Reviews (page 3 of 7)
The cover art is delightful, a tropical mother of dragons, but inexplicably stamped with a glowering visage smack in the middle. I'm afraid it affected my experience of the album. Delightful music dominated by an oddly loud and seemingly joyless vocal track. On second listening I'm being a tad unfair. This is breezy and fun. The brief appearance of Gal was a nice surprise. Out of curiosity I took a screenshot of the lyrics of Clara and gave it to Claude and maybe it isn't so breezy after all: Quando a manhã madrugava - When the morning dawned early Calma, alta, clara - Calm, high, clear Clara morria de amor - Clara was dying of love Faca de ponta, flor e flor - Pointed knife, flower and flower Cambraia branca sob o sol - White cambric under the sun Cravina branca, amor - White carnation, love Cravina, amor, cravina e sonha - Carnation, love, carnation and dreams A moça chamada Clara - The girl called Clara Água alma lava - Water soul washes Alva cambraia no sol - White cambric in the sun Galo cantando, cor e cor - Rooster singing, color and color Pássaro preto, dor e dor - Black bird, pain and pain O marinheiro, amor - The sailor, love Distante amor que a moça sonha só - Distant love that the girl dreams alone O marinheiro sob o sol - The sailor under the sun Onde andará o meu amor? - Where will my love go? Onde andará o amor? - Where will love go? No mar, amor, no mar sonha - In the sea, love, in the sea dreams Se ele ainda lembro o meu nome - If he still remembers my name Longe, longe, onde - Far, far, where Onde estiver numa onda num bar - Where he might be on a wave in a bar Numa onda que quer me levar - On a wave that wants to take me Para o mar de água clara - To the sea of clear water Clara, Clara, Clara - Clara, Clara, Clara Ouço meu bem me chamar - I hear my dear calling me Faca de ponta, dor e dor - Pointed knife, pain and pain Cravo vermelho no lençol - Red carnation on the sheet Cravo vermelho, amor - Red carnation, love Vermelho, amor, cravina e galos - Red, love, carnation and roosters E a moça chamada Clara - And the girl called Clara Clara, Clara, Clara - Clara, Clara, Clara Alma tranquila de dor - Soul tranquil with pain Claude didn't think the song is necessarily about suicide but I sure do.
i listened to the album, relistened through to help decide on a rating, went on a wikipedia journey because of the album, and at this point i can say i think i pretty well appreciate having had the experience in the end that is the spirit of the site, and today has encouraged it
I've really appreciated being introduced to all these great Brazillian artists by this site.
Ojala tuviese mas tiempo para darle mas vueltas a este disco, igualmente lo escuche entero pero lo disfrute harto. Igualmente seguire escuchando mas temas, como soy loco por ti america, clarice y superbacana me dio un poco de risa pero en una forma genial. No tenia idea que era la tropicalia pero ahora entiendo un poco mejor. Muy buen disco en realidad, solo que quiza no me atrapa tanto porque me falta aclimatarme mas al genero. Me encantan los teclados en este disco y mas bien la textura en la totalidad de la grabación. Independientemente, escuchare mas de caetano y del movimiento tropicalia en general. Hasta ahora el mejor ave maria que he escuchado. Ah y la colaboración con Gal Costa joya, ya tengo un disco suyo en mi lista de espera. Eles con el sitar al final del disco fue una sorpresa, quiza el tema que mas me gusto, no porque tenga sitar sino porque es chistoso que tiene un ritmo medio country como una canción tipo roadtrip con sitar y ese organo que sale derepente, creo que es la mejor canción del disco para viajar de un lugar a otro. Habra que escuchar Os Mutantes.
Enjoyable, but like many psychedelic albums the poor mix sounded like someone mumbling over another record. Or maybe I’m missing the point of psychedelic albums.
Me Gustan
It is cool how 60s music has similar vibes regardless of language. This could fit right in with the Kinks or Byrds in my opinion. Obviously if I could understand the lyrics that would be great but I can’t punish the artist for that. Low 4
Loving this. No idea what he's talking about but it feels so bright and pleasant. Also loved the different influences and styles and there were some nice melodic hooks. Lol also that death glare is incredible -- what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for the art direction process
Samba, psychedelia and revolution!
Delightful Tropicália record!
Yet another reminder for me to listen to more Brazilian 60’s records.
Sound ok
Listened a few times and it grew on me. Fun. Sexy. Relaxing
I let the auto-generated playlist this album generated keep going. It put me in a great mood. Definitely adding this one to the list
musical dissidents get my vote.
If the music is from Brazil you already know it’s going to be good!
After an unfortunate false start with the Tidal link taking me to a live album, I had more success with the actual album listed. There's a decent variety of styles and it doesn't go on too long.
I do enjoy the exposure to the Brazilians. I didn't fall in love love love with this one, but I enjoyed it.
While some of this seemed a little ramblier than I might prefer, I did enjoy listening to this while driving across the heartland of America.
I love the wild mix of styles here. Some bossa nova stuff is tough to get into for me, but mixing that with elements of psych rock and pop really makes for a cool experience. I'm really glad to learn about this album. I just hope he doesn't come through the screen out of that picture and murder me...
Traditional Brazilian music crossed with summery 60s psychedelic pop? Yes please. More of this sort of thing. 3.5 / 4
This was super fun. Big mid-60s energy. Not quite sure why it has such a low rating. It’s a breezy easy record.
first listen lovely record, some moments sounded really modern
A nice bossa nova Brazilian album. I don’t speak Portuguese so I can’t comment on the lyrics, but the album has a pleasant vibe throughout - not unlike a lot of reggae or early Jimmy Buffett.
