Taking their name from an old Jackson Do Pandeiro song, Chiclete Com Banana were one of the first major axe bands to come out of Salvador in the early 1980s... Actually, they seem to have had their roots in the "trio eletrico" style, working with a carnaval bloco and gradually moved into a slicker, more mainstream pop sound. I can't say as I'm a big fan: I've disliked everything I've heard by the band so far, and I'm particularly not into lead singer Bell Marques, who seems to alternate between underwhelming and super-irritating. Still, I guess you can't fight success: they've been around forever and still seem to be going strong.
Chiclete Com Banana "Os Sucessos Do Chiclete Com Banana" (Continental, 1991)
Eww! Cumbia-flavored latin pop hits Brazil... in a big way. Yeah, I guess they were kind of breaking away from the rest of Brazilian pop and all, but this is a little too manic and Miami for my tastes. Plus, that Bell Marques has a really irritating voice.
Chiclete Com Banana "No Forro" (Continental, 1997)
Just terrible. I'm not sure, but I think this might be a best-of set collecting stuff from their early years, with a heavy debt to the hyperactive, headlong style of the trios eletricos, complete with the roller-rinky guitar riffs and clattersome rhythms. The production sounds thin and cheap, exposing all sorts of shortcomings, not the least of which is Bell Marques' super-irritating, super-underwhelming voice. I'm sure the effect was wildly different in their live shows, but all I have to go by are the records, and this one doesn't do much for me.
Trio Eletrico "...Traz Os Montes & Chiclete Com Banana" (Ariola, 1981)
Chiclete Com Banana "Estacao Das Cores" (Continental, 1983)
Chiclete Com Banana "Energia" (Continental, 1984)
Chiclete Com Banana "Sementes" (Continental, 1985)
Chiclete Com Banana "Fissura" (Continental, 1986) (LP)
Chiclete Com Banana "Gritos De Guerra" (Continental, 1987) (LP)
Chiclete Com Banana "Fe Brasileira" (Continental, 1987)
Tacky, manic, incredibly irritating pop from this long-lived, popular Bahian party band. The unrelenting tempo, jittery, tinny guitars and cheesy synthesizer tones -- accented by the nails-on-a-blackboard vocals of lead singer "Bell" -- all combine to make this a truly taxing listening experience. But what do I know? Have I ever gotten drunk and sweaty, dancing the night away while listening to these guys play their mile-a-minute beach boogie? No, I have not. So I am outside looking in, an unwelcome guest at a big private party. I am also taking this record back to my local used record store, as fast as my little feet can take me... Tchau!
Chiclete Com Banana "Tambores Urbanos" (Continental, 1989) (LP)
Chiclete Com Banana "Toda Mistura Sera Permitida" (Continental, 1990) (LP)
Chiclete Com Banana "Jambo" (Continental, 1991) (LP)
Chiclete Com Banana "Classificados" (BMG, 1992)
Chiclete Com Banana "Chiclete Com Banana" (RCA-Ariola, 1993)
More manic, super-perky, super-shallow pop... Folks must have loved dancing to this band, but they sure are irritating to listen to! Carlinhos Brown co-wrote a couple of these songs, but even with the Afro-Brazilian percussion, they don't really stand out. It all sounds pretty much the same: too hyper, too pop.
Chiclete Com Banana "13" (BMG, 1994)
Chiclete Com Banana "Banana Coral" (Sony-BMG, 1995)
Chiclete Com Banana "Menina Dos Olhos" (Sony-BMG, 1996)
Chiclete Com Banana "Para Ti" (Sony-BMG, 1997)
Chiclete Com Banana "E Festa: Ao Vivo" (RCA, 1997)
Chiclete Com Banana "Bem Me Quer" (BMG, 1998)
Chiclete Com Banana "Borboleta Azul" (Sony-BMG, 1999)
A live album...
Chiclete Com Banana "Sao Joao De Rua" (BMG, 2000)
Chiclete Com Banana "Universo Paralelo" (Sony-BMG, 2000)
Chiclete Com Banana "Santo Protetor" (Sony-BMG, 2001)
Chiclete Com Banana "Chiclete Na Caixa, Banana No Cacho: Ao Vivo" (Sony-BMG, 2003)
Chiclete Com Banana "Sou Chicleteiro" (Sony-BMG, 2005)
Chiclete Com Banana "Tabuleiro Musical" (Sony-BMG, 2007)
Chiclete Com Banana "Flutuar: Ao Vivo" (2009)
Chiclete Com Banana "Flutuar: Ao Vivo" (2009) (DVD)
Chiclete Com Banana "Mega" (2012)
