O Monstro Precisa de Amigos is the second studio album by Portuguese band Ornatos Violeta, released on 22 November 1999 by Polydor. Two music videos were filmed, for the songs "Ouvi Dizer" and "Capitão Romance". The recording of Ornatos' second studio album was a difficult one. The band rejected "dozens of songs" during the album's development sessions with producer Mário Barreiros, with the band's members becoming so frustrated that they expressed a sudden desire of giving up on the project completely after just two months of production. Some of these rejected songs, such as "Como Afundar", "Há-de Encarnar", "Rio de Raiva" and "Devagar" were later included in the 2011 release of a CD box containing both studio albums and a third CD, named Inéditos/Raridades, with previously unreleased songs. Years later, Barreiros said he had identified that frustration as merely the "permanent insatisfaction of the great artists" that allowed them to push their art further away.
This is a quite versatile rock album by Portuguese band Ornatos Violeta. Many of the songs have impressive arrangements (f.e. "Dia Mau") with the help of Corvos (a string quartet that plays mostly rock songs). The songs have lots of ideas and are complex, but most of the time it works great.
A nice discovery! Ambitious alt-rockish songs, some hints of muse in there
Good to have a change from the UK/US core of the list. Probably the first Portuguese album I’ve knowingly listened to. Can’t make out a word of the lyrics and but it did suit the music well drifting from smoother Spanish sounding to a harder more Eastern European vibe. Personal view decent but probably won’t be revisiting but glad to have heard it and a good addition to the list
Nice share, definitely something different and I'm glad to have been exposed to it. Also I totally want to get me one of those little guys on the album cover. So cool. However, and nothing against the person who shared this, it is a good share, but I'm not sure about trying to keep up with user albums if you don't have to finish the list before submitting an album. Or at least halfway through. Or 10%?
Rock alternativo. Entretenido. Un 4, venga, por estar en portugués.
It's pretty alright. 3 stars.
Pretty eclectic, not too bad. Bit of a mix of late 90s tropes - some sounded a bit like Muse, some a bit like Tool, a shitload of ska-ish punk. Not too bad. 3/5.
This is definitely some Portuguese rock alright. No question about it.
Portuguese Alt Rock radio
Pretty good. Sounds like a lot of other albums that came out in the time period but with nice Portuguese twist
Light baby
Just alright, a bit sappy and melodramatic in places for my taste. What’s notable is how prescient this LP is in terms of the early aughts indie rock sound – there’s some guitar here and there that reminded me of Interpol, only 6 years ahead of schedule. Those bright moments weren’t enough to make this LP a winner for me, but it was fascinating to hear.
I couldn’t work out what language it was in - was it French? Was it Russian? Was it English and I was having a stroke? Still don’t know but that’s ok.