A snake slithering up towards a woman's chest while she caresses a dragon breathing fire underneath the attention grabbing typography of Caetano Veloso's name, as his serious yet sinister expression both belies and defies the explosive cornucopia that is surging throughout the first of his several self-titled albums. Changing times had come to Brazil, as the aural molasses of bossa nova became looked down upon by the counterculture and gave way to a far more exciting endeavor: Tropicália. Indeed not only an album came of it (the Sgt. Pepper's of the movement) but the first track of this album is named after it, giving an impression that things were going to be adventurous from here on out. And while it may sound at times cluttered and scattershot, ultimately what came from it is one of the more defining records of the age; one that makes the listener feel that they're encountered the changing of the tides happening in real time. Favorites: Tropicália, Clarice, Algeria, Algeria, Anunciação, Superbacana, Clara, Soy loco por ti, América, Eles.
Never heard this guy before and I was pleasantly surprised. I always love Brazilian artists. Top tracks: Soy Loco Por Ti América
Какая-то на удивление необычная бразильская самба, местами прям кайфы получил и даже полез искать на виниле
Inizio interessante, le canzoni allegre ci stanno, le altre sono più dimenticabili
Album was alright, but the story behind its reception gave it an extra .5 4/5
Nice listening with a warm drink.
Interesting rhythms and melodies
My first foray into spanish music and it is a hit. Song after song to make you feel like you lost your lover to another man, and the songs to make you feel like you killed that man.
To guapo
Me ha encantado, gran descubrimiento. La portada es una maravilla
# Playlist track - Alegria, Alegria # Notes - It's really cool to look back and hear Caetano's debut album. - Having heard multiple versions of some songs, it's nice to experience their original form.
I couldn't understand the lyrics because they were in Portuguese but I enjoyed the sound and vibe of the album
Une source proche et fiable m'indique que c'est un 4
certains utilisateurs ici devraient réévaluer leur note de l'album clube da esquina .
Very interesting. I never listened to Tropicalia before. I can dig it.
Surprising and refreshing!
Great flow and rhythm. You do not need to speak the language to capture the feel. Background party music. Top shelf!
Yeah I'll have this. I love anything tropicalia related, the opening track is fantastic (though sounds slightly different here to the version i know well). Don't really know the rest of this record but it's a whole mood, and it's good.
Regular
It's a vibe!
Feels soothing just listening to his tones… since I only speak English.
gorgeous
Kubrick stare
Surprisingly chill and melodic. Lazy Sunday kind of music but it hit right for me. Great vocals throughout.
Absolutely loved this! Dancing in my car to all these things. Could tell it was Brazilian for some reason. Slight Gilberto vibes which is always good.
A very cool melding of psychedelic + salsa. Definitely worth at least a single listen.
A fun blend of Psych Rock and Samba. I don't understand a word of Portuguese but it was still fun to listen to. Some of the songs passed me by a bit but there was a groovy tropical vibe to the whole thing. Maybe I'll come back to this eventually. Honestly, I think it'd be good cooking music? I really need to make a playlist out of songs I find good to cook with. Favourite: Tropicália
I Like the mix of everything going on here, and the fact that it's in Portuguese makes it especially fun. I'm here for it!
Really dig it, this is the kind of music I love discovering thanks to this list. Caetano Veloso's self titled album is a different sound for Latin music, but I kinda dig how it's almost a sort of Prog-Latino. 4/5
Musically very nice, but not our cup of tea
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Clara, Soy loco por ti America
Nesten like bra som jorge ben jor!
"Caetano Veloso" is the debut solo album by Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer and political activist Caetano Veloso. The musical genres listed are tropicália and pyschedelic rock. Eclectic assortment of influences include pyschedelia, rock, pop, Indian music, bossa nova and Bahian. For Sure. It is credited as one of the first tropicália efforts which means a union of popular and avant-garde styles. Brazillian artist Hélio Oiticica delivering a speech opens "Tropicália." Multiple percussions come in. Strings and horns give an air of pyschedelia. The rhythm becomes a slow bossa nova beat. This a very good and successful example of his pyschedelic-bossa nova fusion. "Alegria, Alegria" starts with pyschedelic guitar and an organ swirl. The percussion is a tambourine beat. It's slow then goes fast and back again. The vocals are very 60's pop. "Superbacana" is more active and sped up. A more prominent string orchestra with a bossa nova beat. It's very much a fun song. "Paisagem útil" is a lush string-laced bossa nova. This is more traditional and very much baroque. A love song and ode to Rio. The beat picks up in "Soy Loco por Tí, América." A harder edge rhythm close to a Columbian Cumbria and Cuban mambo. The title translates to "I am crazy for you, America." I think that's South not North. There are some great song examples of successfully creating a fusion particularly the pyschedelic rock-bossa nova fusion one. The album goes into a variety of styles. Nothing too extreme. The orchestral and overall arrangements are excellent. I enjoyed this album quite a bit.
Tropicália - 9/10 Clarice - 8/10 No Dia Que Eu Vim-Me Embora - 7/10 Alegria, Alegria - 9/10 Onde Andaras - 8/10 Anunciação - 8/10 Superbacana - 8/10 Paisagem Util - 8/10 Clara - 8/10 Soy Loco Por Ti America - 9/10 Ave-Maria - 8/10 Eles - 8/10 TOTAL - 98/120
quite a pleasant listen i must say
Groovy! What's not to like? Nothing resonated so fiercely to call me to repeat listen, but it was an enjoyable ride. Might listen to the whole again.
