Artist: Cartoon
Label: Self-released
Release: 2003
Duration: 73:13
Rating: 4.7/5
Brazilian jokers Cartoon gave the progressive rock scene back home a proper airing-out with their debut “Martelo” (review: click). They built a nice fan base, and four years later they recorded “Bigorna” (or, in English, the anvil), the second album in their “ear” trilogy. The record got a way bigger response than the debut: it burst out of Brazil, swam across the oceans and landed on the radios of prog rockers on every other continent on the planet. One of the reasons for such a breakthrough is surely that the whole thing is sung in English, and that it presents itself as a rock opera, like “Tommy” by The Who, the first album of its kind.
“Bigorna” has a seriously enticing subtitle – “The Real Story of King Arthur & The Knights of The Round Table” – which tells you right away that this is a concept album. This time Cartoon treat themselves to an even longer record with even more songs than the debut, which already topped the average with a good hour of music. But don’t get any wrong ideas: Cartoon don’t do filler. Every gap that shows up in the mosaic of their concept is plugged with exactly the picture that was missing, the one the incomplete mosaic needed to be whole and unified. The 18 tracks round off the band’s latest humorous idea with mathematical precision, turning it into a living story that lacks neither lyrical nor musical brilliance.
The best thing after listening to the album is realizing just how far the Brazilians have come since their debut. It’s simply unbelievable. The debut was already an extremely solid trip into the unknown universe of prog, especially for a first record, but “Bigorna” can’t be compared to “Martelo”. The two even start the same way, at least by name – both open with a track called “Prologue”. But the one on “Bigorna” is on a completely different level, in its own unexplored dimension, while the debut’s “Prolongue” is little more than a decent attempt at amusement-park prog. And the comparison carries on in the same vein with the rest of the songs. They’re at such a level that you really wonder if it’s the same band. Of course, the fun of listening to this second record is even bigger because you can actually understand the lyrics, thanks to the English. The story goes something like this – Cartoon tell (or rather sing) what really happened with Excalibur. According to them, it was actually a hammer that came from some small planet when it was destroyed (which, by the way, is sung about on their debut). The great wizard Pyter Pen brought this Hammer of Power to Earth, with a burning wish that a worthy knight would wield the weapon and bring peace to this forgotten planet. But the wizard’s plan turns into a ferocious fight among the knights for control of the Hammer of Power, which leaves Pyter Pen extremely disappointed and angry. So Pyter takes the Hammer and drives it into an anvil, where the two become one object. He prophesies that whoever manages to separate the hammer from the anvil will become king. A whole cast of historical (and made-up) characters gets dragged in too, Robin Hood among them.
There’s an obvious link in the story between the anvil (the ear bone) and the anvil Pen drives the Hammer into. The previous album, “Martelo” (the little hammer), was about the hammer. So with these witty connections Cartoon keep expanding the musical world they create so beautifully. The music has a strong whiff of medieval music and folk elements, but at its core it’s still progressive rock. There’s a ton of humor, and it’s fascinating to watch how Cartoon bent the King Arthur story to their own mischievous ends. They’ve turned from ordinary musicians into storytellers and masters of the word, since their music serves a lot more than just “bare” sound. The instrumental side of the album stays top-notch, of course, tailored to the band’s essence and idea, but still at the highest level. Poetry, practically, fused with quality progressive rock music results in a real work of art, meant for music lovers and fans of the written word alike; they already showed their design chops on the debut, and this time too the cover art keeps pace with the music and the lyrics. Cartoon are masters even within the bounds of illustration and visual presentation.
It’s a real shame for everyone who never hears (and reads) this album. “Bigorna” should have become an everlasting work of art, but sadly it’s hidden away in the vastness of Brazil. A few eager prog rock fans know it and revere it, of course, but the rest sadly live in ignorance. Cartoon have blown past the standards of today’s music scene and made an all-round artistic piece that shines in every aspect. Sadly, that’s no longer enough for success and widespread recognition these days.
Brazil jokers Cartoon did a very good job of renovating the progressive rock scene in their motherland with their debut, “Martelo” (review: click). They created quite a fan base with it and four years later they recorded their second album of the so-called ear trilogy, “Bigorna” (or in English, the anvil). Album itself got much more attention than Cartoon’s debut, it stepped out of Brazil, swam over the oceans and eventually reached the radios of progressive rock listeners from each and every Earth’s continent. One of the main reasons for such success is definitely that the lyrics are actually in English. At the same time, “Bigorna” is a rock opera, as is, for example, The Who’s “Tommy”, which was actually the first rock opera ever to be recorded.
