Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Remember to play if I ever take a trip to France. Favorite Track: Panis Et Circenses
Not my favorite but not bad!
fun and strange
1/1
Very interesting.
This was just okay, fine. Nothing great.
Playfully chaotic and fun. Unlike anything else I’ve heard so far. A melting pot of eclectic and unique sounds and genres.
An explosion of 60s psychedelia with a Brazilian twist. With the exception of of A Minha Menina (which i think must have been used on an advert at some point) it sounds a little too much like someone trying to sound like other groups in places, especially the Beatles but still quite enjoyable. Not sure about the sudden slurp noise in Baby, may have made sense if you understand the lyrics but for me a rather unpleasant jolt.
I didn’t hate this, but I genuinely couldn’t tell you anything about it. Not for me, and totally forgettable.
It's things like this that is why I wanted to do this project - there's no way I'd have been listening to a 60s Brazilian rock band without it. This was weird, and when it stayed the right side of the weirdnesses line, I really enjoyed it. The Mamas & The Papas cover was great and got downloaded as a result, but I liked a lot of the original songs too. Sometimes the desire to add a completely tuneless solo of some description completely lost me though. If there is ever a South American equivalent of Austin Powers, something from Os Mutantes should definitely make the soundtrack. 3/5
So much fun! I didn’t understand what was happening at times but I loved it.
Fun and exotic
Not my favorite. Some good moments, but more bad ones
estuvo ok
Finalmente! Meu primeiro disco brasileiro aqui da lista, e já vejo que meu país será bem representado daqui em diante! Logo de cara, a cornerstone do movimento Tropicália, que bate de frente com os movimento psicodélicos americanos e britânicos. Em muitos momentos, esse disco chega a ultrapassar seus contemporâneos lá do outro lado da lagoa. Rita Lee, Deus a tenha, um talento inestimável. A participação de Jorge Ben na segunda faixa... As duas primeiras músicas são um jab e direto na tua cara quando tu da o play nessa obra aqui. Já te preparam pra embarcar nessa aventura sônica análoga a um final de tarde quente e úmido em um pátio qualquer que necessita urgentemente de uma varrida. Ou então, te transporta pro quarto escuro daquela prima sua que gosta até demais de astrologia, e as paredes cheiram a cigarro, e você, ainda na sua prematuridade, encontra esse LP em meio a coleção dela... E quando chega o solo de "Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour" só falta você mijar nas calças e chorar pela mamãe. Eu entendo! Todos estivemos lá! Você não está sozinho!!!!! Comparações com a era psicodélica dos Beatles são inevitaveis. Eu entendo. Esse disco lembra Sgt. Pepper's e Magical Mystery Tour? Sim! Mas ele tem seu gosto próprio. Seu gingado. Ele parece ser bem menos lapidado que aqueles discos, mais... bruto? Em virtude da banda brasileira não ter um Paul McCartney no seu lineup, talvez. Mas não veja isso como uma desavença minha com este álbum. Essa estética sonora agrada muito. Algumas canções aqui foram compostas e gravadas em poucas horas, e isso é perceptivel, e adiciona uma sensação linda de improvisação e experimentação incomparável, em alguns momentos parece que eu estou no estúdio com eles em 1968 tecendo e construindo mirabolantes melodias e sons noiosos porém inesquecíveis. Distorção. Psicodelia. Rita Lee. Tropicália. São Os Mutantes porra. Qualquer nota abaixo de 5 seria criminoso.
Discordant hodgepodge. Seemed like the sort of thing someone would listen to and claim they were edgy and informed. French mess.
Thought this would be another boring 60s psych rock album, but this was pretty fun. Can really feel the influence the guitar tone on this album had over Jack White’s whole sound. Some fantastic fuzz for an album from 1968.
Panis Et Circenses and Baby were the most accessible tracks.
It’s not bad, but I doubt I’ll ever return to it. Lots of Scooby Doo energy though.
Fun psychedlia with lots of zany stuff going on, crazy compositions, great fuzz guitar, and a wild atmosphere. I always find this band incredibly stressful to listen to though, it really puts me on edge - as much as I like this in principle I have yet to find the right context in which to actually enjoy it. Guess you had to be there...
I would live to be sitting in a bar in Brazil drinking caparenhas listening to this.
i feel like the ideas were interesting but the execution just wasn’t there for me. everything was just a step too chaotic without ever returning to a more solid form i think
Kickass weird and fun. Can't see frequent re-listens, to too novel and creative not to give it a 4.
Interesting
Liked this way more than I expected. The first 2 tracks pulled me in and Baby was really good. Definitely strange but I think it worked. Light 4.
Never heard of this band and couldn’t understand a word but I liked this a lot. Even though it was made in 1968 it sounds very modern. Sometimes it’s really interesting to listen to rock music sung in other languages.
This is the kind of album perfect for this list. Something important in another part of the world that I’d never hear otherwise. Sounds like this band loved the 60s stones.
This was a pretty fun album. It started off a little weird but really got into a good fun place.
1960's Brazilian Psychedelic Pop? OK! A Minha Menina is my favorite. Is this band sort of like a Brazilian Velvet Underground without a Lou Reed? Senhor F sounds old timey, kinda fun. Bat Macumba has a great bass line but I'm trying to decide if the totally fuzzed out static guitar is cool or annoying. I like the bass and drums but I don't really like what they did over it with the guitar and keys. Le Premier Bonheur.. total mood change w pretty cool vocals. I honestly don't know what to think of Trem Fantasma. How did David Lynch not use this song in one of his films? Not something I'd listen to often but it's pretty peculiar and definitely off the beaten path!
Tropicalia meets Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I’ve had this album in my life for almost 20 years. It’s a very unique ride! “A Minha Menina” is a close to perfect song. If feels like an evening of samba and drinks on a beach.
This was an interesting one. I wasn’t very impressed by how it started, but I felt like the songs got better as the album went on. Baby was the first one I perked up a little on, and then Bat Macumba kinda slapped. I also really liked Trem Fantasma and Tempo No Tempo. Lots of unique and quirky sounds swirled this into a fun collection of tunes. 3.5 but didn’t quite reach 4 territory for me.
Banebrydende indenfor psykedelisk rock og avavantgarde. Tropicalia genre movement var de en stor del af. Meget innovativt
Delightfully weird. Could see this growing on me. 3.5/5
Strange and enjoyable.
