(Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A mix of post-Tropicalia Brazilian rock and some of the more soulful elements filtering through the country's music in the early 70s – and one of the most enigmatic albums by this unique singer! Sergio's got a sound that's incredibly hard to describe – at once sweet and melodic, but also kind of twisted, in an intimate singer/songwriter mode. The production of the album is compressed with a number of post-Beatles touches that make it sparkle like work by Caetano Veloso in the mid 70s, or some of the Peruvian rock by groups like We All Together – and hearing the record gives us the same sort of excitement of new discovery as when we heard their best work. Titles include "Rulzito Seixas", "Viajei De Trem", "Pobre Meu Pai", "Labirintos Negros", "Filme De Terror", and "Lero E Leros E Boleros". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science! The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly. Forget all those cliches you keep hearing about the postmodern power of Tropicalia – this stuff's equally as complex, and filled with bits and pieces you wouldn't even imagine! Titles include "Da Lama Ao Caos", "Salusatiano Song", "Riso Flora", "Coco Dub", "Rios, Pontes & Overdrives", and "A Cidade", which has a nice little snippet from Mark E Smith! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary Brazilian rocker Raul Seixas is at the top of his game here – stepping to the head of the stage in front of a very approving crowd, as he shifts between mostly Portuguese vocals and a few English language moments too – especially when he's stepping back into an earlier generation of the music! Yet throughout the set, Seixas has that ragged star power that made him such an important force in the Brazilian scene after his departure from Secos E Molhados – as you'll hear on titles that include "Metamorfose Ambulante", "Rock Das Aranhas", "Gita/Ouro De Tolo/Eu Nasci Ha Dez Mil Anos Atras", "Sociedade Alterniva", and "Rock Do Diaro". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Kick-ass early work from the great Tom Ze – recorded in the beginning of the Tropicalia years, but with a style that shows Ze sitting on the fence between rock/pop and some of his madder later work! The style's still pretty hard to describe, and listening to the music, you can hear how much of an influence Ze must have had on the styles of Caetano Veloso and Os Mutantes – whose work from 1969 is echoed in many of the songs on the album. There's lots of weird organ, arranged in kind of a swirling psychedelic way that reminds us of songs from the early Mutantes album, or from the Tropicalia Ou Panis et Circensis album from 1968. Ze wrote all the tracks, and titles include "Sabor De Burrice", "Camelo", "Gloria", "Curso Intesivo De Boas Maneiras", "Parque Industrial", and "Profissao De Ladrao". A great cover, and a rare rare relic! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from this legendary Brazilian artist – a post-Tropicalia figure who brings in a slight touch of prog, but definitely pushes the boundaries of MPB too! Gaya provides some wonderful arrangements, as does Eduardo Souto Neto – and Taiguara plays both electric and acoustic piano, amidst some great production touches too! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Lo Borges – one of the best singer/songwriters on the Brazilian scene of the 70s! Borges first burst into the spotlight for his work on the Club Da Esquina album by Milton Nascimento – and his work as part of Milton's "corner club" really helped shape the style of the more famous singer. Yet Borges is almost an equally great talent on his own – with a soaring, soulful approach that's every bit as great as the best Nascimento material from the period – and recorded in a wonderfully similar spirit! The sound here is completely sublime right from the start – music that moves us, even if we can't understand the language of the lyrics – like some of the best work by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. There's maybe a bit more guitar than on some of the Milton Nascimento work of the period – but used in a fuzzy way that slides in nicely with some of the jazzy phrasing of the instrumentation – which is delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Beto Guedes, Nelson Angelo, Toninho Horta, and Tenorio Jr. The songwriting is amazing – and titles include "Cancao Postal", "Voce Fica Melhor Assim", "Nao Foi Nada", "Calibre", "Faca Seu Jogo", "Toda Essa Agua", "Pensa Voce", "Como O Machando", and "Aos Baroes". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Believe it or not, the title's a pretty good way to describe this modern Brazilian rock release – as the music's a mish mash of newer beats and grooves, grounded in a hip hop/dance tradition, mixed with samples of older Brazilian rock influences – including stuff by Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso. We like this one a lot better than we expected, and we hardly mind the modern elements, when we can get an occasional treat like a sample of "Bat Macumba", or a remake of "Maracatu Atomico". The latter track is included here in 4 different mixes, and other tracks include "Sangue De Bairro", "Mateus Enter", "O Cidado Do Mundo", "Maco", "Um Passeio No Mundo Livre", and "Baiao Ambiental". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A Brazilian rock classic! The band had a very sophisticated sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. The sound is difficult to describe – but the record has some extremely compelling songwriting, and great vocal work that carries the strength of the tracks, whether or not you understand Portuguese. Titles include "Sangue Latino", "O Vira", "Primavera Nos Dentes", "Amor", "Assim Assado", and "As Andorinhas". Nice cover, too – with the band's heads on a table! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

(Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

New Wave hits Brazil – in case you couldn't tell by the album's op-art cover, and Dusek's sunglassed trendoid image on the front! The album seems to be relatively tongue in cheek – although it's a bit hard to tell if you don't speak the language – and titles include "Rock Da Cachorra", "Barrados No Baile", "Nao Minta Vovo", "Cabelos Negros", and "Enfant Terrible". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from Yugoslavian group Angel's Breath – one recorded in Brazil, which might come as no surprise, given that one of the members of the duo is Mitar Subotic Suba – who you'll also know from his groundbreaking album Sao Paulo Confessions! Suba got his start in Serbia, but was crucial in the Brazilian advances in the 90s before his too-early death in 1999 – and the record's definitely got some of the same appeal as the best music of the scene from Chico Science or Arnaldo Antunes – especially in the way it uses offbeat guitar lines, crispy electronics, and unusual rhythms next to lyrics that often feel as poetically experimental as they are tuneful! The whole thing's very difficult to describe, but that really gives it a hell of a lot of charm – and if it were not for the turmoil in Yugoslavia at the time, the set might have seen bigger global attention from the same cultural scene who were embracing Brazilian experiments of the period. Titles include "Madalena", "Velvet", "Caura", "Assassino", "Aplauzi", "40 Seconds Of Love", and "Metak". LP, Vinyl record album

The final chapter of Lula Cortes amazing run of music in 70s Brazil – a small label release that brilliantly blends together a range of psychedelic influences – all with a gritty edge that's quite different than what you might expect from the date of the album! Things here are every bit as tripped out as on some of Lula's other albums from years before – trippily poetic, occasionally folksy, and sometimes touched with heavier electric moments that really offset the gentler, more organic moments. The reissue features full notes on the music by Cortes himself – and the package offers a rare chance to hear an album whose original pressing was supposedly destroyed before it was ever released! Really great sound, and a lovely package that more than lives up to Lula's amazing music. (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Essential early material by Gal Costa! The record is her first after the immediate Tropicalia years, and it's a stunning blend of styles that seems to draw heavily from changes going on in the American rock scene at the time. The core of the music is still steeped in Brazilian elements – but there's a lot of influences coming into play on the album, like bluesy rock phrasing, showy nostalgia-heavy arrangements, psychedelic production elements, and some of the baroque orchestrations that would show up on Gal's later albums in the 70s. Includes a wonderful version of Caetano's "London London" and "Dixa Sangrar", the moody bossa "Falsa Baiana", Gilberto Gil's "Lingua Do P" and "Mini Misterio", and the tracks "The Archaic Lonely Star Blues", "Love, Try, & Die", and "Hotel Das Estrelas". Great cover, too! (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really joyous groove from Michel Fugain and his Big Bazar group – a sound that's a bit hard to describe, but which really grabs us right away! There's definitely some groovy rhythms going on in the set – and the style is kind of an updated French pop mode from the late 60s – swinging in a way that absorbs plenty of influences from the outside scenes, particularly some Brazilian ones – but with a sound that's definitely French all the way through. Fugain's vocals are in the lead, often supported by a chorus – and the backings by Jean Bouchety have this really cool soundtrack feel at points – especially when the rhythms are upbeat and grooving. Titles include "Allez Bouge-Toi", "Attention Mesdames Et Messieurs", "Notre Societe", "Les Gens Irremplacables", "Leda Leda", and "L'Arche De Noe". (French, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of laidback psych from early 70s Brazil – the sort of more personal, more introspective work that some of the artists on the scene were cutting after the more experimental modes of the Tropicalia years! Guilherme Lamounier has a gentle sort of majesty in his music – very much in keeping with his image on the cover – stepping out in a trippier take on singer/songwriter modes, with his own vocals, guitar, and piano as the main focus on the tunes – touched nicely with keyboard work from Wagner Tiso, flute from Oberdan Magalhaes, and guitar from Lanny Gordin – artists used in these very sparing ways to spice up the sound, and give the record a loftier vibe than if Guilherme were just recording on his own. Lyrics are all in Portuguese, but the songs have a very universal appeal – a great sense of structure and building up energy – on titles that include "Freedom", "Mini Neila", "Patricia", "Passam Anos Passam Anas", "Amanha Nao Sei", "Capitao De Papel", and "Ols Telhados Do Mundo". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album by one of our favorite Brazilian artists! This gem from 1972 is an album that we'd rank right up there with work by Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, or Lo Borges from the same time – with an underground singer/songwriter style, performed in a manner that mixes rock and jazz styles, but all with a rough edge and a very rootsy feel. Macale is an enormous talent that's always been woefully overlooked by listeners outside of Brazil – but he's one of the greatest talents of the 70s, and this may well be his best album! Titles include "Farinha Do Desprezo", "Mal Secreto", "Hotel Das Estrelas", "78 Rotacoes", and "Movimento Dos Barcos". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful sounds from 70s Chile – and a record that easily rivals some of the best acoustic work from the post-Tropicalia generation in Brazil! Manduka's got a heady sound that's very much in keeping with his image on the cover – a freer sort of approach to the music than the decade before – with these long-flowing tracks that intertwine folksy elements and regional touches, but always with some slight undercurrent of jazz – almost at a level that rivals the acid folk of the UK scene of the same time, but with a definite deeper South American vibe. The vocals are sublime – extremely haunting, even beyong the boundary of language – and often recorded with some echo around them and the guitar, in a manner that recalls some of the best Geraldo Vandre material. Instrumentation includes some light backing on flute, bongos, acoustic guitar, and harmonica – often used in a gentle, watery sort of way. Completely sublime – one of those lost global gems you'll treasure for years – with titles that include "Entra Y Sale", "Naranjita", "Oiticumana", "De Un Extranjero", "Brasil 1500", and "Patria Amada Idolarada Salve Salve". (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

German drummer Klaus Weiss started out in more conventional jazz during the 60s – but as the 70s moved in, he really found his groove – and opened up strongly in styles that were funky, spiritual, and sometimes hard to define! That latter is definitely the case here – as Weiss leads his group Niagara through some amazing side-long jams – an all-percussion session that does an amazing job of creating criss-crossing elements of rhythm and melody throughout! The approach is maybe a bit like some of the shifting energy of a Brazilian batucada ensemble, but a bit tighter and more jazz-based at times – and the whole thing's wonderful, a definite funky classic – with two long jams titled "Sangandongo" and "Malanga". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An essential introduction to the work of this legendary group – an important American issue of some of their best material – all of which never came out in our market back in the day! If you don't know Os Mutantes, prepare to be blown away – as they were a key part of the Tropicalia movement, alongside bigger names Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Gilberto Gil – creating music that was years ahead of its time, but which has gone on to become legendary over the years! There's so many different elements going on here, it's impossible to pin down – avant and psychedelic modes, Brazilian styles and postmodern ones, all put together with sublime production that's also way ahead of the pack! This Luaka Bop presentation was put together by David Byrne – and it features a total of 14 cuts in all – including an English and Portuguese reading of the famous "Baby", plus the tunes "Ave Lucifer", "Desculpe, Babe", "Adeus Maria Fulo", "Panis Et Circensis", "Bat Macumba", "Dia 36", and "Fuga No II". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A bit trippy, a bit groovy – and a very compelling little set from the Brazilian duo of Rubinho & Mauro Assumpcao! At one level, the record's got an earthy feel that matches the cover image of the pair climbing out of a tree without their shirts on – but at another level, there's often echoes of some of the funkier modes coming into Brazilian music at the time – a slight Samba Soul influence that mixes well with the earthy, sometimes personal vocals of the duo. In a way, there's almost a similarity here to early work by Os Novos Baianos – who seem to inhabit a similar space – and like that group, these guys have a sound that's got plenty going on, even if you can't completely understand it! Titles include "Ta Tudo Ai", "Debandada Geral", "A Montanha", "Bloco Da Visao", "Os Olhos", "Sozinho Nao Estou", "Quero Companheira", and "Pe Na Estrada". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful work from Som Imaginario – a progressive Brazilian group of the 70s, and one who also had strong ties to the world of Milton Nascimento as well! Milton's keyboard player Wagner Tiso is a key part of the record here – playing organ and electric piano – and the set also features wonderful sax and flute from Nivaldo Ornelas, who brings a lot of warmer, soulful currents to the set! The performance is a live one, and has a stile that's really cool – jazzier and more personal than some of the group's studio work at times – recorded in 1976, but issued here for the first time ever. Titles include "Sabado", "Imaginados", "Banda Da Capital", "Os Cafezais Sem Fim", "Xa Mate", and "Radio Guarany". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible early album by this legendary Brazilian band with a strong late 60s/early 70s progressive flair! While not as countercultural as Os Mutantes or other Tropicalia artists, Som Imaginario shared with them a sense of pure musical inventiveness, and a love of psychedelic flourishes – and they had a lasting impact upon MPB through their backup work for Milton Nascimento on some of his best albums. This rare first album is a killer – and features fantastic organ and piano riffs, heavy guitars, and stunning songwriting, with lots of jazzy touches – all very much in the best mode of the Minas Geras scene that also birthed Nascimento and Lo Borges. Wagner Tiso is on keyboards, but the whole band's great – and the vocals are produced to a very cool effect – and titles include "Hey Man", "Poison", "Nepal", "Pantera", "Super God", and "Morse". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Rod Stewart steals from Jorge Ben – and gets the biggest hit of his career with "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy", this Brazilian funk-influenced disco tune that crossed over big! Also includes "Dirty Weekend", "The Best Days Of My Life", "Is That The Thanks I Get", "Attractive Female Wanted", "Last Summer", and "Scarred And Scared". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from the Talking Heads, and a set that returns them to some of the global elements of their mid-period records, but with a vibe that shows lots of the shifting studio technology of the time! The set's almost a precursor of some of the remix modes that would show up on the world music market during the 90s – as David Byrne and crew effortlessly borrow beats and instrumentation from Latin, Brazilian, and other cultures – while still weaving those elements into tunes that resonate with the work the group had been doing on more recent records. Byrne's vocals have that maturing quality that echoes with more soulful currents than at the start – and the set features a fair bit of guest instrumentation, from rock, jazz, and world music musicians. Titles include "Flowers", "The Democratic Circus", "Cool Water", "Mommy Daddy You & I", "The Facts Of Life", "Blind", "Totally Nude", and "Mr Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from the Talking Heads, and a set that returns them to some of the global elements of their mid-period records, but with a vibe that shows lots of the shifting studio technology of the time! The set's almost a precursor of some of the remix modes that would show up on the world music market during the 90s – as David Byrne and crew effortlessly borrow beats and instrumentation from Latin, Brazilian, and other cultures – while still weaving those elements into tunes that resonate with the work the group had been doing on more recent records. Byrne's vocals have that maturing quality that echoes with more soulful currents than at the start – and the set features a fair bit of guest instrumentation, from rock, jazz, and world music musicians. Titles include "Flowers", "The Democratic Circus", "Cool Water", "Mommy Daddy You & I", "The Facts Of Life", "Blind", "Totally Nude", and "Mr Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of pure genius – easily one of the greatest Brazilian albums ever, and a landmark set from the Tropicalia years! There's a brilliance here that's hard to describe accurately – quite possibly because the young Caetano Veloso is experimenting with so many new ideas, the album explodes with fresh energy on each new track! Offbeat bossa runs into weird production effects, subtle psychedelia, and heartfelt singer/songwriter material – all arranged by the mighty Rogerio Duprat, and featuring guest work from Gilberto Gil on guitar. The range of work here is tremendous – from the political "Empty Boat" to the fantastical "Lost in the Paradise", through other classics that include "Irene", "Os Argonautas", "Carolina", "Alfomega", "Chuvas De Verao", "Objeto Nao Identifcado", "Atras Do Trio Eletrico", and "Marinheiro So". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – not just in Brazilian music, but in all modern music in general! The set's a legendary manifesto for the Tropicalia movement in Brazil – and features key works by all the leading musical luminaries in the movement – including a few later stars who are heard here at their most edgey! The work is as groundbreaking today as it was at the end of the 60s – a brilliant testament to the power of artists to really break down boundaries in art and music, and find a way to mix the political with the popular at the same time. Titles include a fantastic version of Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso singing "Baby", the "Tres Caravelas" duet between Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Gil's great reading of "Bat Macumba" with Costa and Veloso, Nara Leao singing "Lindoneia", Os Mutantes performing "Panis Et Circenses", Gilberto on "Geleia Geral, Caetano doing "Coracao Materno, and Rita Lee, Gal Costa, and Caetano Veloso singing "Enquanto Seu Lobo Nao Vem". (Brazil, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album