Os Mutantes

This is you: “Sgt. Pepper’s is so psychedelic. The sounds on that record are totally kaleidoscopic and vibrant.” This is me: “Bat Macumba ê ê! Bat Macumba obá!”

This is the kind of weird shit I signed up for

I listened to this album twice. The first time I quite enjoyed it but felt it was one of those albums that needs to be given more time to grow on me. The second listen opened up some of the melodies and rhythms and allowed me to pick apart some of the various styles and influences. Overall, I think that this album is criminally overlooked. We would do well to get outside of our Anglo-American concentration and see how what we are familiar with influences and has been influenced by what we are not familiar with.

Many people would be surprised at how open Brazilian musicians are to fusion with different styles. When I travelled to Brazil over the years I was fortunate to befriend a couple of music buffs who took me to some excellent concerts that demonstrate the wide variety of sounds. So the fucked up distorted riffs fused with samba in A Minha Menina seem par for the course. Some of this LP is wacky and wonderful while other bits are completely ridiculous. In the latter category is Ave Genghis Khan. It is so disjointed with insane riffs and I get the sense that even if I knew Portuguese the lyrics would still be meaningless. The name Ave Genghis Khan is ridiculous enough to make me rewind to Track 1. I love this album! 

This is one of those albums that makes you stop and wonder “where have you been all my life”. Every song get more interesting as you listen harder. Really superb arrangements and instrumental/production choices lead to an amazing psych rock album. I’ll definitely be listening to this again- and I’m ashamed to have never heard of it until now. Into the Brazilian psych rock rabbit hole I go!

A surprising find; an classic psych album I had missed and probably dismissed at some point because it wasn't in English. Right up my alley musically. I only wish I could understand the lyrics

Wasn't high enough for this one

orgulho brasileiro totalmente inusitado

4.7 + The breadth of experiments with sound and the depth of playfulness, is what made this album an instant favorite, and which rewards frequent returns.

I love this record. It's super psychedelic. I bought a reissued vinyl of this last year. I got into them when a current band I like (Chicano Batman) name-dropped them. It's really pretty music with some crazy production. I think this is a group of artists - not really a traditional band. Which is also cool.

Weird and wonderful quirk factory. The Cuica is fast becoming one of my favourite instruments.

Very experimental and needs time to get used to. Weirdly catchy. It's quite a cohensive album so it's hard to pinpoint a favourite song because the songs blended together for me and I can't remember which song was which. Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour is a tentative favourite for now. It was also difficult to know when one song ended and the next began simply because for some of the songs like Panis Et Circenses the first half of the song sounds very different to the second half. The distorted guitar (or whatever the instrument is) was a bit jarring at times.

This is so dated and not in a good way. Too late for a first listening. Points for originality, but way too busy and all over the place. That was probably the point but just seems annoying to me. Nice song titles.

La fusión que podría esperar de brasileños con lo psicodélico, experimental, ¿qué género es esto? La verdad es que la pasé bien, lo escuché dos veces y la segunda se me hizo más divertido, hay muchos sonidos por acá y de repente hasta parecen canciones de un musical. Es como un disco lúdico, pero visto en su momento, no sé qué tanto se sentía así o si era realmente serio. Sin duda, tengo un sesgo porque me emociona que nos toque algo que no está en inglés y de los sesenta, pero pues qué buena música nos tocó. Mis favs: "A Minha Menina", "Adeus Maria Fulô" y "Trem Fantasma". 9.5/10

Batshit crazy. And awesome. Like the soundtrack to some bananas euro-arthouse movie you keep falling asleep in.

Wow! This is opening new channels in my brain. I want my art to be as free as this music makes me feel. There's all these things coming in and out - there's a dirty guitar, then a sweeping synth, a "doo bee doo" pop vocal, samples of a dinner party, switching genres on a dime, all while somehow creating a cohesive set of songs. A remarkable creation, I'm hungry for more where that came from.

Y'kno, I might just be tired enough to where this *really* clicked with me. It's fucking bizarre, isn't it? Sounds like a time capsule simultaneously from the past and future, or some sort of alien music (doesn't hurt I can't understand a word of Brazilian Portuguese). It's got pop hooks, it's got weirdness... like strange cousins of the Beatles, who got heavier into acid. Absolutely love it. Favorite tracks: "A Minha Menina", "Adeus Maria Fulô", Tempo No Tempo", "Baby"

amazONing

Feeling like im in a Mexican restaurant

What a joy! I see multiple plays of this album in my future. Could eventually see myself going back and bumping this one up to a 5, but I can't just hand out 5's like they're tic tacs.