Lovely Tropicalia album through and through. Maybe can do without 'Ave Maria', but the rest is just perfect. Awesome record.
Cool Brazilian fusion pop
Another pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed the mix of Latin styles and 60s psychedelic rock.
A very enjoyable, fun Tropicalia album from the last 1960s. This album is something different to what I've listened so far which makes it a bit more special. I like the various instruments and the rhythm of the songs even if I don't understand what he sings about. Good album overall.
Very interesting album, really enjoyed it, fun. A high 3/ low 4
I expected this to be a 4 star based on the genre, and it looks like I was right. It's a nice album, and there's a few standouts on here that I really like. I know some people dislike albums that aren't in English, but I'm not one of those people. I actually quite enjoy the change. His voice makes the language sound soft and pleasing to the ear. I'd quite like to have this on vinyl. My favourite songs were Tropicália, Onde Andaras, and Superbacana.
Cool music. I love the feel of this. Don't understand a word though!
I liked this a lot, a really beautiful singing voice and interesting mix of South American and US/UK pop influenced music.
Tropicalia, Alegria, Alegria, Onde Andaras, Superbacana, Paisagem Util. No idea what he’s saying but I know I like it. So peaceful in certain places and then epic at others. I liked all of this.
Love this kind of music
There’s a lot of flavor blending together here, like a samba smoothie. Overall a really easy listen that offers up a lot of complexities if you sit with it for a bit.
A sonically-diverse and well-formed debut that’d sound equally at home soundtracking a Sunday morning or cocktails by the pool as it would a Latin nightclub or cigars in a low-lit lounge.
When I saw the genres were samba and psychedelic rock, I knew I was in for something interesting. This did not disappoint, with its unique blend of the general sound of that era mixed with Latin. Highly enjoyable (and, on a side note, my second album in a different language in a row).
Æðisleg plata! Ofboðslega falleg og áhugaverð.
Tropicalismo brasileño. Me gusta. Un 4.
A smorgasbord of styles and sounds. Wonderful
This sounds like something they'd play in Better Call Saul for a montage of Mike Ehrmantraut making a Looney Tunes-tier trap to fuck over the cartel. A really cool record. I'm always happy to see something non-western. I don't understand a word of Portuguese, but I'm sure he's spitting straight facts. "Tropicália" is truly the perfect name for this genre.
Enjoyable album, blend of sounds and genres. Good for background ambient maybe? Saved tracks: Tropicalia, Supercabana, Soy Loco Por Ti America
4.1 + Love seeing Brazilian tropicália on this list, especially one of the original records within the genre that's a seemingly effortless blend of psychedelia, rock and other influences. The hollow reverb on the vocals dominates the foreground while percussive splashes and organ, guitar create a kaleidoscope of sound. I especially like the peppering of fills on "Eles."
genieten wanneer sfinks?
Great 60s Italian musicality
Yeah, nice! I have in recent years enjoyed a radio show on PBS FM called Switched On, which always includes some music from 60s-70s Brazil. So I’ve probably heard Veloso, Gil and others before - but while doing housework, so never took in names or listened closely. Will def come back to this album, prob at dinner time rather than jobs time as it’s at the chill end of the spectrum.
Beautiful album, I really didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Not a fan of the album cover, but Veloso's vocals are so smooth and enchanting. Something out of a movie set in paradise. Fave track(s): Clarice
This album reminds me of old movies. I don't know if it's the 'happy' sounds in this because it's a genre I never listen to, or if it's the production. But it feels very nostalgic and cozy to me.
He’s got two self titled albums. I listened to the 80’s one first before realizing it’s the wrong one. It was pretty cool, extremely minimal just guitar and vocal. Wish it wasn’t quite so minimal. The Billie Jean cover did not work at all for me. The 60’s one is super psychedelic and has tons of percussion and fuzzed out guitars and sitars. I liked the sound and arrangements a lot. I feel like it holds up better than the some of the other 60’s experimental stuff we’ve heard because it has a stronger groove/ more rhythmically interesting. I was hoping I would have a tune with a melody that grabbed me a bit more. I was interested in the Tropicalia movement so I checked out an album he was on called Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis and really liked that album. I feel like I want to come back to these 60’s records and give them another listen. I’ll rate the first album a 3 maybe the second album 4.
I listened to the 80’s one first and it was okay, but I was a little bored by the end. The 60’s one I really liked! Some really cool songwriting and arrangements. I like the vibe of the whole album and I would definitely listen again
Belle surprise, j’ai aimé la voix, j’ai aimé les mélodies. Vers la fin, je trouvais qu’on avait fait le tour, mais dans l’ensemble très agréable
This was a hard album to find. It seems that Caetano Veloso has several completely different self titled albums, and this particular one wasn’t on Apple Music. YouTube to the rescue! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Tropicália, Onde Andaras, Soy Loco Por Ti America Firstly, to address the elephant in the room, the majority of these lyrics went right over my head. I don’t speak Portuguese. I could pick up some bits from the Spanish I know, but I’m really not going to attempt some dissection of the lyrics! Musically, this was very interesting. It had some obvious bossa nova influence, but without really being bossa nova. I’d consider it to be psychedelic jazz with a Spanish flair (I know Spanish is a different language, but the music itself sounded Spanishy). Overall, I did quite enjoy this. It’s definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but as for me… me gusta.
this shits gorgeous bro - maybe i’m j romanticizing the portuguese but Clarice and anunciciao and soy loco are beautiful i love this album and the vibe it creates low 4
I had never heard of tropicália before this album. This album is awesome. 4 stars.