Interesting Relic
I think if I had discovered this during one of the late-adolescent periods when I was listening to After Bathing at Baxter's, I would have thought I had found the grail. Now it just doesn't have enough structure to keep my attention for very long, though I really liked some passages (and later tracks that Spotify pulled up after the album was done).
I had no idea Brazilian psychedelia was a thing, and I had never heard of the Tropicalia movement. Very interesting...and I admire any artists working under a fascist regime.
I listened to it twice and I still don't know what the heck was going on, and it wasn't the language that was the barrier.
Didn’t feel like giving this a shot
Even though I have no idea what they're saying, this psychedelic rock band can jam. Interesting use of traditional Brazilian instruments to make catchy beats. Enjoyable to an extent.
Fuckin God no
Eccentric, eclectic, melodic, and a joy from start to finish. A bona fide psychedelic essential - maybe not for all tastes, but definitely an album everyone should hear at least once. Fabulous.
Fuzzy and young
Weird, Brazilian, and Psychadelia? Yeah, music like this is why the list should exist. 4/5
This is that unusual, crazy, but weirdly wonderful stuff that we are after from this isn't it?
Gifted musicians. Sounds like Psychedelic Beatles, but sung in Brazilian Portuguese
I love “A Minha Menina,” but I knew by it was what I now know is a cover. Great album that clear had a lot influences from the time and the Beatles, but still a vibe.
In the realm of psychedelic music this is one of the more listenable and accessible records even if it's sung in Portuguese. There are some really great, catchy songs here.
Simultaneously love this while knowing I'll never listen to it ever againbut if i see it in a record store its mine.
decent record, not the biggest fan
2.5/5
Panis Et Circenses (de Veloso y Gil) ya da una pista de qué nos vamos a encontrar. Una fabulosa odisea de Psicodelia sesentera, rock, ácido y todo ello cantado en portugués. A Minha Menina sigue la estela mientras O Relógio es una mezcla de Velvet/Sonic Youth y belleza incomparable (con los Beatles siempre en la brújula) Bat Macumba es su tema más conocido, y con todo merecimiento. El 68 no es un año cualquiera, este disco no tuvo apenas repercusión pero con el tiempo ha venido ocupando un lugar de mucho mayor reconocimiento. Byrne o Covain han declarado su admiración e influencia. No son palabras menores. Imprescindible y sobre todo agradable viaje.
love it, love it, love it.
Pretty damn good album especially considering I don't know what any of the words mean.
I totally loved every minute. Weird interludes, transitions from the nega-verse. Like a Portuguese chamber pop mr. bungle.
Yeah that's pretty fun! A lot of Tropicalia brass give it a New Orleans Jazz vibe sometimes, with 60s guitars layered on. But apart from A Minha Menina, not a ton of memorable tracks. Ultimately, a good listen, probably a great example of what it is, not my style.
Featuring all of the groovy sounds popular in the late 60's (cheesy organs, ratty overdriven guitar, sound effects, etc.), this album is as dated as they come. It just seems...musty. The production on this record is slapdash and the songs are frequently corny. The abrupt changes within the songs and the heavy guitar effects are attempts at making a cutting-edge album but instead end up being grating on the ear. There's too much weird for the sake of weirdness on this record, had they played it straight these tracks might have been more appealing.
Absolutely dire
This was fun. Will I listen to again: 33%
Os Mutantes' self-titled 1968 debut album stands as a landmark of psychedelic Brazilian music and the Tropicália movement, blending a kaleidoscope of influences, experimental production, and playful yet rebellious themes. This in-depth review explores its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and the album’s strengths and weaknesses. ## Lyrics The lyrics on *Os Mutantes* are primarily in Portuguese and reflect a mix of playful surrealism, social commentary, and cultural references typical of the Tropicália movement. While not overtly political in the style of Bob Dylan or Sly Stone, the band’s work subtly challenged Brazil’s military dictatorship by embracing artistic freedom and irreverence. Songs like “A Minha Menina” (originally by Jorge Ben) express joyous love with simple, catchy phrases, while “Bat Macumba” and “Senhor F” feature repetitive, chant-like vocals and whimsical nonsense that contribute to the album’s playful, subversive spirit. The lyrics often border on the absurd or theatrical, adding to the album’s charm and unpredictability[1][3][4]. ## Music Musically, *Os Mutantes* is a vibrant fusion of psychedelic rock, Brazilian folk rhythms, garage rock, and avant-garde experimentation. The album draws from Anglo-American psychedelic pop influences like The Beatles and Frank Zappa, while incorporating Brazilian percussion and rhythms, creating a sound that is both familiar and alien. Tracks like “A Minha Menina” transform samba into a rollicking psych-rock anthem with fuzzy guitars and energetic percussion. “Bat Macumba” grooves with krautrock-like repetitive drums and funky rhythms, while “Ave Genghis Khan” blends psychedelic pop with jazzy percussion and electronic sounds ahead of its time. The band’s use of unusual instruments, distortion, and vocal effects adds layers of texture and surprise, making the music dense yet accessible[1][2][3][4][5]. ## Production The production on the album is inventive and experimental, reflecting the youthful audacity of the band members—Arnaldo Baptista (20 years old), Sérgio Dias (18), and Rita Lee (21). The album features homemade distortion pedals, tape effects, and a collage-like approach to sound that was groundbreaking in Brazil at the time. The production is intentionally raw and somewhat underproduced, giving the album a scrappy, garage band feel that enhances its chaotic joy. The use of studio trickery, feedback, and musique concrète techniques creates a psychedelic atmosphere without losing the pop sensibility. This lo-fi, playful production style contributes to the album’s lasting charm and originality[1][3][4][5][6]. ## Themes Thematically, *Os Mutantes* celebrates youthful rebellion, artistic freedom, and the joy of musical experimentation. The album captures the spirit of the Tropicália movement, which sought to break down cultural barriers and challenge authoritarianism through art. While not explicitly political in lyrics, the band’s very existence and sound were acts of cultural defiance against Brazil’s military regime. The album’s eclecticism and humor reflect a desire to escape convention and explore new sonic territories. Themes of love, fantasy, and playful absurdity run throughout, making the album a joyous, kaleidoscopic experience[4][6]. ## Influence *Os Mutantes* has had a profound and lasting influence on global music, especially in alternative, psychedelic, and indie rock circles. The band’s innovative fusion of Brazilian rhythms with psychedelic and experimental rock inspired artists such as Beck, who dedicated an album to them, and David Byrne of Talking Heads, a vocal admirer. Kurt Cobain attempted to reunite the band to tour with Nirvana, and contemporary acts like Stereolab and Boogarins have drawn from their sound. Despite their significant impact, Os Mutantes remained relatively unknown outside Brazil for decades, making their influence a remarkable story of underground legacy[4][7]. ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Exceptionally inventive and original psychedelic sound blending Brazilian and Anglo-American influences | Can feel chaotic and “all over the place,” which may alienate some listeners on first hearing | | Playful, joyous, and rebellious spirit capturing youthful energy | Raw, underproduced sound might be perceived as rough or unfinished | | Unique song structures and inventive use of studio effects | Lyrics in Portuguese may limit immediate accessibility for non-Portuguese speakers | | Strong, catchy melodies with experimental instrumentation | Some tracks may seem dated or overly busy to modern ears | | Influential and groundbreaking within Tropicália and psychedelic music | Not overtly political, so may lack direct engagement for listeners seeking protest music | ## Conclusion *Os Mutantes* is a chaotic, joyful masterpiece that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of 1960s Brazilian Tropicália. Its daring fusion of psychedelic rock, Brazilian folk, and avant-garde experimentation set it apart as a unique and influential album. The lyrics, while playful and sometimes surreal, contribute to a sense of artistic freedom and rebellion against authoritarian norms. The production’s raw, inventive style enhances the album’s charm and timelessness. Though its eclecticism and rough edges may challenge some listeners, repeated plays reveal a rich, rewarding musical experience that continues to inspire generations of musicians worldwide. This album is not just a record but a cultural statement—an exuberant declaration of creativity that remains as fresh and revolutionary today as it was over 50 years ago.
Not really my thing
Un album à la croisée des genres et des temporalités, qui sonne à la fois très 1960-1970 par ses claviers et effets sonores, très musique brésilienne dans ses rythmes et mélodies, et moderne dans sa fusion globale. Un petit ovni qui ne nous déstabilise plus trop, mais qui devait détonner à l'époque.
Wtf was that
listened to this at work… i think in a different setting, i would give it a four. 3.5
This is so far up the weird shit psychedelic river I am completely lost. Being cold sober I have No idea if I like it or it’s so shit can’t even listen to it, think it helps being in Portuguese so I understand even less. But whatever it was a listen, even if they had to play every sound they could find, yeah and glad I got to hear it, so should be on the list, but still not sure if for good or bad. Gonna go with 3 star cause I really have no idea.
Not my jam
It's goofy, silly and incredibly fun to listen to. It might not be the most consitent album out there, but I can't give it anything other than full marks for its influence and how much I enjoy listening to it. A Minha Menina is an incredible song and there's a lot of other great parts on this album as well. Tropicalia is great to listen to and this was my gateway into Brazillian music and MPB.
Interesting psychedelic Brazilian rock
Super fun record. Really enjoyed the different sounds and meandering songs that took me to them
Yes please
Loved the lyrics
Lively
A pleasant journey, but nothing too memorable. She's a 2, but a solid 2.
Never heard the band or album before but interesting stuff!
Really cool
3.5 - Some songs are so so good and then others are just hard to listen to. Feels very similar to velvet underground. Good though, enjoyed
I love the vibe of this album. Its weird, funky, experimental, free-wheeling, but maybe all those things slightly to a fault. The first few tracks are engaging, but admittedly most of the good tracks here were written by some other MPB legends - Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben, Cateano Veloso namely. "Baby" is iconic but this is definitely not the best version I've heard of it, not even the best version by Os Mutantes (1971 for me). Fave Tracks: Panis et circenses, Baby 3.4/5
There's a bit of everything thrown into this very cool album which any self respecting sixties pop psych aficionado will be aware of.
Give a load of musicians some acid and a kazo ans this is the result. Love it
This is the sort of madness that this list was designed for
Kinda charming.
Well, that happened. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but it definitely happened.
This was pretty weird and I don’t think I enjoyed it.
Not great for me.
This was cool AF to be fair. I also got to use it to improve my Portuguese, an endeavour I'm doing through Duo Lingo, leaving me fluent for about 20 minutes a day, and entirely non-conversant the rest of the time. Anyway, Os Mutantes (The Mutants!) manage to combine Brazilian flavours with garage rock in a way that left me thinking: eu me sinto muito feliz agora.
Relaxing
I really dig this album a lot
Meh
3.5/5
I don’t get this one.
I genuinely have no idea how to react to this, but it was pretty fucking cool
it was a cool album to listen to but nothing super stood out to me as a certified banger yknow
This is the 82nd album I’m rating. I don’t know what this album is or who any of these people are. Adding to my Playlist - Panis et Circenses, A Minha Menina, O Relógio, Adeus Maria Fulô, Baby, Senhor F, Bat Macumba, Le Premier Bonheur du Jour, Trem Fantasma, Tempo no Tempo, and Ave Genghis Khan. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 11/11 songs. I think I might just love tropicália because this is great. I really haven’t heard anything like this and I am glad that I listened to it before I died else I would’ve missed out on some great catchy songs.
This is exactly the stuff I was hoping to find when doing this challenge, weird stuff I would’ve never found otherwise. BRASIL NUMERO UNO!
Oh me oh my Brazilian music gone past me by.
🤮
I wasn't expecting samba music but this album made me absolutely love the genre. They do have some very strange instrumentals going on, but it gives it a unique ambiance, and for that, I really like this album. I wish I knew how to speak Spanish so I could really enjoy this album to its full potential. I am now finding out that this album is Brazilian, and the genre is psychedelic tropicalia, which is like sambas weird cousin. Brazilians always make great music.
this was an adventurous listen as psychedelic albums tend to be. liked some songs, didn’t care much for others. a mixed bag, really.
beatifull
Honestly very interesting Brazilian pop album, and I'm not entirely sure what to feel about it right now, but I think I need a few more listens to take it in
Strange. Definitely not my jam.
This is like an attempt at a Psychedelic Brazilian Beatles. It's not a great one either.
