Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi "Da Lama Ao Caos" (Sony/SDI, 1995)
A creative Brazilian rock album album, with a novel, seemingly effortless interplay of electric rock and street samba percussion... Similar to what the Beastie Boys came up with in the formative years of American hip-hop. This album does get awfully repetitive after a while, irritating even, and despite the innovative formula, starts to sound a bit muscleheaded and tiresome by album's end... This is especially true of the guitar leads, which weren't particularly distinctive or well-mixed.
Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi "Afrociberdelia" (Sony, 1997)
Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi "CSNZ" (Sony Chaos, 1998)
This hip-hop- and soul-drenched double album is probably this modern ensemble's great masterpiece. Sadly, this was issued in tribute to Chico Science, who died in 1997, but it cetainly makes for a great legacy. Disc One is a funk-heavy dancefest; the second CD features slinky remixes by guest artists as diverse as David Byrne and Arto Lindsay to reggae's Mad Professor and Fila Brazilia, while Jorge Ben duets on the opening track. This 2-CD set tends to be a bit expensive, but it's certainly one of the the band's best efforts, and one of the most accomplished (and enjoyable) Brazilian hip-hop/modern rock albums. Recommended!
Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi "XXI Vinteum: 21 Grandes Sucessos" (Sony, 1999)
A nice, expansive best-of which shows the breadth of the band's creativity... The disc opens up with a version of Jorge Mautner's "Maracatu Atomico" that recasts the sleek Gilberto Gil hit as a loping trip-hop soul number. Plenty of original material follows, as well as a few more tropicalia covers, all interlaced with folkloric elements and carnaval percussion, and Hendrix-y electric guitars to spare. Science's vocals are strongly rap-based, but the music is very rock'n'roll... I suppose Lenny Kravitz comes to mind, as a touchstone for similarly accessible pop-rock material. I still find my attention starting to wander, but these fellows are definitely leaders of their style.
Scottinho "Batizado" (Homen De Ouro, 2003)
Although "Scottinho" is really a North American -- guitarist Scott Anderson, originally hailing from the American Midwest -- he still gets honorable mention for the thoroughness with which he has absorbed the Brazilian MPB-Jazz style. The first half of this disc is steeped in the sleek, cosmopolitan fusions of the Brazilian jazz giants of the 1970s and '80s, in particular Milton Nascimento and Toninho Horta, each of whom have a song on this album dedicated to them. If you don't like the slick, sometimes indulgent feel of that era of Brazilian jazz-fusion, then this might not be the right album for you; but if you do like the style, then Scottinho's mastery of it is impressive. He traveled to Brazil to record much of this album, even recording one tune with his idol, Toninho Horta. The album starts to drift apart midway, however, and loses the tight focus of the first few tracks. Anderson's decision to sing (and write) in English on a couple of songs turns out to be a distraction as well... But taken song by song, the initial half dozen tracks are quite noteworthy.
Secos & Molhados "Secos & Molhados" (MCA, 1973)
Secos & Molhados "Secos & Molhados" (Continental, 1974)
Psychedelic glam-folk from Sao Paulo, with convincingly androgyne vocals by Ney Matogrosso. Vocally, he sounds a lot like Rita Lee, and I mean that it the best way... Os Mutantes fans should really get off on these records, which build on the same nutty rocknroll eclecticism. What else can I say? This is cool. Some of the best Brazilian rock I've heard yet, with sly wisps of acoustic folk, forro and space rock skillfully woven together. Highly recommended! (Re-released in 1999 as a 2-in-1 set on Warner Records.)
Raul Seixas - see artist discography
Paulo Sergio "Serie Bis - Jovem Guarda" (EMI, 2000)
A well-chosen 2-CD set of material from this latter-day jovem guarda singer. Sergio was an unabashed imitator of JG superstar Roberto Carlos, but whereas TV host Carlos dipped liberally into romantic schmaltz, Sergio seemed to prefer more upbeat material, with the organ-guitar combo that made some of Carlos's rock-oriented work sound so fun. This collection spans 1972-83, material from the Copacabana label that is surprisingly consistent and listenable. I mean, it's not the greatest Brazilian rock music ever, but it sure ain't the worst. Even the later tracks, which are predictably softer and slicker, are still pretty decent... There's very little on here that'd actually make you cringe, and plenty of songs that are fun enough, in a kitschy, retro way. It also includes his biggest hit, "Ultimo Cancao," from 1969.