Tropicalismo brasileño. Me gusta. Un 4.
Very much unlike what I usually listen to, but very interesting nevertheless. I like the fact that he threw in an Ave Maria as well. Certainly enjoyable to listen to.
It was awesome but a little uneven
A lot of really cool sound design and mixing, really enjoyed this for not understanding a bit of it
fun and groovy record! fave tracks: tropicalia, alegria, alegria, onde andaras, superbacana, soy loco por ti america
Cool mix of Latin American music and 60s psychedelic garage rock, quite Hendrixy as well
such an easy listen!
As someone already said, great cooking music and perfect for the hot weather.
Very dang cool Brazilian psych-y album. Short and sweet too 👍
I like this, it feels different from anything I'm used to. Gave it a couple listens and I think I'm into it.
Surprisingly fun
The lyrics are the result of a request by Caetano to his companions Gil and Capinam to make a composition containing a tribute to Che Guevara who, as the country was still living under the dictatorship, had his name replaced also at Caetano's suggestion, by the phrase "el nombre del hombre muerto"; Caetano also points out that, even without being aware of it, they wrote the lyrics in Portuguese, already enshrining in the title an error that became patent when singer Celia Cruz (who initially refused to record the song when she learned that it was honoring the former Argentine guerrilla) when he came to Brazil he changed the expression to the correct form: "Estoy loco por ti America".[1] The artist declared: "Capinam has made a wonderful thing out of a wish of mine".[1] It is one of the most representative songs of Tropicalismo.[2]
good brazilian stuff!
esse é um clássico caso do "dá p separar o artista da obra?" f
Quite like it. Fancy bands with a lot of instruments or a lot of tech in composing music an go pretty far these days but a classic one man and a microphone still do quite well in my book, regardless the language.
Not necessarily for me but hard to disagree that it's good
very fun. portuguese is such a beautiful language.
Un clàssic del tropicalisme, el disc que ho va encetar. No és de fàcil escolta, ritmes complexes i arranjaments barrocs amb un munt d'instrumentació fent laberints sonors en cançons poc habituals a l'època. És un disc històric, però, digne del seu estatus
8/10
Really groovy. Not too long, would definitely relisten. Strong 8
7/10. I liked this, didn't blow my mind or anything though.
I have no idea what Mr. Veloso is saying but I dig this vibe.
Nice addition to listen to
Fun Brazilian "tropical" music. Pretty good stuff.
Actually very enjoyable, will give this artist/genre more listens. It seems like 90% of the list is north american/western european music but whenever we get something different (African/South American etc) its excellent. Some more cultural variety would probably have benefitted this list
Cool sounds and influences across a large spectrum.
Wonderful mix of bossa nova and 1970s pop. Amazing this album was only at the start of his career!
pleasant listening
Really good 60s vibe
Nice Latin music. Good for chilling.
Fantastic tropicalia. Love it.
This was absolutely a pleasant surprise. Much obliged for having it on the list.
Some nice sounds
A really pleasant and wonderful little album. 8.0/10
Nice but of tropicala I never knew about
It's a nice beginning for the Tropicália movement, although I'm not a fan of all the songs included in the album
Cool album. Very of its time 60s vibe. Also really interesting back story, seems culturally important
This one was pretty good.
Álbum com letras e instrumental muito interessante. Descoberta de música brasileira do ano, junto com Jorge Ben
enjoyed it
Fun little listen here.
Nice touch and very radio compatible.
2.5
Nice one.
I enjoyed this! It was the first non English album on this list which was definitely a nice change of pace. It had some great strings and guitar moments too. My only grip really was that the guys voice could be kinda monotone at some points. But yeah I liked this, I think I would definitely listen to it again at least once more but idk if it’s something that I would really return to except for maybe a few songs. 3.44999/5
I could see how it would be popular in the time it came out, but felt kind of dated. It wasn't bad, just not something I understood.
I can see this being popular. I enjoyed my time with it, provided good vibes.
Well, this experience is holds an interesting mood and one I will return to. The only reason I'm not ranking this higher is because as an album it feels a bit messy and uneven. But yes, there is much here worth ones time.
Not so bad
Despite the fact that he is 28 years older than her, in old photos of them they look the same age. Maybe she just looked mature for her age and he didn't know. Did they even have ID cards in Brazil in the 80s? Album wasn't to my tastes. It might be a bit too old for me.
was excited to hear this different kind of album, but i tired of it pretty quickly
Decent bit of Latin music, nothing outstanding tho
Lovely
Verrassend leuk album. Heb me goed vermaakt haha. Twijfel of ik het een vierde ster moet geven, maar ik denk het niet
Damn. I kinda wish I didn't read this guy's Wikipedia article. I had a pretty positive feeling about this guy until I checked out the Personal Life section on there. For shame, Caetano. Oh well. At least this album's alright. It's apparently an important album for the Tropicália movement, which I actually talked about a LONG time ago with the Os Mutantes review. Seriously, that was about a month short of 3 years ago. Crazy. I don't like this album quite as much as that one, but it's still nice. I kinda wish it was weirder though. That's part of why I really liked Os Mutantes. There are definitely good things to say about this Caetano Veloso album though. His voice and writing are both solid. Songs like "Tropicália" and "Alegria, Alegria" were pretty cool. The music is nice. I wish that this album was a bit more adventurous from a musical perspective, but as is, it's a nice record. I liked listening to it. Strong 3/5.