72/100. Os Mutantes’ self-titled album is a pretty good and vibey listen, blending psychedelic rock with a uniquely Brazilian twist. I had never heard of the band before, but this debut was a fun surprise, filled with creative arrangements, quirky transitions, and playful energy.
Love the off the wall instrumentation. Portuguese is a beautiful language, I love hearing it on Brazilian tracks.
Good lord, i took a week off from this project to go on a vacation and then i come back to this?! Os Mutantes is an albums that somehow manages to commit nearly every no no in music possible in just 36 minutes. I'm not gonna fault the lyrics since they are in Spanish and i am still a beginner in learning that language and the vocals are about as good as they could be with the limited resources but what i will fault is the music. There is everything here from terrible compositions to awful instrumentation amplified by terrible audio recording and mixing even for 1968 and that's when the songs aren't having immense identity crises. The other aspects are not so terrible but when the music is this unbelievably bad, i can't give this album any higher than a 1. Best Song: Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour Worst Song: Panis Et Circenses
Grrrooooooovvvy baaaaaabbbby.
Os Mutantes
Not for me.
OK. But not as exciting as I'd hoped.
This is what I came for. Mad 60s Brazillian take on psychedelic rock. I'll be back
One of these psychedelic surprises that the 60s has to offer. Tasty and unpredictable. Gimme more!
That was a nice surprise - I really enjoyed but it does get a bit repetitive.
Mercifully short.... One thing this list has made me realize is how much I really despise most of this era and certainly psychedelic rock in general. Ever see that episode of Family Guy where Peter and Lois start a folk band? Yea, Handful of Peter is what I hear every time one of these albums shows up. https://youtu.be/NpJW6lFUA_g?si=KfyyqgQ-LNW85lTJ&t=62
interesting! Good to work to.
What a fantastic psychedelic journey this is Weird and fun and constantly surprising About as high as a 4 gets and I have a suspicion it might go to the full 5 if I listen to it at the right time/place/mind
Friggin cool. I'm a sucker for this late '60s, intangible, low fidelity, grainy, psychadelic music that takes on this almost dream-like quality. And this one has a Brazillian-pop twist! It almost reminded me of the VU debut in many ways, with those occasional female-vocal-led soft ballads, like the dreamy 'O Relogio' and 'Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour.' I also really liked the song 'Baby'; it had this super cutesy organ lead and maybe the catchiest chorus on the album. 'Bat Macumba' goes all the way with those insane tribal drums, and that bassline is to die for. 'Ave Gengis Khan' was also a memorable closer, taking an almost krautrock direction, reminding me ever so slightly of a CAN song. Just a really fun album to get through. Music like this just takes your mind to a million different places. And I'll say the grainy quality of the recording only amplifies this effect.
I can appreciate the artistry and vibe... but not my thang.
I don’t know that I’ll ever get the appeal of intentionally discordant, weird, or atonal music. Luckily those elements aren’t the totality of this album. The rest—the Portuguese beats, language and drumming—is enjoyable enough.
Not as bad as thought it was gonna be, but I would never listen to this again
Probably only even remotely bearable if you're stoned. 1.5/5
Unique
A little too much weird for me
= The Beatles It's interesting, I'll give it that
Brazilian band interesting
this is absolutely scrumptious 60s psych rock it’s awesome
Not really my thing.
Love this band, love this album. Listened to it maybe 5 times today. 5 stars.
This is the kind of weird stuff that makes me stick with this project! Like a mix of the Beach Boys and early Pink Floyd. One of the more interesting 60s psychedelic albums I've heard, but maybe because I don’t speak Portuguese and so I focused on the music. 4⭐️
Psykedelisk rock med et brasiliansk twist, interesant og lidt mærkeligt
The story behind the album is cool. Sadly the music doesn't do the story any justice. 60s psych rock isn't really my jam.
Wow! Hele gave echt psychedelische muziek. Braziliaanse en andere invloeden helpen mee de muziek naar een hoger plan te trekken. Geweldig origineel, gaat vaker geluisterd worden
Feels like an experimental art piece. The production is a hot mess, levels and distortion that is so obvious and irritating it has to be intentional? The artist seems to also be a big fan of ambient sound and features it is most songs. Not a fun listening experience
Dont speak a lick of it so
Kind of liken a Brazilian tropica beach boys? I’ll revisit one day but not hitting
Weird stuff, just interesting enough to keep it out of the basement.
This must be what it sounds like if you intended to drop acid listening to the Velvet Underground, but somehow ended up in a psychedelic Brazilian fever dream. A long strange trip indeed.
I bet these guys are annoying as shit to hang out with. I put this on during dinner and my wife was confused as shit. We made it a song and a half and had to dinner it off. Apparently not dinner party music. I tried a couple more times to get into this but ultimately couldn’t listen to very much. So ultimately this gets a “fuck off”
This shit was weird…but I think I liked it. Baby was a legit “oh shit that song!” moment. And that alone has me rounding up. 2.75/5
Eh
My favorite Brazilian psychedelic rock.
This was brilliant! I really enjoyed it. Each song was completely different and just so fun. Will be listening today
I enjoyed this! Didn't know what to expect and was a bit concerned when it started to be honest but it was great fun!
Pretty cool. Psychedelic Latin garage rock.
I peeped at other reviews that were written about this article and one that made me laugh was that they “weren’t stoned enough for this.” Maybe I AM stoned enough for this but I dig it. I love the garage rock influences here, everything just a little gritty. Combined with some incredible drumming. It’s a multigenre impressive piece of work. Before writing this little review I looked up the Wikipedia page of the band to learn more and what a story! Now I can’t speak Portugese so I don’t really understand what they’re singing about (I’m gonna listen through with autotranslator maybe because I liked this so much) but incredible that this music almost caused a riot!
oooooh awesome!! I love A Minha Menina but I havent heard the rest yet. loved ittt! Right up my alley for late 60s psych🔥
Super fun. I had a good time and listened to more beyond this album.
New! Different! Surprisingly pleasant to listen to! Introduced some new songs to my morning commute playlist
The tropicalia sounds are new to me, the loud and heavy mixes with trocipal sounds are very interesting. The 60s vibe collide with surreal and personal themes, makes this an album I had the joy of listening to it, fully.
