OS MUTANTES

Anyone who didn't rate this 5 stars cannot be said to have any knowledge about overall rock n roll. This is the debut album from the band that would grow to be Brazil's finest, and then prove to be the best band ever without achieving world-wide recognition. Dudes, this has "FIVE-STAR" written all over it!!

This is worth your money just for the historical value alone, as it contains great songs written by the Tropicalia flagmen Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. Maestro Rogerio Duprat's arrangements are pictorical, modern and avant-gardeish. Sergio Dias' guitars are rotten dirty, flawlessly rambling over Jorge Ben's acoustic guitar as in "A Minha Menina" and giving away sweet leslie feelings as in "Baby", Sergio is unforgettable for his unique tone and playing and establishes his personality in this record alone. Rita Lee's finest does not resides in her vocal habilities, but on her fabulous percussions, or who else would play tropicalia over the sound of breaking crystal? Arnaldo Baptista sounds quiet but some times appears screaming and partying around with hammonds and moogs, and his bass playing is spectacular. No one, listening to this record could have thought he would grow to be the closest thing to a south-american Syd Barrett.

Listen to this record and watch the best band ever transmutate itself into a Traditional Dixieland Jazz Band ("Senhor F"), a classic Brazilian Northwest Troubadour ("Adeus, Maria Fulô"), a French cult singer ("Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour"), a Tropicalia-chanting choir ("Bat Macumba") and much more just to prove its supremacy in a debut album.

I repeat, the best band of all times.