Artist: Cartoon
Label: Self-released
Released: 1999
Length: 65:41
Rating: 4/5
Brazil’s Cartoon are a very special breed of prog heads. Their musical streak, which goes way beyond one-dimensional rock sawing, seems to be used more for cooking up gags and jokes than for making music. Don’t get me wrong, though: their sound, a mashup of rock, classical music and Brazilian rhythms, definitely lifts them above the average of today’s prog rock. They don’t stick to the standard quartet formula of bassist, drummer, guitarist, keyboardist and singer (with the vocal duties falling to one of those guys), but regularly bring in exotic instruments like sitar, harmonica, percussion, esraj and so on. Cartoon is therefore a perfect name for a band that doesn’t take itself seriously while making serious music.
Right on their debut “Martelo”, the Brazilians set themselves up as comedians, because both the lyrics and the music itself have a big whiff of the comical, the silly and the playful. Sadly, the lyrics on their debut, released back in 1999, are in Portuguese, so most listeners can’t understand them, but the musicians’ mastery lies precisely in the fact that, through the instrumental side and the color of the vocals, they still turn their music into a kind of joke. One they’re definitely not making fools of themselves with, though. “Martelo” is also the first part of an album trilogy; in English, martelo means the hammer, one of the three tiny bones in the ear that let us hear, so the other two parts of the trilogy are “Bigorna” (the anvil) and “Estribo” (the stirrup). Even this shows Cartoon’s comical take on how a band works. The cover and the inside of the booklet are designed like a cartoon, with creepy-funny characters that cement the band’s image in our heads. The perception of the band as something comical gets so strong before you even press play that we listeners aren’t sure what to expect anymore. And that’s exactly why the great music hits us that much harder.
“Martelo” is made up of a whopping 11 tracks that add up to more than an hour of music. Even the song titles feature heroes from cartoons (or fantasy worlds), like the elf (“Duendes”, the second track), ancient, mythical civilizations like the Incas (“E Verdade Sobre Os Inkos”, or “The Truth About the Incas”, the sixth track) and more “chivalrous” themes like love (“O Amor”, the fifth track). All of this confirms the path the musicians set out on when they formed Cartoon. They pave that path with extremely eclectic progressive rock that leans heavily on quite a few giants of the sixties and seventies. The instrumental side of the music strongly resembles that of King Crimson, the British founding fathers of prog rock. With the lyrics and the humorous bits (musical ones too), they of course take their cue from Frank Zappa, the American comedian who never stopped taking swipes at American capitalist society.
Cartoon are definitely a welcome novelty not just in Brazil but in the wider world of progressive music. By blending humor with eclectic prog rock, they’re building an enviable legacy, and they pulled that off with their very first album. It is, of course, only the first part of the trilogy, which at the end of the 20th century was certainly good news for the crowd of fans the band had gathered. “Martelo” is done professionally from start to finish, but at the same time innovatively and true to the heart of the band’s idea. The cover and booklet design, the song titles, the musical execution of the concept… Everything is set at the highest level, which is definitely impressive for a debut. Absolutely a corner of the music scene worth keeping an eye on.
Brazilians Cartoon are quite an intriguing sort of prog rockers. Their musical talent, that far exceeds the one-way guitar beating of rock, is used for the creation of jokes and puns rather than for music. Don’t get me wrong, their music, a combination of rock, classical music and Brazil rhythms, is definitely of much more quality than the one of an average nowadays progressive rock band. They are not following the norms in their music as their quartet does not consist only of one bassist, one guitarist, one drummer, one keyboardist and a singer (whose job is performed by one of the latter), but they also use numerous exotic instruments, such as sitar, harmonica, percussions, esraj etc. Cartoon is therefore very suitable name for the band that does not consider itself seriously, but does make a serious music.
The Brazilians established themselves as comedians very fast. Their debut album “Martelo” is full of comical, funny, playful music and lyrics. The lyrics on their debut, which was released in 1999, are in Portuguese, which is why most of the listeners are deprived of understanding, but the mastery of the musicians is based upon their infusion of humorous and comical with instrumentals and voice; even without understanding of the lyrics, one can easily figure out that the musicians are being humorous. “Martelo” is representing the first part of the trilogy; in English, martelo means the hammer, one of the three ear bones in our ear that are essential for our hearing. The other two albums of the trilogy are consequently “Bigorna” (the anvil) and “Estribo” (the stirrup). Even this shows the comical essence of the band. The cover art of the debut is designed as a cartoon, with many comical and horror-like figures that only further develops band’s humorous image. Because of all this perceptions that are literally thrown in front of the listeners, we are not sure anymore what to expect from the band. And that is why we are even more awe-stricken by the wonderful music.
Album “Martelo” is made out of 11 tracks that last over an hour. The titles of the songs themselves are often themed – cartoon characters and fantasy worlds, such as elves (“Duendes”, the second album track); old, mythical civilizations, such as Incas (“E Verdade Sobre Os Inkos” or “The Truth about the Incas”, the sixth album track) and themes that often relate to knights, such as love (“O Amor”, the fifth album track). All the mentioned tracks and themes are the pointers to the road that Cartoon had set on. Their eclectic progressive rock is the basis on their musical road, with many influences from the legendary proggers of the 60’s and 70’s. Their instrumentals often bring to mind the music of King Crimson and Frank Zappa.
Cartoon are definitely a fresh breath of wind not only in Brazil, but in the wider world of progressive rock as well. With their fusion of humour and eclectic progressive rock, they are very quickly becoming a landmark; they accomplished that already with their debut. “Martelo” is, of course, only the first part of the trilogy, which made the fans of Cartoon at the end of the 20th century very happy. The album itself is made very professionally from cover to cover, but innovatively and in accordance with the band’s ideas at the same time. The cover art, song titles, music … All is carried out on the highest level, which is very impressive for a debut. Definitely a part of the music scene that is worth a check.
Line-up
Khadhu – bass guitar, vocals, sitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar
Bhydhu – drums, percussion, vocals
Khykho – electric and acoustic guitar, vocals
Boxexa – assorted keyboards, vocals
Production
Cartoon
Tracklist
1. Abertura (6:31)
2. Duend’s (5:18)
3. Tenho Todos Os Galhos Da Minha Ãrvore Voltados Para O Sol (7:52)
4. Estagnação (4:31)
5. O Amor (2:39)
6. A Verdade Sobre Os Incas (8:15)
7. Abre Seu Olho, Irmão (4:11)
8. Lágrimas De Vidro (9:59)
9. Tempo (5:17)
10. First Lake Conclusion (3:30)
11. Fechadura (7:26)