Åh. Er det en 4er, eller er det en 1er? Jeg var underholdt af underligheden fra start til slut. Cirkus, gøgler show.
Wow. Det var fandme specielt. 60er Psyk-rock med latino-feel. Track nr. 2 havde et dejlig fed/tyk guitar riff. Det er et sjovt, charmerende og til tider skrækkeligt album
Pretty great. I feel like animal collective got some inspiration from this. I like the song baby a lot
EXCELLENT. As a YouTube commenter said, "the Brazilian Beatles"
i adore this album
This is what I thought the Beatles sounded like before I listened to them
The only album of the 60s that sounds like people from the 90s imagined albums of the 60s sounded. Crazy and light and good-natured fun.
Like when France was trying to get into the “acid rock” scene. Not knowing french probably doesn’t help anything but really the music didn’t do anything for me.
This is pretty wild and sounds quite innovative for its time. Liked Songs Added: A Minha Menina Bat Macumba Ave Gengis Khan
This had elements I enjoyed, but they were too few and far between.
Well, considering this is a French album. It kind of limits how much I can process. Like I have no idea what any of the songs are about. Literally the only thing I can even critique/comment on is the music and instrumentation. Thankfully psychedelic rock has a long history of being performed by wildly talented musicians and that is no different here. The music is engaging and creative without being silly necessarily. There’s variety, not a lot, but definitely a lot of variety for its time. Honestly this album ages super well and it’s because the music and instrumentation is so good. Just a few songs in and you think you might have a good idea of what this album has to offer and then you realize don’t when you get to “Adeus Maria Fulô” which I can only describe as jungle-rock. It’s so fun and enjoyable, I’d highly recommend this album to somebody with tolerance for not understanding the actual lyrics/message and an interest in psychedelic music.
It’s really weird, but in a good way. It’s both enjoyable and completely different from the rest of the list, so you know what? I’ll give it 5 stars.
This album is cute - not my usual vibe but it's a pleasant listen. Would recommend.
Thoughts before listening: Psychedelic Brazilian rock music from the 60s I believe. One of those bands I have read about but never listened to so I am excited to hear what they are all about. Review: This certainly lives up to its psychedelic billing. Like with a lot of the 60s bands on this list, this album is a mixture of melodic pop rock ditties and weirder sounds that put it squarely in the psychedelic category. This album is enjoyable and presents a very interesting mix of styles although the language barrier is admittedly a bit of a hurdle for me. 3-stars
Really enjoyed most of this album. The South American take on psychedelic was great to listen to. Overall I liked this. 3.5/5 Will listen again
Crazy
It’s psych rock, which is never my favorite genre, but it’s Brazilian psych rock, which at least makes it more interesting. Overall, a pretty fun album with a good amount of variety. Favorites: O Relógio, Le Premier Bonheur du Jour 3.5
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, I enjoyed this as a psychedelic type album more than that guff the Beatles farted out. Maybe because I don't speak Portuguese, it was like listening to an album as a Sims character.. no idea what was happening but I was alright with the quirkiness of most of it. I imagine this is the sort of music that played through Jose Aldo's head when Conor McGregor knocked his dick loose all those years ago. A respectable 3 from me.
This list is fucking stupid
You can hear lots of influences like Sgt Peppers, Pet Sounds, Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. It's playful and perky. Very swinging and shaking, but ultimately lacking special sauce. Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour was a welcomed change in pace and style. I can only imagine Tempo No Tempo is about a man shouting at his dog ‘Tempo’ in a park after he's ripped a toddler to shreds. ‘Tempo No! Tempo!’ It has a driving rhythm and sinister clicking throughout like The Sharks and The Jets, and it ends with church bells (funeral procession). The fuzz and the bongos and the animal noises, become grating after the first couple of songs. Nothing of substance going on.
Weird but really fun
Very weird. Sometimes good weird, but mostly just weird weird
Not my thing.
Interesting
Never heard before. Very.good.
Now this was something so unique, never heard anything quite like this, it was weird in the best way combining so many genres that would never even be considered together usually, really shocked with the results
The way this album mixes traditional Brazilian vocals with late 60s psych rock is just so mind blowing and weird to me, what a fascinating and beatiful album
How do you say “ok” in Portuguese
hell ye
This is raw and unpredictable. It’s all over the place. Not everything works, but when it clicks, it’s ok.
I have mixed feelings. Some of it is really good. They combine styles I like. Garage rock and more traditional Brazilian music. More energetic than some other tropicalia artists. But it sounds as if it's covered in a thick layer of dust. It's hard to listen to. Favorite song: A Minha Menina.
Good
Nikad mi ovo nije skroz leglo
Feels simultaneously like The Beatles of post-Rubber band, but also you can really feel the strange foreshadowing of Neutral Milk Hotel (inb4 "The man who only listened to The Beatles and Neutral Milk Hotel be like:")
This is a hauntingly beautiful, funny, crazy album - from the cool surfy A Minha Menina to the array of psychadelic reverb drenched songs it’s interesting and inspiring even after tens of listens - to me this is an awesome record. Need to learn Portuguese to appreciate another dimension of it though
Kunnon meininki! Viidakon rokkia ja sekoilua! 4/5
Menevä lattarirock-platta! 4/5
Might need to relisten, but unfortunately I won't
This was one of the few albums that I didn’t check the Wikipedia before listening. I enjoyed playing guess the bands origin. I was correct in saying Portuguese/brazilian. The music itself was unique but quite weird.
Ah. This again. I remember encountering this album when I assembled a "Best 50 LPs of 1968" for a birthday boy. At the time, I listened to them all, and this one stood out as being...well.... Tokenism. There were FAR better albums than this, but I guess the critics felt better including some Brazilian Folky-Psychedelia. Listening again, I have the same view. Meandering and unfocussed.
Good vibes, enjoyed this one. Would not be surprised if they were a big influence for modern day surf psych rock
Don’t understand lyrics, so can’t speak to that. The sound is unique but not super interesting
The result of the US thinking it’s the center of the universe is that so many people miss the best of other cultures. Os Mutantes were doing things almost no other band was back then.