Fun album but unlikely I'll find myself back here again

Wacky psychedelic Latin album. At first listen, I thought it was all over the place and I did not like it and was glad when it was over. At second listen, I still thought it was all over the place, but I enjoyed it a lot more and at times could not suppress a stupid smile appearing on my face. I'm confused.

This album was really out there, psychadelic Brazilian folk music and I hear influences from the Mamas and the Papas, Zappa and Beatles. This one is quite dense and very inventive so I think it will get even better with repeated listenings.

Very 60s, I liked some of the songs. It sounded a bit Sgt. Pepper's-esque. Good background music but a bit too psychedelic depending on the mood.

I like it for it's progressiveness. It's an incredibly forward thinking album and should most definitely be put on a shelf next to Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's, but that being said, the language barrier as well as some of the more avant-garde parts distance me from liking as much as I think I should. Highlights: 1, and 8.

Brazilian clown music. Like a mix of the Beach Boys and Syd-era Pink Floyd. One of the more interesting 60s psychedelic albums I've heard, mostly because this one actually made me feel like I ingested something illegal. Also one of those albums that gain from the mixing sounding like it was done through transmissions to the ISS. The contrast between the standard 60s vocals and the guitars that are so distorted that they sound like a table saw is very unique and cool. I like it.

In some respects, this is like the Byrd’s album we just listened to…. Not my cup of tea necessarily, but the music was significantly better in my opinion. Certainly understandable why this was considered an all-time class stoner album! Would’ve thought a little bit more highly of it had they not used some odd flares in their music, like the whistle that, for me, simply served as a distraction from the song. But all in all, good music.

Odd but not necessarily in a good way

How bad does an album have to be before it’s good? Who gave them the keys to the sound affect cupboard? Was that a kazoo solo? Have a band ever formed because of their musical differences? Is it any wonder Brazil has a drug problem? I’m really not sure what the hell I’ve just listened to, but I couldn’t bring myself to skip any of it, I was completely transfixed. So it can’t be a 1 rated album if it’s generated this level of wonder.

So – this was interesting – and NOT in a good way… Again – not sure why this was on the 1,001 list, but c’est la vie… I do love me some Brazilian Jazz – so think Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carols Jobim, Gilberto Gil, and Bebel Gilberto – but this was NOT that… Appears to be an experimental album, combining psychedelia with Brazilian music – so other than trying that combination of sounds, there isn’t much here to like – and the recording quality was not the best either – but then again, it was 1968… There are 2 covers on this album as far as I can tell – “Baby” - which was written by Caetano Veloso (i.e. actually think Bebel Gilberto’s version is the definitive version of this song…), and “Tempo No Tempo” – as Mamas & Papas cover, and both are just a mess – as is most of the album… There were only 3 songs that were worth listening to – “A Minah Menina” – which as some really cool, and edgy guitar work for its time in it… “Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour” – which was more along the traditional French/Brazilian line – with hints of British influence… “Ave Gengis Khan” – the albums closer – which is by far the best track on the album, as the piano and drum work on it is really well-done for the period… And again, some pretty solid guitar work for the period on this one as well… The ending is sorta reminiscent of the end of the Yes classic – “Yours Is No Disgrace” – just not nearly as cool, or as well done… Would have gotten a better rating if more of the experimentation was more of this ilk… Maybe a 1.25 based on the decency of those 3 songs and my mood, but definitely a 1 star for me…

Fantástico, produção incrível, especialmente pra época. Uma mistura de rock, psicodelia, pop, lirismo... PROG excelente

Fun and funky!

This is great! Really enjoyed it, would like to have it on while sipping a beer in the hammock

Loved it. listened to it......then immediately listened to it again

Chingón.

świetny album, im dłużej go słuchałem to coraz bardziej mi się podobał, super brzmienie, bardzo ciekawe instrumentarium, wpadające w ucho melodie, nietuzinkowe wokale i oryginalna zabawa muzyką, na pewno będe do niego wracał. Baby, senhor F i le premier bonheur du jour chyba moje ulubione tracki

A pretty awesome album. Breath of fresh air. Pretty sure they are singing in Portuguese, so that’s cool. And the instrumentation is everything

Tribalismo lisérgico, guitarras distorsionadas y rotura con la tradición brasileira. Pop y samba retrofuturistas con la única ambición de empatar y hacerte volar. Alucinante en todos los sentidos.