My second diddler this week, which is two too many. It's a shame as well, the music is quite enjoyable and the album art is lovely. Rating it purely on that it's a 3, but that might change later
Something I’d never have found on my own and am glad to have heard
sad to hear that he thought this wasn't a very good album because I quite enjoyed it! Alegria Alegria especially was pretty fun
2.5. 50/100. It’s gotta be on here because it was new and influenced others. Could be could for a playlist for a Palm Springs trip. Not bad, but fine
Not for me, even ignoring the pedophilia
The second tropicália (fusion of Brazilian music with British/American-style psychedelic pop and rock) album I’ve had, and compared with the Os Mutantes I had a couple of months ago, this was a bit more straightforward, but also not as interesting. With the prominent strings and horn parts, a lot of it felt quite ‘loungey’ to me; conversely, I preferred the rockier/more psychedelic tracks such as ‘Alegria, Alegria’, ‘Soy loco por ti, América’, and the closer, ‘Elese’. Most of the rest of the album was perfectly fine (there were no real duds exactly), but didn’t make a huge impression.
The first track sounded like it came from a horror film for some reason. "Tropicalia" was also the worst of "Self-Titled". Things got better when "Clarice" came on. "Soy Loco Por Ti, America" was also a great song. What a nice album to end the week. 3 stars for "Self-Titled".
Nice. Not that familiar with this style of music again. Nothing too interesting or offensive. No strong feelings. 5/10
It's good and funky but not really my jam
I’m not really sure what to make of my introduction to this psychedelic-tropicalia artist. It’s pretty fun and easy to listen to and I’m glad I’ve heard it but once is probably enough.
I feel like compared to other world genres, Brazilian music is super over-represented. Had enough of it tbh.
strange Latin-flavored psychadelic rock. Its got that distinct 60's sound to it, maybe because I cant understand it, I am enjoying it a little more than I normally would. Some of the string sections are pretty good though, overall a good variety of sound going on here, going from samba to guitar solos is pretty fun.
3.5
This is fucking cool. -1 point for noncing
This score is a gift.
would very nice for a spring afternoon baking
Generally pleasant Favorite song: superbacana
5 keepers in 12 (42%). First time listen; entirely pleasant. I could see putting this on and doing weekend chores. A few things grab at your attention but otherwise this sits pleasantly in the background. 3 stars.
Gear: ZMF Auteur Classic LTD Shedua Artwork: 😠🍎🐉 Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🎤🇧🇷🌀 Rating: 🍌🍌🍌/5
A bit of a let-down after a great first track, but an enjoyable album overall. Favourite track: Tropicália
01) Tropicália - 7,5 02) Clarice - 7,5 03) No Dia em que Eu Vim-Me Embora - 7,5 04) Alegria, Alegria - 8,0 05) Onde Andarás? - 7,5 06) Anunciação - 7,5 07) Superbacana - 7,5 08) Paisagem Útil - 7,0 09) Clara - 7,5 10) Soy loco por ti, América - 8,0 11) Ave-Maria - 7,0 12) Eles - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,50 (75/100) Current ranking: 413/1009
This is nice enough - I don’t have any cultural connection to it, and do t understand the language, but it’s pleasant enough.
I liked this way more than I thought based on the first song.
One of tricky situations where I have listened to an album with some time on my hands, and reading about the album, the artist and the context has elevated it beyond what I ultimately felt about the music itself. It’s not the sort of sound I would reach for, and while this is far more than its bossa nova roots, it’s still a fairly dated style that just isn’t relevant to me. But having read about its context, I am definitely more impressed and able to appreciate why it probably deserves to be on this list.
Influential Tropicália album. Interesting, but not much more...
Well, now that I've heard this, I guess I'm one album closer to death. Mostly harmless. Would probably be much more meaningful to me if I spoke better Spanish.
Don't understand shi but still full of vibes
I liked this vibe but doubt I’ll be back
Perfectly acceptable background music for a small gathering. Would never listen while driving down the road again.
Nice, relaxing vibes. I dug the guys voice but wished the vocals weren’t so ‘busy’, if that makes sense.
Decent, little boring. Middle of the road
Brazilian music gives white boy a little salsa Fave track: Superbacana
I did not know what to think of this, but Latin Psych is pretty good.
Reminds me of 60’s French pop a lot. Pretty solid, lightweight, uptempo songs for the most part. Easy to listen to.
RATING: 7/10 HIGHLIGHT: Soy loco por ti, América LOWLIGHT: No dia em que eu vim-me embora
Buen álbum del brazuca. Entretenido. No es mi estilo ni género igual. Pero se hizo disfrutable. 5/10
Gran estilo, y que sea en portugués le da un lindo toque, igual hay canciones medio molestas de escuchar y dudo que lo vaya a volver a escuchar, le daría 2,5.
*Brazilian psych-rock with Beatles influences
Dit is een ontzettend vreemd album. Het staat ook eigenlijk een beetje aan op de achtergrond terwijl ik andere dingen aan het doen ben. Soms hoor je heel erg de bossa nova, maar het album is net ff te vreemd ofzo om perfect aan te sluiten bij de prettige Bossa Nova van bijvoorbeeld Getz en Gilberto. Ik weet niet, misschien is dit dat psychedelische erin. Het trekt mijn aandacht niet helemaal... Dit is denk ik het perfecte voorbeeld van een prima album, wat ik me nooit meer ga herinneren, maar wat ik nooit echt vervelend ga vinden als iemand het aan zet. Al moet ik eerlijk zijn, de kans dat iemand dit ooit op een random avond op zet? Praktisch 0. FAVO: Tropicalia, soy loco por ti america
Exotic attraction (to me)
He looks like he's staring into my soul on the cover, but the music is much morre frothy and fun.