For 1968, this stuff is pretty dang creative. It represents the almost euphoric happiness that the world of psychedelia had to offer back in the 60s. The multiple song sections squeezed into tracks under three minutes in length, the multi-tracked layering of vocals (e.g. in Trem Fantasma), the heavy 8-bit distortion of the guitar on Bat Macumba... man, how do you come up with this stuff? There's some clear influence here, not just from British psychedelic pop but also towards it. I'm willing to bet the likes of Pink Floyd, the Velvet Underground, and Jefferson Airplane both inspired and were inspired by Os Mutantes. Each track is distinct from the last, and the energy of the album rises and falls like a (slow) rollercoaster. The bass playing is one of the highlights of the album, being simple, bluesy, and infectious. There are a few aspects that could've been better. The production is fine for its time, but through a modern lens it feels a bit brash and messy. (Hard to explain.) The vocals are mixed too loudly – commonplace for the 60s – giving it an overly retro feel. I'm not a big fan of the male lead vocal, which sounds untrained compared to its female counterpart. There are parts of the album where Os Mutantes seemingly chooses to be "weird for the sake of weird", and generally I'm not a big fan of that. They make it work pretty darn well, though. It's a gas. 4/5 Key tracks: Panis Et Circenses, A Minha Menina, Trem Fantasma
Since following this list, any album I haven't heard that's some combination of psychedelic rock and the avant garde is okay by me. There's just more of it than I ever knew haha
they should’ve let the woman sing more, i would’ve enjoyed the album more
Sounds cool
1.5
Well that was fun and quirky. But got to be a bit hard work by the end.
Only previously familiar with A Minha Menina. Bonkers baroque trippy mod pop exotica. Starts strong, gets old fairly quick. Like it quite a bit.
Sick album, never heard of these guys before but I really love the Brazilian psych sound
genre: samba/pop rock/alternative?? very genre bending and weird, i quite liked it!
TOSSE, TODO MUNDO TOSSINDO top 5 maiores pedradas da música nacional esse álbum é genial, apenas.
BRASIL NUMERO UM CAMPEÃO PENTA ☝️🥇🏆🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷 sou clubista mesmo. album brasileiro é 5 estrelas, foda-se. ainda mais quando é a maior pedrada que saiu da tropicália. meu único comentário é: doideira não ser o album "Tropicália" mesmo. prefiro esse aqui, mas o outro é historicamente (?) mais aclamado né. no mais, luto eterno rita lee.
Brazilian psych rock could grow on me but it needs time
Another weird one. I can’t say it resonated with me deeply and the language barrier did not help in that regard either. Kind of groovy and fun but it was also a bit chaotic to listen to. Not quite enough to be a 3 for me though.
this album was kinda wacky, and i think that is the best way to describe it. i did enjoy it by the end, but it was a bit rough getting into. Ave Genghis Khan won me over though and I could give it another listen.
Very weird, but I like weird. There were some moments in songs that I thought were really shockingly cool or beautiful, and then a moment right afterward which was just wtf. Overall I enjoyed this album, but maybe a bit too much wtf to be higher than a 2.
Goodness. There would be brief glimpses where I would start to think that I’d like the song but then there would be a voice or instrumentation that ruined it. Un-relistenable
Maybe because the last couple of albums haven’t been great, but I am glad to have listened to this album. Kinda reminds me of some of the instrumental music on Joe vs the Volcano. Fun! Low 3.
This is more in line with what I expect with albums I should listen to before I die. Something I probably wouldn’t have ever come across, let alone listen to. Intriguing throughout, lots of different styles and genres represented, and the composition kept me invested while dealing with the language barrier. Glad I listened to it, happy to add a couple songs into my library.
Yo, I can fucks with this! This album could have easily been another 'It's so out there that we have to put it on the list' kind of album, but's it's actually pretty good. I really liked the first few songs, and I went back and listened to "Panis Et Circenses" three times. The back half kinda drags, and it loses it's unique appeal after 30 minutes though. At the start of the album I was thinking 4 stars, but I think it drops to a 3 by the end. Maybe it gets a bonus star for being unique. We'll see in the morning.
This is something very random... While listening some songs, I thought my mind was leaving me. :D And after that was happening, the album slowly started growing on me, so I kinda enjoyed it?! I still don't know... :D But probably I won't be listening to this band that much ether.
3/4
WT actual F? Album art works for the album, some recognizable elements and plenty of wait, what's that? Clearly set in a time and place without being like anything I've ever heard before. Madness; two thumbs up.
Now THIS is how you do psychedelic! Experimental without being annoying. Weird sounds that simply somehow go together. It’s great. I loved every song. Good work folks! 4/5
Fun and weird
Os Mutantes is bursting with ideas, colours, and playful experimentation, and at first that energy is infectious. It feels mischievous and inventive, gleefully throwing sounds, styles, and studio tricks into the mix without much concern for restraint. There is a charm to that looseness, especially in how fearlessly it bends pop, psychedelia, and Brazilian music into something proudly strange. For me, though, that constant novelty becomes tiring over the course of the album. Songs rarely settle long enough to fully land before pivoting into the next idea, and what initially feels exciting can start to feel scattershot. The humour and theatricality do not always translate emotionally, and after a while it becomes harder to connect beyond appreciating the creativity on display. I admire what it is doing more than I actually enjoy listening to it front to back. In the end, Os Mutantes feels like an important and fascinating record rather than a deeply satisfying one. I am glad it exists, and I like dipping into it, but it does not pull me back repeatedly or linger in my head once it is over.
Didn't really give a hoot one way or another but has a few little clever bops and kinda catchy even though not my jam
Utterly weird and whimsical psychedelic pop from… Brazil? Fck yeah. Albums like these are why it’s so fun being a part of this website - I likely never would have discovered this band on my own.
A bit funny. Sounds like the Italien funky Beatles
This album is a sheer delight. I knew many of the songs from the Best Of collection, but the rest were all solid jams too. I’d definitely give this a closer relisten; would likely be a 4 but am gonna round up.
I guess the 1001 Album Generator hates me during this holiday season. 3 out of 4 days in a row with foreign music. I listened to about half of this album and again, didn't understand a word and the music wasn't anything that made it special. Just not my jam. 1/5
This album was an interesting mix of psychedelia and more traditional Brazilian music. I wish the production was a bit better, but it's a fun listen overall 4/5
Brazilian music blended by American and British psychedelic.
Weeeeeeird shit...