Bola Sete - see artist discography
Seu Jorge "Carolina" (Mr. Bongo, 2002)
I listened to this album when it first came out, but took several years to get around to reviewing it, mostly because it didn't do much for me the first time around, and I didn't want to be (once again!) in the role of pooh-poohing some trendy album that all the pretty people in Europe think is cool... So, just to be a nice guy, I set Seu Jorge's debut aside for a while, and avoided comment, then forgot it was in the stacks until the Summer of '05, when his second album (reviewed below) came along and made my toes curl a little... So, I dutifully dug this one up and gave it another listen: Produced by Mario Caldato of Beastie Boys fame...? Check. Mostly original material, with a few well-chosen covers by the likes of Jorge Ben and Carlos Dafe...? Check. A soul-disco-funk-samba mix that sounds a lot like Jorge Ben's work in the early '80s...? Check. Gets better the longer you listen to it and the deeper you go into the album...? Check. Still kind of flat and prefab? Yeah... check. Gets not-so-great again towards the end of the album? Um... yeah. I mean, this album is okay, but not electrifying; Seu Jorge often comes close to drifting into Luiz Melodia territory, but he does manage to keep just this side of cool. I guess it's really the first few and the last few tracks on here that seem only so-so; the middle of the album gets a little slinkier and more genuinely groovy. It's worth checking out, for sure, though perhaps not quite as earth-shatteringly super-cool as you might be led to believe.
Seu Jorge "Cru" (Wrasse, 2004)
A wonderfully low-key record, which starts off with a lively, cavaquinho-led acoustic number, recalling the glory years of the '70s pagode scene, and moves into a series of equally subtle, understated performances. On track after track, Seu Jorge implies more musical power than he displays, and even on the few tunes where he dips back into his soul roots, it is with the greatest of restraint... A couple of moments are mildly taxing -- his vocal duel with a cuica, for example -- but nothing will interfere with your enjoyment of what is clearly a superior album. Features mostly original material, including a couple of songs by collaborator Fernando Brant (who also plays guitar on about half the album), another Carlos Dafe song, an old samba number by Noca Da Portela, as well as an updated version of an old Serge Gainsbourg song, "Chatterton," which is like capnip for all the Euro-hipsters eager to get a healthy dose of cool new Brazilian music as well. Very nice and very listenable... Recommended!
Seu Jorge "The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions" (Hollywood, 2005)
Cute record. Taken from Wes Anderson's glib, irony-drenched film The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (which I hated, but that's another story...) these Portuguese transliterations of classic David Bowie tunes are pretty charming and funny (Although I kinda wish he'd done some with a full band though...) It's worth pointing out that this isn't the first time this has been done. A few Brazilian artists have covered Bowie before, notably the pop band Nenhum De Nos, who had a hit in the 1980s with a Portuguese-language cover of "Starman." (I suspect Bowie was really big in Brazil in the '70s and '80s -- why wouldn't he be? -- which would explain why he was covered so often... Seu Jorge would appear to have been one of his many Brazilian fans...) Also, these aren't really "bossa nova" versions of Bowie's work (as some of the movie's fans have mistakenly said...) It's actually straightforward acoustic rock, which is a rarity in Brazilian music... Some of the performances, like "Oh! You Pretty Things" seem a little strained -- I think the filmmakers asked Jorge to come up with an album's worth of Bowie covers, and several seem a bit choppy, but on the ones he's been playing for a long time, like "Life On Mars" and "Changes," he seems completely at home: these are the album's real gems, although all the songs are amusing and clever. PS -- although Seu Jorge's performances were woefully under-utilized in the film itself, you can see the full takes of many of his acoustic sessions on the "extras" reel on the 2-disc Criterion Collection DVD, and those performances are pretty illuminating. Fun stuff!
Seu Jorge & Ana Carolina "Ana & Jorge" (BMG, 2005)
Seu Jorge "Live At Montreaux: 2005" (Eagle, 2007)
Bud Shank - see Bossa Nova Jazz