Sometimes it shines, sometimes it plods. I kinda had higher expectations
It's like Veloso invited all his musician friends over for a jam sesh, and everyone brought something different. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Tropicália - Alegria, Alegria - Soy loco por ti, América
fun!! my love c asked me just two days ago if all the albums were in english so was good to get this one :-)
I think this was a me problem. I just don’t have enough cultural or experiential connection to Brazil to deeply resonate here, even though there was a lot to like musically. A three star I will likely revisit and may reevaluate the second time I listen to all these 1001 albums.
I listen to more Brazilian music than your typical big, dumb white guy, but I am by no means an expert. The fact I have completely missed this album is testament to that. I would like to purchase a physically copy of this and put it in my house and not listen to it that much.
Overall: 6/10 I appreciate the pretty instrumentations and Caetano has a pretty good voice, but this isn't something I see myself coming back to a lot. Another one of those albums that I respect more than I enjoy. Fav Song: Soy Loco Por Ti America
I wish my Portuguese was better. This is just a cool album.
No fav song
I went into this album totally blind, and since I don't speak a word of Portuguese, I wasn't sure what to expect. Turns out, I’m a big bossa nova fan and this was such a great find. The lush textures and super laid-back vocals got this infectious, sunny energy that totally makes the language barrier a non-issue. That said, with so much "artistic cannibalism" happening, it can definitely veer into chaotic, psychedelic mess territory at times, and the raw '60s production definitely shows its age. Not every weird experiment lands, but the overall vibe is undeniably groovy. Tracks like "Soy Loco Por Ti, América" and "Alegria, Alegria" are absolute masterclasses in smashing different musical worlds together. It’s a super fascinating listen that definitely has me wanting to dive way deeper into the genre.
Weird and wild. A solid 3 haha not sure I totally understood this but it wasn't terrible.
I did Two-fer, today. This & Steely Dan. I liked this better than Steely Dan & it ain't in English. 3
Un género que en mi puta vida había escuchado. God.
Feels very Brazilian wall of sound.
Brazil’s Bad Bunny in 1966. 3.3
Listened and read lyrics with translation. Nice voice, good instrumentation and mixing. Won't play again as it's in Spanish and mellow, but it was well done.
A delightfully weird and psychedelic album using jazz and samba as its entry point instead of rock. It's good, all told, but I'd need a lot more time to dig thru the lyrics.
I listened to this album after the City Hall ribbon cutting ceremony, with the buildings and amphitheater still bustling with people. I still made my patrol walk in the Sun, but began to feel a little queasy from the heat. This album sounded like a collage of disparate sounds and influences, swelling strings and keys mixing in with steel drums and tropical sound effects. Caetano Veloso feels like the sound and energy of Brazil as it exists in popular culture distilled down into a single album, with a wide variety of musical approaches which all sound more timeless and modern than I would have expected. Ultimately, there are just a handful of songs which feel a little one-note for me personally, or lack the dynamic shifts in energy which I enjoy so much elsewhere in the album. My lack of familiarity with this genre, or similar genres in general, is also likely contributing to my more muted reaction, but I recognize and appreciate the smooth and energetic vibe curated throughout this album, and the songs which struck me kept me grooving along throughout the day. Highlights: Tropicália, Clarice, Superbacana, Paisagem Útil, Clara, Soy Loco Por Ti América
Nice to have something a bit different on this list
ok guys i think I'm done with all the jazzy bossa nova
Despite living in an area with a large Brazilian and Cape Verde population, my Portuguese language skills are minimal at best. The music was good and the vocals were fine. I just did not understand why this music was so threatening to The Brazilian Government at the time.
Pre Listen: I don't have the greatest history with Brazil as a nation. https://youtu.be/1WpbhrzZJrQ?si=3LXOXcIHTTbzsO2_ The album cover would be beautiful, if that doofus got his face out the way. Lower expectations than usual. Notable Tracks: Tropicália - Very weak start to this album. After finishing it, this was my least favorite. Lowered my expectations even further. Onde Andaras - My favorite track on the album by a wide margin. If every song sounded like this, I may have given this thing a 5. Has a very nostalgic feeling to it. Anunciação - Another low point, has my least favorite vocals on the album. All the instruments feel like they are fighting each other to play different songs. Superbacana - Another highlight, has my favorite vocals on the album. The brass plays well here too. Post Listen: Wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I did enjoy it more than anticipated. Every song felt distinct, some were good, some were bad, depended on how well everything harmonized together. Generally I liked the addition of the violins, but disliked the addition of the occasional flutes. The keyboard sounds varied in quality, both from a melodic and actual recording quality point of view. Caetano's vocals were inconsistent too, sometimes his voice elevated a song, other times it dragged it down. I think his voice worked best in the more classic psyche-ish rock-ish sounding songs, but fell flat in Bossa Nova sounding songs. Just a quirky, odd little album that was all over the place. Disappointed there wasn't more of a Samba sound to it, that's like my favorite sound out of Brazil. 3/5
3/5
I don’t speak Portuguese, so I guarantee I’m not fully understanding or appreciating this album. That said, I like the eclectic vibe and it was enjoyable to listen to while working today. Not something I’d seek out on my own, glad to have listened! 3⭐️
Good Brazilian album, a bit less cliché than others I've heard during this run.