Os Mutantes The first song is good. It reminds me of the chaos in Sergeant Peppers. O Relógio is insane. I love the reverb on the vocals and the dreamlike atmosphere. Same with Le Priemer Bonheur Du Jour. It’s almost as if it matches the colors and visuals on the album cover. It’s mysterious, eerie, and haunting. The distorted piano section near the end is the cherry on top. The ending was great too. Ok this was a solid play. I wouldn’t buy it on vinyl but I like the ideas they played with. It felt very 60s and trippy so that was cool. I really just liked the five songs and not much else
International vibe
Funky Brazilian psychedelic rock
Unfortunately my tolerance for late 60's psych is very low now. This was more fun then many of the other examples on this list but way behind the Hendrix gold standard so not sure what the point is.
The brazillian beatles are weird and it's so perfect. Catchy, interesting, arresting and often beautiful
What an absolutely wonderful, weird album. Strangely approachable in spite of its eccentricities, and even kind of charming. Really enjoyed this one.
It's certainly Not bad, unfortunetly I really really do not find any enjoyment in anything with psychedelic sounds. The whole album is like a fever dream. Bat Macumba will haunt me for days.
7/10
Brazilian psychedelia par excellence! This is such a banger! Maybe its hard to understand if this is your first encounter with Brazilian music but if you know some other artists it’s a perfect album.
Certainly some interesting sounds and quite a good listen. Have saved a couple of tracks to listen to again.
Some weird stuff going on. Catchy in places and certainly interesting throughout. Top track: A Minha Menina
I’ve listened to this before off the back of The Bee’s cover of ‘Minha..’. which is pretty true to the original. And that’s pretty much the only attraction of this album. It gets slightly more understandable after a couple of listens, but mostly it’s a big mess of ideas, of which some tracks have something interesting about them, but also nothing that’s really gonna draw you back in. Generous 3, just because it’s experimental and there should be more stuff like this on the list.
Bit bonkers but always dug them on the Tropicalia album during my Brazilian phase
Never heard of them, thought I wouldn't reconcognise any of it, then that second track came along. Sounds like the velvet underground with a south American twist. Can't help but see the front cover as a homage to "what we do in the Shadows".
Not for me. Can’t put my finger on why.
Wow this was a surprise. I loved it. I;d never heard of him before. I really enjoyed the dreamlike tunes.
Love those vibes
I like it
Cool wee band. Love that “A Minha Menina”
Utter madness zero sadness sparking great joy psychedelia ahoy ne'er heard anything like this not causing a miss so much fun this is a good 'un
The way I would describe this style is that they use basic rock (or sometimes jazz?) melodies as a foundation, and then add a bunch of stuff on top: effects, samples, extra instruments, some folk elements, sometimes the main theme isn't even there for half of the track, but it all works perfectly together. But more importantly, it just sounds fun.
3.5/5
9/10. Um...YES, PLEASE!!! This album features the PERFECT 1960's psychedelic rock vibes. It's crazy and all over the place, but in the best way possible. Brazil knows how to make fantastic music!!! :)
Anything Brazilian is such a trigger for Len. Makes it hard to listen to. A brazilian was why Len split up with his first wife, Andrea. She’d been having it off with Alice Coopers roadie, Alan Hazelnuts. Brazilians were a new trend and Alice always got them confused with Hollywood’s. Alan had obviously been talking to Alice about it and when Len was having some beers with Alice he realised that either Alice had seen ‘it’ or someone close to Alice had. It wasn’t a great loss really. If you went down the list of everyone who saw Andreas area we’d be here all day but don’t tell Len that. 2.1
Out there psych rock from the late 60s. Fun listen, but not the best album I have ever heard. Some tunes are very unique and you can tell various influences. 7/10
Strong start with track one but loses its allure fast. Lots of skips, annoying voice for the most part. Le Premier almost wins me back though, I really like that one. That song is immensely calming to my ears.
Despite being under 40 minutes, this album still managed to overstay it's welcome
Like other reviewers, one of the reasons I signed up is to come across albums like this. Can't say would necessarily come back to it, but I am glad to know that it exists, and that I have given it a few 'spins'
Schel, oud, iets te experimenteel, gitaren die klinken als een kazoo, valse nasale zang. Zoals ik ooit eerder noteerde is ook dit een kinderfeestje met verschillende Fisher Price of Vtech apparaten. Alsof Sgt Pepper is ontvoert door een stel kannibalen uit een Braziliaans regenwoud. De cuica (waarvan ik de naam ken via deze lijst) maakt z'n rentree. Bizar schelle fluiten met als enige doel om te irriteren in het intro van track 9. Wat een kutzooi zeg. Ik heb dit album op 4 verschillende momenten ingestart, maar ik kom er maar niet doorheen. Ik zet het steeds uit omdat ik me toch wel aardig stoor aan de vele schelle geluiden. Ik kom hier met geen mogelijkheid doorheen. Heel slimme mensen kunnen hier vast iets uit halen, maar ik krijg zin om een gat in m'n schedel te boren. 1 ster.
The name of this band translates to "The Mutants," which feels like a very typical 60's band name. If you like 60's psychedelic music in Spanish then boy do I have an album for you. It may have helped if I knew what they were saying, but much of Baby was in English and it didn't necessarily make it more enjoyable for me. This an international version of experimental psych-music and I'm afraid alot of this missed me. It sounds good and Os Mutantes are doing something that sounds different but I'm not sure it is different from the other psychedelic music this book has forced us to listen to. There is less acoustic guitar and more fuzzy electric guitar forward in the mix, which is a nice change.
meh
What a fascinating, forward thinking album. Really unexpected and deeply satisfying.
No idea what’s going on here, but I like it. Track 2 just finished and I loved it. I’m really enjoying this album. This album is just wonderful.
What a strange combo of music - traditional Brazilian music with psychedelic rock. It wasn't all that great, though I am not a fan of psych rock. I guess they don't call them "The Mutants" for nothing. 4/10
Meh
Influencial and important in context (and I happen to like it) but I'm not sure it is an essential album to hear, in 2024. 2.5 stars if it was available.
Hmm not sure about this
Not for me
Good for these weirdos. They had me with the Brazilian touches, but immediately lost me with the psychedelic noodling. And that’s lame, because I can totally see myself loving these songs if they were less acid-fueled. But hey, Os Mutantes’ hippy drool got them on this list, so what do I know?
