POST NO. 28: BRAZILIANS DO IT BEST

To most fans of '60s garage rock, it's not too strange to discover that there was a rock and roll scene in Brazil forty years ago. Plenty of people are familiar with Os Mutantes, who were not only one of Brazil's most stunning bands, but also one of the world's best (if least known). But I was shocked to learn of the depth of the Brazilian garage rock scene, as evidenced by the Brazilian volume of the Love, Peace and Poetry series. The quality of this volume is second to none in the series, even if it's not quite as diverse as the Asian volume.

I love singer's who stick with their foreign tongue -- especially in psychedelic music. Something about having no idea what they're going on about only adds to the mystery, which in turn strengthens my enjoyment of the music. I suppose it adds an artificial trippyness, if you will. My favorite foreign language is Portuguese (even though I can't speak a lick). Why, I don't specifically know, other than I find the language to be incredibly sensual. So I really find Brazilian psych rock to be the ultimate mindfuck.

Take, for example, Os Brazoes. "Tae Longe De Mim" ("So Far of Me") is an easygoing tune recorded in 1969 that's heavy on percussion, funky rhythm guitar, and a hollow, jug-like bass line. The tune sounds a lot like other Brazilian offerings, blending Tropicalia with rock. But what sets it apart is the warped, lead fuzz guitar, which squeals over the top of the song in periodic bursts. Os Brazoes spent some time as a backing band for other Brazilian songsmiths, including well-known composer Tom Ze and singer Gal Costa.

By contrast, Bango was more of a heavy psych-rock band in the mold of their American and British counterparts of the day (although, I'd say, better than most). On "Inferno No Mundo" ("Hell in the World"), a backward vocal intro quickly gives way to some superb harpsichord work which flavors the biting guitar and bass -- both fuzzed out -- with just enough of a playful streak to make the song tempting to those turned off by the song's rugged shell. These guys are routinely mentioned as the best of Brazilian psych, and the self-titled 1970 album from which this song was plucked is available for purchase on CD nowadays.

Os Brazoes - "Tao Longe De Mim"

Bango - "Inferno No Mundo"

The web was of little assistance in tracking down further info on either of these bands. If you're looking for a good starting point for Brazilian garage and don't want to gamble on this record (you fool!), the best place to start is still the compilation Everything Is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label.