“Bigorna” has a very intriguing subtitle – “The Real Story of King Arthur & The Knights of The Round Table”, which gives us a big hint that the album is a conceptual one. This time, Cartoon reserve for themselves an even longer album with more songs than there are on the debut that was already overreaching the average with more than an hour of music. But, do note that Cartoon do not know any fillers and any missing part of the mosaic that there is, is filled with such an image that was missing before, that the mosaic was in desperate need of for its completeness and unity. 18 tracks mathematically exactly round off yet another humorous idea of the band into a living story that does not lack neither lyrical nor musical wonderfulness.
After my first listen of the album, the best thing was actually how much the Brazilians evolved. It is simply amazing. Although their debut was a great effort of combining good humour and progressive rock, but is nothing compared to “Bigorna”. They do open similarly, with a track called “Prologue”, but the one on the “Bigorna” is simply on another level. And the comparison would continue in the same manoeuvre until the end of the albums. Of course, the listener has an additional pleasure while listening to the “Bigorna”, as he can actually understand the songs. The storyline goes something like this – the concept is about the real Excalibur. Cartoon say (or rather sing) that the real Excalibur is a hammer that came from another planet, which was destroyed (that is described in their debut). This so-called Hammer of Power was brought over to Earth by a great magician Pyter Pen, with a burning wish that he would find a worthy knight, who would eventually bring peace on this God-forsaken planet. But what happened in truth was that the knights of the Earth got into numerous battles over this Hammer of Power. This maddened Pyter Pen so much that he thrust the hammer into an anvil and prophesized that the one able enough to pull the hammer out of the anvil would become a King.
There is a clear connection between the anvil (an ear bone) and the anvil in the story, with the hammer thrust in it. “Martelo” (the hammer, ear bone) was actually about this Hammer of Power. And so we see how Cartoon is expanding their humorous universe, which is so beautifully created. The music itself has been influenced very much by the music of middle ages and folk music, though it is still progressive rock in its basis. There are numerous funny themes and it is quite interesting to follow Cartoon’s version of King Arthur’s legend. Cartoon prove that they are not only excellent musicians, they are also masters of the word and storytelling. This fantastic fusion of poetry and great progressive rock music results in a true work of art, which is meant for music lovers as well as for fans of the written word.
Everyone, who do not hear (and read) this album, should feel sorry. “Bigorna” should become a landmark in the history of progressive rock music, but is unfortunately hidden in the big Brazil. There are, of course, quite a few eager progressive rock listeners that actually know about the album, but most of the music lovers live without any knowledge of Cartoon. The Brazilians actually breached the norms of today’s musical scene and created an all-round masterpiece, which is brilliant in every aspect. This is, sadly, not enough for success and recognition.
Lineup
Khadhu – bass guitar, vocals, sitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar
Bhydhu – drums, percussion, vocals
Khykho – electric and acoustic guitar, vocals
Boxexa – keyboards, vocals
Guest musicians:
Lincoln Meirelles – keyboards
Kristoff Silva – acoustic guitar, vocals
Robson Fonseca Ferreira – cello
L̼cio Gomes Рdouble bass
Ant̫nio Carlos Magalḥes Рharpsichord
Chico Amaral – saxophone
Anor Luciano J̼nior Рtrumpet
Production
Khadhu
Track list
1. Prologue (3:29)
2. From The Hands Of God (3:48)
3. Knight’s Nightmare (6:37)
4. King’s Song (3:38)
5. King’s Fugue (1:49)
6. She Smiled (3:43)
7. Guinevere (5:41)
8. Marriage (2:17)
9. Show Me Where Love Lives (2:33)
10. Lily Fears (1:31)
11. The Warning (5:51)
12. March Of Despair – A) She’s Coming B) Cool Down Emily Whith C) Song Of Despair (4:52)
13. Apocalypstic Man (3:56)
14. Alberich’s Blues (3:00)
15. Letter To Marion (5:17)
16. In The Gates Of Hell (1:07)
17. The Last Battle (9:29)
18. The Great Gates Of Freedom (4:35)
