but one thing i can tell you with exact assurance, music talks! I Listened, i felt it, i incorporated it and then i spoke my peace. And That my friends, is the prime goal of the artist, to get to you! If we make this exercice with his creation, he will be an accomplished human being; as will we; a medicine man with is own method of God's medicine, just like HE wants us to, by diferent ways, the same result, and that is to enjoy the majesty of life!
Darrel is no longer a stranger, a very acomplished composer and musician, as i said before, he played all the instruments; and now he rightfully owns his spot among the best. maybe nxt time he will amaze us with a record for the soul that will reach the masses, like the classic and top musicians did.
This isn't a record to top the charts and fill stadiums, although he deserves it, and like JM Jarre or Mike Oldfield he will get there most likely, this is a record for the ones that "will be the seed". The others don't mind, don't care, just want to live fast and always receiving and never giving, they won't ever feel the "healing touch", poor things. And just because they don't want to learn it.
This is a ten out of ten because it does what it is meant to, get inside and talk to us. It doe to me, will it do the same with you? It most certainly will!
By McLeod!

https://youtu.be/RpLhN_gv2bw