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Full disclosure: I used to DJ with Daniel Collas, one of the fellows behind this project– a new album by one of Rio De Janeiro's nastiest bands of the '70s, recorded in Brazil with the original members. One thing that...
expand review I, and anyone who was at one of our parties could verify, is that the guy is a master of the terrain that lies between rock, latin and soul, and he loooves some handclaps. Sean Marquand, the other producer here, is one of the soulful saints behind the Baile Funk comps and DJs at the legendary Sunday Brazilian parties at Black Betty in B'burg. So, adding all these pieces together, what we have right here a goddamned funky, handclappin', soulful, Rio Black Power record. Check "Yeah Yeah Yeah(1)," or the album opener "Everyone's a Winner(2)" and see what I mean. The DJ sensibility is much appreciated, as many of the tunes have the little intro/break touches that make songs jump into the mix ("Africa Hot Band(3)," "Na Palma Da Mao(4)" and the "Spinning Wheel"-esque lead single "Been So Long(5)"). The changeup tracks are classy ("Astral(6)," "Tudo Azul(7)" and "Melo Do Luia(8)"), the band sounds good, and the post-production is minimal and unobtrusive. If this record had sucked I wouldn't have mentioned that I know Sean and Daniel, but since it is an undisputable asskicker I am proud to let everybody know we go waaay back. You did good, homeys. -monk
quick audio picks: 1234
Bonde do Role are officially the biggest thing to ever come out of Curitiba, Brazil (except maybe Wanderlei Silva). The Diplo-produced "Gasolina(1)" is gonna be on their debut LP this Spring on Domino / Mad Decent, but we figured it was about...
expand review time they had something proper for DJs. It wasn't intended this way, but the CD is a nice overview of where Mad Decent is at right now. The original "Gasolina" (which Diplo stretched out for the bonus beats and extended 12" mix) is easily the catchiest track Bonde's come out with yet; somehow it came together in one afternoon with Marina and Diplo collaborating on the lyrics. Unruly Records' Scottie B & King Tutt represent the Mid-Atlantic with a textbook Bmore remix(2) (nevermind that these dudes wrote the textbook…). Buraka Som Sistema slay on their mix(3), fusing their Kuduro styles with Bonde's bastard funk (and it's even got a verse from one of the best young MCs out right now, Petty). London transplants Radioclit round this thing out with a vicious electro rework(4) which has already been getting some UK radio burn. That wolf on the sticker pretty much says it all. Obviously recommended! -Chris Lemon-Red
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I was gonna say that Joyce is like Brazil's Madonna, but the fact is that her status in the culture of Brazilian music is pretty much unrivaled here in the States. Her career now spans over 30 years and so many genres...
expand review of music that it would be silly to get into it here, but suffice it to say that this reissue is a real treat. Joyce made this album in 1972 with then-husband (and founding Clube de Esquina member) Nelson Angelo and it's basically Heaven for your ears. Actually, this album draws a lot of comparisons to the Clube de Esquina record from the same year, but there's something so much more ethereal and sweet about this one. Maybe it's the husband/wife thing, or maybe it's just Joyce's flawless vocals over Angelo's vaguely psychedelic acoustic backings. This isn't even the kind of thing that needs audio picks (since you should just listen to it front-to-back in a dark room with a huge spliff) but here they are: "Um Gosta de Fruta(1)," "Linda(2)," "Tiro Cruzado(3)," "Vivo Ou Morto(4)" and "Tudo Comeca de Novo(5)." Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Encontro is the sound of band caught between sounds: hard Brazilian jazz-funk veers to summery easy listening before taking a sharp turn to beaty '60s flower pop, often in the space of a single song. Luckily for us, the band...
expand review in question is Azymuth in a protozoic stage (1970), and even when they stray a little too far into the mellow side of things the sounds are proper. Take "Arabian Things(1)," for example. So it's not "Jazz Carnival," but the typical Azymuth groove is right there, drum break, funky bass line and all. Acoustic piano takes the place of the usual electric that Bertrami (aka "Ze Roberto") would get into in the '70s, but he still whips it hard ("Surra 7(2)"). And did I say drum break? Ladies and Gents, start your samplers ("Chafariz(3)"). There are cool textures throughout that'll leave Akai and Ensoniq owners with itchy fingers ("Livia(4)," "Encontro(5)"). Rounding things out are a wild car-chase version of "Summertime(6)" and a nice Brasil pop classic ("Mustang Cor de Sangue(7)"). This WhatMusic reissue is, as with all their stuff, immaculately crisp in sound quality and slick in packaging, with new liner notes and a reproduction of the lovely original cover. -monk
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