Pleasant listen with nothing memorable to come away with other than this ridiculous cover art.
Slightly disconcerting cover art, even more incongruous when compared to the inoffensive Latin-inspired content. Not awful, not great and I definitely won't revisit.
This was pleasant but forgettable. Mostly the singer with a guitar. It would be good to play in the background of a relaxing get together or for working when you want something to wash over your ears without engaging you much, but I won't seek it out.
This was ok
Ok
This album feels like it should be accompanied by a neon cocktail with an umbrella.
Nothing special, but didn't hate it.
Good, but not my type
Some stuff I really liked here and reminded me of far more recent stuff. FOr example Empty Boat was almost Dark Star. Overall I probably wouldn't return to the album but some real high points.
Enjoyable, 1960s, groovy, Brazilio-pop.
Bossa nova is not in my regular rotation but I'm really enjoying myself with this.
Not as psychedelic as the cover suggests. Some parts more interesting than others. Finishes strong.
Interesting arrangements, little a slow for my current tastes
Heyyy it’s the ‘Transa’ guy hello! Enjoyed but not as much as ‘Transa’ - also why did he make those weird mouth noises in the last song that was so odd
Fun but doesn't feel essential. Not sure why it's on the list
I wasn’t in the mood for this honestly. But as I listened it was pretty clear that this was a cool special record. Honestly, no real standouts, but over all it was a good listen 5/16/26
wow what a voice, so lush. very relaxed listening to this one. i looked up english translations for some of the songs not knowing what to expect but i got a psychedelic sort of vibe which was great. cool album cover too
Kul, totalno nepoznano mi. In Tidalu tud. Spet bo treba na youtube. Začetek mi je bil mal noisy, po pa k se je komad razvil, mi je pa kinda prirasel k srcu ("Tropicália")? Naslednji, "Clarice", je zanimiv, ker je k več komadov skup - the vibe keeps changing. Zanimivo je, da je večina komadov na albumu dolgih okoli 2 minuti. "Superbacana" je bla zjle minuto in 28 sekund. Wiki pravi, da je žanr 'tropicália' in vajb je, k da smo nek ob morju in pijemo koktejle, medtem k rahlo pihlja topel veter. Which is not really my vibe. Kljub temu, čist enjoyable album. Mogoč ga pa kdaj polet poslušam na balkonu zvečer. Aja, pa naslovnica je amazing!
Once again it's nice getting an album that's a little different. Not having anything really to compare it to I can still say that this album feels adventurous. Sort of fantastical. Good listen.
Bossa Nova is, to me, generally nice dinner background music, but not something that's a truly elevating music experience
it was a surprise that this album was here, considering how anglocentric tend to be this list of albums. But despite the importance of Tropicalia and Caetano Veloso, i feel there are better and more important spanish-speaking albums. meh
Good! I'd listen again!
I had to track this down on YouTube to eventually play this. Trippy 60s Psychedelic influences mixed with Brazilian and African Rhythms and a touch of rock too. Liked the organ on the last track. Not bad but there is only a couple of tracks I would drag out of this if it was available elsewhere
I'm coming to terms with the fact that most orchestral pop just doesn't hook me in. There are a few songs here that interest me more than others, and I could see how I might learn to love this more if I gave it time. But for now it doesn't excite me.
Thank you coffee shop music, I think?
It's fine
Good
7/10. Don’t speak the language but it was still nice. Would listen again
Seems like a sound guy but this album was not for me. I did warm up to it. Particularly liked the last track Eles. Probably not rushing back to the album though.
Really wanted to like this album in Portuguese
I have no idea what he's saying, but the tunes are pleasant.
A pleasant album.
2.5
It's highly unlikely that I would have the opportunity to listen to this in any other context... but I'm glad that now I have. When I think of Brazilian music, samba and bossa nova come to mind... and though I can hear shades of those styles here, this is definitely its own thing. Very enjoyable -- just wish I understood more Portuguese. :-P
Expectation: -> I think we're really in the weeds now. After listening: -> Listened to the 2006 remastered version of this 1967 album. Cannot fully evaluate the album not knowing the language, but this is quite delightful to my ears. If this were my kind of music, would likely rate a 4 or higher. It is very well put together and there is unquestionable musical talent. Track ranking: (skipped)
Musically really quite nice Brazilian music with lots of influences. For me though, the singing is not that great, not the best voice in terms of timbre IMO, and it's sung a bit goody-goody and a bit "lazy". I think I never recovered from the out-of-tune "sa-sa-sa-saaa" and "ta-ta-ta-taaa" in the first song. It's well made and, it seems, a culturally important album. So I think it does belong in the list. I can listen to this but it's not my cuppa.
I didn’t understand a single word, 1 star. Just joking. I liked the exotic sounds and the vocals were good enough. I can’t explain why I can’t give it more than 3 stars: I just couldn’t enjoy it as more than background music, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be listened to like that. Not really sure what to do with it, but glad I got to hear it.
A bit of variety and something international. Like it when it's a bit more upbeat and the samba and bossanova kick in. Not the best Brazilian album I've heard, but an enjoyable record.
listened while doing my crosswords. fun!