Maravilhoso!!!

OBRA PRIMA PORRA

5/5. Musically innovative and wild and very ambitious for its time. Couldn’t ask for more 👍

Really fun and unique album.

Being in Portuguese I didn’t understand the lyrics. But if they are half was decent this is the best psychedelic rock record I’ve heard.

Me re sorprendió esto 😮 enseguida lo volvi a escuchar.

Una pasada.

Classic. Havent listened to this in a long time

Love, love, love Os Mutantes. I'm big fan of psychedelic rock in general, but they are probably my favorite psychedelic group of all. They are both more experimental and more fun than most other psychedelic bands. They have a very unique and diverse sound that manages to escape many of the cliches of psychedelia, while feeling more like a real trip. Almost surreal at times. Love the variety of their instrumentation, and their use of the studio to collage everything together.

What did I just listen to? Loved it.

A fantastic and surprising good with lot of personality and a good mont of crust

I'm a sucker for Latin music. I'm a sucker for psychedelic rock too. I'm also a sucker for weird experimental stuffs I haven't heard before. This is literally a treat.

This is one of the essential pieces of Brazilian music, and I cannot give it less than five stars. All the influences from psychedelic rock and Brazilian traditional rhythms like samba are here, making an impressive album with a lot of poetry in its lyrics. I love this album!

BR!

Loved this. Some of the instrumentals made me think of the weirder end of the beach boys.

the Beatles Brazilian cousins took me on a journey that has changed me forever. I loved it so much

I've been a fan of this album for a long time. Amazing tropicalia psychedlic album. Super fun and catchy. 5/5. Standout Tracks: Panis Et Circenses, A Minha Menina, Adeus Maria Fulô, Baby, Bat Macumba, Trem Fantasma, Tempo No Tempo, Ave Gengis Khan

você, precisa tomar um sorveti *LIUUUP* na lanchoneti

Loved it. Sounds fresh compared to the constant flow of British rock this project has been feeding me.

Ég hafði heyrt Baby oft og verið hrifinn, en hin lögin voru full random fyrir minn smekk við fystu hlustun. Önnur hlustun var allt önnur upplifun og betri og sú þriðja var best. Frábær plata, random hljóðeffectar, svakalegur fuzz gítar og og skemmtileg lög.

This was a surprise treat! Brazilian psychedelic rock with bossa nova influences. This hit the spot in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Man, I was psyched to see this one show up today. Twenty years ago, I heard Bat Macumba on one of the Nuggets compilations, and it was such a standout track, I had to go find more by these guys. Eternally glad I did. I just love their joyful, chaotic psychedelic madness. Great songwriting, creative and fun arrangements, nice harmonies. I love the crazy left turns these songs take. Great stuff. All Os Mutantes albums are great.

Highly experimental psychedelic record with plenty of hooks and sick riffs and other cool tricks that'll keep you coming back. There's no end to it's inventiveness. And honestly, the only albums I can think of that match it is stuff like the United States of America s/t, but this executes their ideas and is much more accessible. Whimsical at times, dreamy in others, uses musique concrete to blow away audiences with sudden yet smooth transitions within songs themselves. A landmark of the tropicalia movement that got me into exploring all sorts of Brazilian rock. Every track is memorable and leaves an impression with their own quirks that make every second of every song a fun time. I have tripped to this before, and I'm guaranteed to do it again.

you have to get used to the sound but it's a great album... this is why I am confident to finish all these albums because with every 10 boring or mid albums there is one great new find

Brilliant

I loved that slab of weird. Even through all the weird it still grooves and is easily accessible

Very cool band

Really fun!

Another brilliant Brazilian album that I didn’t know that I needed in my life…but I definitely do!

Opinionated and weird. Love the energy. This band set out to make a thing, and they definitely made a thing.

Os Mutantes are a giant swole doge, looming over the whimpering lil cheems doge of US & UK psychedelic bands - they sound so much more vital and experimental than most bands in this space! Fave tracks - love their versions of "A Minha Menina", "Baby", and "Le premier bonheur du jour". Also really like "Panis et Circenses" and "Trem Fantasma"!

