Tellah - Continente Perdido (LP)

Tellah biography
Based on Brasilia, a city where they managed to get a consistent fan base, TELLAH had to struggle a lot of years before they had the chance to release an album at all, and even then, the album "Continente Perdido" didn't achieve the public attention it surely deserved. For 6 years, the band played lots of gigs in many Brazilian cities - on many occasions they served as opening acts for fellow bands such as O TERÇO, JOELHO DO PORCO and OS MUTANTES. Their instrumental input is usually the most intense of their repertoire, showing influences from YES, "Moon Madness"-era CAMEL and RUSH, while their sung material leans closer to the realms of melodic prog with a definite romantic touch (not unlike other Italian and South American bands).

The band got started in 1974 as a DEEP PURPLE-inspired rock band with an original line-up of Cláudio Felício (guitars), José Veríssimo (bass) and Felipe Guedes (drums). Expanding their artistic interests, this line-up made the soundtrack for a theatre play called "O Cavalo de Guerra". It wasn't until the first half of 1978, when drummer Dênis Torre and bassist/keyboardist Marcone Barros entered in replacement of their respective counterparts that TELLAH decided to pursue a progressive prog trend. Barros' extensive use of synth and organ and Torre's precision at the handling of complex rhythm patterns stimulated a sense of virtuosity shared by the threesome organically. Between April and August 1980, in a 8-track studio of Rio de Janeiro, "Continente Perdido" was recorded. The album's repertoire included a couple of alien numbers penned by members of O Terço and Joelho do Porco, besides their own material. For the next 4 years their activities became more scarce: still, their farewell concert in 1984 was a very special event in Brasilia, in which they even played a couple of unreleased tracks (now released as bonus tracks for the CD edition of their album).

Since TELLAH's music has got an overt Brazilian prog feel to it, it's only natural that I recommend it to lovers of SAGRADO CORAÇAO DA TERRA and O TERÇO; this album is likely to appeal to devoted fans of highly melodic prog and art rock.