Good vibes
favs: trilhos urbanos, ca ja, coracoa vagabundo, get out of town
I'm glad there is some Tropicália music on the list, but it isn't my favourite genre. 5/10
Album link was wrong or else I got confused but I ended up listening to Caetano Veloso - 1969 before I realised my mistake and I actually preferred that one to this one so I guess it was fate
A fun Tropicalia album, combining traditional Brazilian music styles with influences from the psych rock scene. The bass drives many of the songs with melodic lines that still have strong rhythms. Overall enjoyable, but at times a bit messy or finding that the songs drag into each other a bit. Decent listen, and one I should probably spend more time with to really absorb fully.
Nice rhythms, but I can't understand anything.
Fun funky vibes
This was kind of a chill album. It seems to be quite old, but it was fairly decent having it in the background while I was doing other stuff.
This was fun.
Latin jazz?
Interesting but not really my thing! Feels old + I dont really have anything to measure it to. 3 stars cos it felt nice on my ears and I enjoyed the experience. Im also in a good mood so maybe it would have bored me to tears on a different day
This was cool! I don’t think I’m in a position to judge Brazilian music even though my mom exposed me to Chico Buarque, Maria Bethania and such. I really like his sense of rhyme, like in “Superbacana” Solid 3
Really like alegría alegría
Quite good, but lacks "wow" moments. This does nothing wrong, but it doesn't really blow me away either.
This album leads me to conclude that, unlike chocolate and peanut butter, psychodelia and bossa nova are not a match made in heaven.
Shout out Brazil, this was nice.
The start of the first song had me a little worried that this would be *really* psychedelic, but it settled down pretty fast, honestly, and I'm glad it did. I don't think this is particularly incredible, but it is pretty good. There wasn't ever really a moment that I felt wowed by this album. It's just a fun little Latin vibe throughout. Favorite Song(s): Clarice
Kind of catchy, but not in a saving songs to my library way. Or saving the album.
Nice music, great voice
Wonderful Brazilian music of the 60s is the only one to make me want to learn Portuguese. This is instantly recognizable sound of Tropicalia, however I will expect some of my favourite Brazilian artists here like Gil, Costa or Jorge Ben. This is still decent with at least 3 stars
Doesn’t seem special. I don’t know. Three stars.
wish this did anything for me but I just can't align my wavelength
STANDOUTS: Tropicália, Clarice, Alegria, alegria I think this was a pretty fun listen. The first two songs were exceptional, and while the rest of the album never really returned to those heights, I still had a good time listening. Well... until I learned Caetano Veloso raped a 13-year-old and married her when she was 17 while he was 40 years old. Yikes... 7/10 (begrudgingly)
The music wasn't bad, but I can't say it really clicked for me
It's fun little tunes. But not a fan of all of them
Was good background music to make dinner to. Might have to keep this in the rotation for a trip to Mexico in a couple weeks.
2.5 I found the Psychedelic fusion pretty interesting but not going into a regular rotation for me anytime soon. Do you round up or down if you cant understand a foreign language? Ive found myself rounding up, maybe I'm trying to appear smarter than I actually am
This is fine.
Pretty good, not great.
I have a compilation of Brazilian psych rock called Tropicalia. It has a few Caetano Veloso tunes on it including, you guessed it, Tropicalia. It has other acts like Os Mutantes and Tom Ze who I prefer to Caetano Veloso, but I was happy to listen to a whole album which was a first for me. Pretty enjoyable, but there weren't a lot of songs that really broke through for me. I will round up for groovy album art.
Smooth and cool, but not quite for me. Caetano Veloso is a fantastic name.
3/5 - How do you not give a point just for the cover art alone? The variety of sounds here is pretty cool, but I'd need several more spins to really have it stick.
This is my first album on this list that wasn't in English. While I didn't understand any of the lyrics, I still enjoyed the album. I've never heard an album with this type of sound before. And I was getting a bit of a Beatles vibe at times, but that might just be because it was 1968. Three stars. (Favorite track: Clarice.)
Would not buy
As always, I have to rate this one based on just vibes since I am too ignorant to understand Portuguese. The vibes seem good and the music is entertaining enough. I find it very difficult to judge albums such as this one where I don't understand all the lyrics, as it mostly becomes just a matter of deciding if I like the music. It seems to me like there are a few other albums on here that I enjoyed more than this one, though none of what I heard was objectionable.
Nice, but I don't speak the language
Good, but nothing really hit me.
Pretty fun listen, nice blend of genres, for a first listen didn't feel like the songs blended into one, plenty of variety
Not bad! Kind of a Portuguese Donovan.
Just kind of faded into the background while I started my day and I can't really remember much.
Not bad. Enjoyable enough.
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I liked it when it started, but there were some later tracks that didn't work for me and it got a little tiresome. Low three.
Fun, dancey, good all around.
Haven't heard of him before. Nice to hear some slightly psychedelic groovy music from Brazil 3/5
Quite a fun little album, though I have no idea what's going on. Goes in the "would grab it if I found a copy in the $2/$3 bargain bin" category but not more than that.
Very original
Where to pin this on the map of musical realms? Every imaginable tropical influence, adeptly produced, soothing velvet vocals. How about lovely Brazilian lounge?
Enjoyed!
5 für all den Mythos, die Kritik und die Geschichten um das Album. Im Grunde aber 3 Hits und sonst relativ seichter Bossa Nova Pop
Country-rockigesger Bossa-Folk mit schwerer Schwere. Ich finds nicht scheiße, warte nur auf die passende Situation zu der man sowas auflegen kann.