Rough listen
Painful
An interesting album, I liked Tempo no Tempo.
This was pretty cool actually.
It was ok
Not a fan of the Spanish/Mexican languages but the music and vocal deliveries are very good! Some songs have that late 60s psychadelic vibe and carry it very well.
bo r in g
I’m glad some people enjoy it. It wasn’t bad to me just completely forgettable and not my thing.
This is so quirky and I’m super obsessed with it. Every song brought something delightfully new and interesting. I’m interested to see how much relisten value it maintains. For now though, it’s definitely a 5.
I mean I love this cover. Let's see. Finally, an album that lives up to its cover. Is this the best album I've ever heard? This is 36 minutes of joy, right here.
A rather lovely little potter through the peculiar alleyways of Brazilian psych- and baroque-pop. At times, one is minded entirely of the patchouli-powered garden of delights that was English psych; however, every now and again a twisted version of the Jorge Ben Jor samba formula pushes through. The whole shebang is too dated for me to thoroughly enjoy it - which is hardly the fault of Os Mutantes for merely existing in the late 1960s - but I can dig it, maaaaan.
Highlight: A Minha Menina In a nutshell: weird- but in a good way- psych rock Overall: 5/10
Once again the authors favourite genre. Quite left field to even discover this. Bizarre.
That was kind of cool. More enjoyable than Sgt Peppers, that's for sure
Not awful. Not compelling. Never have to hear this again. Not essential.
There is a special place in every record collector's heart for a weird old obscure record with a cool cover that you pick out of a bargain bin for $1, which turns out to be awesome fun. I confess I have a few of those in my collection. Collectors love to champion those kinds of records; hard to find, strange, often misbegotten, and probably not really that great or important in the scheme of things. But a fun artefact to share with your friends. The obscurity is part of the fetishization. Every now and then, a cult will build up around those kinds of finds, and suddenly they are a cause célèbre. I am thinking of things like the Shaggs' Philosophy of the World, the Kashmere Stage Band and the entire Numero Group catalogue. I've always been wary of Os Mutantes as exactly that kind of hipster-bait. It's for music snobs who think that Pet Sounds is too mainstream ("yeah, Pet Sounds is OK I guess, but I bet you've never heard _this_ one.") I have slogged through a long list of 60s psychedelic cult classics as part of this list (Love, Spirit, 13th Floor Elevators, Skip Spence, Shuggie Otis, Iron Butterfly, Quicksilver Messenger Service, for god's sake), and most are a pretty shitty listening experience. I am doubly wary when the legend of the band is an integral part of their 'appeal', especially if that legend is predicated on career collapse and/or the suffering of one or more band members' due to mental health or other issues. And this album ticked nearly all the boxes on my 'pretentious music sob under-rated masterpiece psychedelic cult favorite' bingo card before the stylus even hit the vinyl. But what's the listening experience actually like, if I give it an honest chance? Well, pretty damn great, actually. The tunes are catchy and melodic (even if I can't understand the Portuguese lyrics), the singing is great, especially Rita Lee, the Tropicalia rhythms are fun, the songs are generally pretty economical without too much unlistenable psychedelic nonsense (cf. Pet Sounds low point 'Vegetables'. Don't come at me, hipsters, but 'Vegetables' is shit), the lo-fi recording has a charming warmth, the fuzzy guitar is excellent. I realized I did know 'A Minha Menina', which is a terrific tune. 'Baby', 'Trem Fantasma' and 'Bat Macumba' also really strong stand-outs. The whole album is charming (if occasionally twee), left of centre (generally avoiding disappearing too far down the black hole of pseudo-experimentalism), with great pop chops. Loathe as I am to admit it, I really like this album. It's fun to listen to. It is, dare I say, more to my taste as an enjoyable listening experience than Pet Sounds (which I consider to be massively over-rated. Dude, I already said, don't come at me). Do you really _need_ to hear this record? Not really, but I like it. I would seriously consider buying this record. But I don't want a pricey vinyl reissue. I want a shitty, beaten-up copy from a dusty bargain bin on the floor of a small record store with the cover all split, lots of surface noise, and a previous owner's name written in biro on the label. That's the way this album should be heard.
This was way better than I expected.
There’s one great tune on here, but it’s not enough to lift it up from one star, that’s how bad the rest of it is
Not a huge fan of this. It's another weird one!!
People taking too many bong hits. I'm all for weird shit, but this is all over the place.
Overly weird and psychedelic at times, but at other times there’s some decent 60s jangly folk pop?
This was fun to engage with. The mix of psychedelica with traditional Portuguese music is a combo I hadn’t considered before.
This list really needs more psychedelic rock from the late 60s, there just isn't quite enough.
3.5/5. Pretty good. I'll have to keep an eye out for more Brazilian psych
Brazil, 60s, tropicalia, psychedelia; mix it up and what do you get? Something a lot like this: dreamier and trippier than a night on the acid, with unexpected treats appearing here, there and everywhere. Occasionally discordant as their creativity exceeds their execution, but always charming, beguiling and enticing. You might need a little, er, chemical help to get fully into it, but it will reward you. It gets a 3 from me, but only because my stash is nearly empty.
SO. FUCKING. WEIRD. I love it! Seriously, every track is very different. It's a tour through sounds jazzy, rocky, funky, loungey, and experimental.
Carefree psychedelic carnival music that takes hairpin turns. One minute you’re partying, and the next nothing. Wait. What happened? Where’d the party go? Nowhere. It’s right here, just evolved. Try to keep up.
The first thing I noticed with this record in track one is that they are not very tight. I don't know if it's on purpose but they are definitely not in sync and it's kind of bothering me haha. Wow it's so weird and psychedelic which I am a big fan of. Lots of unexpected things happening. Overall this was more enjoyable than I first expected. I think they did a good job copying the psych sounds of the time.
Pretty cool and unique! I'm certain I'll never return to re-listen to this, but I liked the different influences and how they played with genres.
Some of the noises freaked the dog out
Recognised one of these from adverts
not high enough for this
Interesting!
4/10…brasilianischer psycho rock
Feeling psychedelic
Quirky and eccentric psychedelia from Brazil. A Minha Menina, Baby, and Bat Macumba are the best, but a really fun album overall.
interesantno