O Terco were one of Brazil's most dynamic rock bands of the late 1960s and early '70s... Initially a psychedelic/hard rock group, they morphed into a prog band, and changed lineups several times. The core members were Vinicius Cantuaria, Sergio Hinds and Flavio Venturini; Cantuaria and Venturini both went on to successful solo careers, while Hinds kept O Terco afloat for several decades. Here's a quick look at their work...
O Terco "O Terco: Tributo Ao Sorriso" (Forma, 1969)
O Terco "O Terco" (Continental, 1972)
(Produced by Ramalho Neto & Carlos Alberto Sion)
Irritating, but impressive -- a funky, fuzzed-out acid-rock/hard-prog set with piercing electric guitars and solid, slamming drums (courtesy of Vinicius Cantuaria) and a clear sense of what was happening in the world of rock'n'roll beyond Brazil's borders. There's a lingering sludginess left over from the Iron Butterfly/Black Sabbath early metal sound, mixed with a driving boogie-rock bluesiness, as well as a trace of folk-rock in there as well, ala Os Mutantes. On one of the softer songs, "Estrada Vazia," Cantuaria sings the lead; elsewhere it's usually bandleader Sergio Hinds as vocalist, or a group chorus. The second half of the album is a remarkable psychedelic suite called "Amanhecer Total," which lasts nineteen minutes and courses through a variety of styles, both grungy and spacey. This is certainly one of the more striking and cohesive -- and challenging -- of the hippie-era Brazilian rock records, definitely worth tracking down!
O Terco "Criaturas Da Noite" (EMI/Copacabana, 1975)
Guilty pleasure-y Brazilian prog rock which should find a welcome audience with fans of other '70s bands such as Os Mutantes, Seco & Molhados or Novos Baianos. These two albums have been reissued together on a single CD -- each has its charms and its scary parts. The first album has a great Spinal Tappy and folk-rock vibe to it... Kinda fun and funny, and very kitschy-retro.
O Terco "Casa Encantada" (EMI/Copacabana, 1976)
By this album they were sounding a bit more like Yes or Rush, which I don't mean as a compliment. Still, it's worth checking out -- I'm pretty snooty about stuff like this, and I kept my copy. (Of course, my pal who's actually into prog rock said he didn't this very much, so take what I say with a grain of salt...) Vinicius Cantuaria was still in the band, though he didn't emerge as a songwriter until a few years later.
O Terco "Mudanca De Tempo" (EMI/Copacabana, 1978)
(Produced by O Terco & Paulo Rocco)
The band's original lineup gave way to a group dominated by guitarist Cezar De Merces and bassist Sergio Graffa, and to a markedly poppier sound. There's a faint trace of their proggy origins, but mostly this is chirpy AOR, with the Rush comparison giving way to even more lightweight, fluffy influences. There is one cool song on here -- the title track -- that has some groovy reverby guitars and a nice, strong central riff... But mostly this is a pretty sketchy effort, nothing to get too excited about.
O Terco "Som Mais Puro" (Warner, 1983)
Apparently, Vinicius Cantuaria briefly put some time in as a latter-day member of this reconstituted version of the band... He even co-wrote several of the songs on this album. I don't have high hopes for it... but who knows? If I ever track down a copy, I'll let you know how it is...
O Terco "O Terco" (Eldorado, 1990)
O Terco "Time Travelers" (Record Runner, 1992)
O Terco "Live At Palace" (Movieplay, 1994)
O Terco "Compositores" (Velas, 1996)
O Terco "Spiral Words" (Revere, 1998)
O Terco "Tributo A Raul Seixas" (Movieplay, 1999)
A tribute to legendary Brazilian weirdo-rocker Raul Seixas