Ahh this is so much fun and so timeless! Faves: A Minha Menina, Adeus Maria Fulo

Really cool album.

Een van de beste Braziliaanse albums, dat niet per se bossa nova oid is. Sgt peppers maar dan Zuid Amerikaans. Qua genre schiet het heen en weer, blijft leuk om te luisteren.

10/10 some of the coolest psych-rock I’ve ever heard

This was a wild experience definitely a new fav especially fucked up.

this was a very interesting album. Not something I would listen to often or probably again. Remind me a bit of the Zappa.

I've come across this album before in other charts and of course "A Minha Menina" is a classic in any genre. Generally I've always liked any music from Brazil (from Astrud, through Mutantes even to Sepultura) and this album has a real ambience to it.

It's a weird mix of Brazilian folklore, acid pop and musique concrète, but I love it! Sure going for Os Mutantes' later albums

Ufffff una joya escondida!!!!

Fantastic

Awesome

Os Mutantes are a brilliant psychedelic band from Brazil. Their self-titled album is a collection of fun, experimental songs that garnered world-wide attention. They embraced elements of American and British psychedelia - distortion, feedback, and a range of instruments and styles. The result is very entertaining, and a great example of the experimental music that arose our of sixties psychedelia.

This is a great example of why I’m doing this. I’d heard of Os Mutantes, and maybe heard a track or two, but didn’t know anything about them. So glad this popped up. I really loved this album. I love that you didn’t really know what sound would pop up next, but it was always fun. I will be definitely be listening again!

ahead of its time is the first thought i can give this album. seriously, with some of the processed effects i'm hearing... this was the 1960s! it's very surprising. an interesting amalgamation of tropical and surreal, blending all sorts of genre influences from north america, south america and europe. brilliantly odd. a treat of an album.

I heard about this album in high school when I was obsessed with a lot of the Elephant 6 bands (for many of whom this is a direct inspiration). I mean, it's an absolutely classic psychedelic rock album in my book, more joyful than The Doors and more obtuse than Sgt. Pepper's. It's a 5 for me even though I rarely listen to it any more, listening to it again today was a joy. Probably aught to listen to it more.

Loved it

Your favorite has been rendered irrelevant within the first 5 minutes of this album, and your girlfriend got salmonella, now DANCE! bitch...

Future editions should cut every English and American psychedelic album from 1966-1970 and replace it with a repeat of this. It was a really weird experience to look at the cover of this and think “Oh God, more of this,” and then actually listen to it. It has a lot of the musical trappings that make the last five hundred sixties psych album on this list sound similar, but it also sounded creative and fresh and worthwhile and interesting. I can’t believe how sick this was! I can’t believe I had to listen to an entire record by the Zombies to get here!

Weird as hell but it's cool

Fav Song: Trem Fantasma

Weird and charming. Feels like a hidden gem.

one word Wednesday: Weird.

קסום rock latin נהדר נהנת

Freue mich, das entdeckt zu bekommen. Wäre dafür gern 25 Jahre jünger, mit weniger Terminen und mehr einen sitzen. Ganz geiler Scheiss auf jeden Fall, und für mich auch deutlich spannender und lustiger als vieles von den deutlich bekannteren Contemporaries aus den Kulturhegemonen UK und USA. Bunt schillernde 3,6 Sterne

Siempre son refrescantes estos descansos del anglocentrismo de esta lista. Variaciones chidas entre desorden, ruido y vocales limpios. Me gustó la verdad, sobre todo O relogio, con sus variaciones repentinas de mood; y Bat Macumba, Le premier du jour porque parece que apartir de ahí la cordura se va perdiendo en el disco y Ave Gengis khan que finaliza medio frenética.

"Mas as pessoas na sala de jantar São ocupadas em nascer e morrer" (Panis et circenses) "Você precisa saber da piscina Da margarina, da Carolina, da gasolina Você precisa saber de mim" (Baby) Pues todo bien por aquí

This was cool as hell, feels like dropping an alka seltzer into a cocktail

Very cool, like a psychedelic mixtape. Some insane Oboe and Bassoon playing too.

One word Wednesday: FuzzyCoolPortugeseChoirBoyPsychedelia. (Is that one word?)

Lekker experimentele rock. Hou ik wel van

The Brazilian Velvet Underground & Nico anyone? I really enjoyed the oddity of this.