O 'A' E O 'Z'

Mutantes was one of the first bands to start making Progressive Rock in Brazil, by 1972, a very good prog song was released in the "Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País dos Baurets" with 12 minutes long .

In that time the live shows was very progressive too, much more then studio work.

Just after above album, Rita Lee went ( main vocal and lyrics ) and then the Baptista Brothers ( Guitarist/vocals Sergio Dias Batpista, Keyboard/bass/vocals Arnaldo Dias Baptista, and by the way, the technical partner not credited as he should be third brother Claudio Cesar Dias Baptista ) starts to make a more and more progressive work.

They have a contract with record label Philips at that time, and to fulfill it "O A e o Z" has been recorded ! An incredibly good progressive album for the time in Brazil ( 1973 ) but for some "critics" it is "too Yes like" to be released, so the label decided to release an album with tracks recorded but not yet released from last 4 years of Mutantes work, but credited it to Rita Lee instead of Mutantes named "Hoje é o Primeiro Dia do Resto de Sua Vida" ( Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life ) to fulfill the contractual needs ...

So this record was know for some, but unreleased for 20 years !!! Just in 1992 finally Polygram ( today's owner of all Phillips label accents ) decided to release it directly in CD format .

The first track, "A e o Z" is a good introduction to what is coming, much Hammond organ and Guitar .

Second track, "Roiling Stones" starts as a rock and roll song, but don't worry, is changes a lot, a good song .

The third is one of my favorites, "Voce Sabe" ( You Know ) with Serginho showing all his virtuosism in acoustic guitar, very good !

Traks 4 ( Hey Joe ) and 5 ( "Uma Pessoa Só", something like "Just One Person" ) is the top prog ! I can not decide witch is the better, exceptional work of bass ( from Arnolfo Lima Filho, AKA Liminha, very know today as one of best record producer working in Brazil ) Keyboards ( especially Hammond ) and Guitar, with lots of solos and rithm changes, reminds me much the "Yesalbum" , probably why the label decided to do not release it in the time it is recorded .

The last track is the poor one in the record, more "simple" ( may be intimist ? ) one .

A very good addition to any collection !