Customer Reviews
I'd Probably Give This 7 Stars if I Could - By: The Mancunian Candidate, 10 Nov 2008 
Os Mutantes were formedin Sao Paulo, Brazil,in 1965, & were the forerunners of the Brazillian culture phenomenon known as Tropicalia. But what is this Tropicalia you speak? Well Tropicalia was a cultural revolutionin Brazilin the mid to late sixties which not only affected music, but all areas of the arts, giving pieces a more deeper meaning & giving its creators a reason to push the boundaries for what was possible.
There is no bigger example of the Tropicalia movement then Os Mutantes' debutin 1968, their self titled album is little known outside of Brazil, but I have had the album 4 weeks & I am absolutely smitten by it, which has left me thinking that if this was an English speaking album, this would probably be heralded as a masterpiece by all & sundry
For starters it is unbelievable how flexible & open-minded Os Mutantes actually were with this debut, the level of experimentation with their songs featured on this album is far superior to anything coming out of England or America at the time, an experimentation that has made the songs something quite remarkable, & this really cannot be said enough.
There are of course your typical carnival side to the sound, which you would expect from a band from Brazil, but not just that, they've decided that Fuzz from a guitar is good, & fuzzin any guise is good I think we can all agree. They've also managed to get the orchestrain on most of their songs, with beautiful string & brass accompaniment throughout, but this is a Tropicalia album, you don't think it just stops there do you?
We really are not talking about a Sgt Pepper Samba album here. The harmonisation of the vocals, the poetic quality of the songs (which arein Portuguese obviously but which transend the language barrier) & of courses the fact that you have no idea where the album can take you next, brilliant.
Like with most albums which successfully fly close to the wind & by right are one offs, some listeners may find a couple of the more far out pretty songs a little hard to get their head round, but seriously, this album is compelling & is jaw droppingly good at times which makes the album actually an addictive listen. This isn't just a first rate Pychedelic album; this is a masterpiece pure & simple.
What are you doing wasting time reading this? - By: Bernard H. Christ, 05 Mar 2008 What do you mean, you don't already own this album? Quick, buy it now, pay for the extra quick delivery. Hurray, because there can't be another dayin your life that you don't own this incredible record.
Actually, I envy you. You get to hear it for the first time & jump up & down with joy when you realise that music like this really did get made. If you've ever liked late Beatles, early Floyd, Brazilian samba & Californian sunshine pop & wondered what would happen if it were all thrown together...well, here it is.
One of my all time top 10 records. Enjoy, my friends. I'm certain you will.
Ave Os Mutantes - By: E. A Solinas, 25 Feb 2007 It takes a connoisseur of psychedelic rock & pop to know of (drumroll please) Os Mutantes. This short-lived Brazilian band made some of the most memorable psychedelic pop of the 1960s -- which is really saying something, given the era that they thrived in. Call it psychetropicalia.
And their self-titled debut is probably the best work they ever did, without a single dud track. "Panis et Circenses" kicks things off with a horn solo, & then with a stretch of swooning acid-pop & some angelic-sounding voices. From there on, we get a fun, perky pop song laced with more horns, keyboards & wacky sound effects.
The stuff that follows is muchin the same vein, from the buzzing & swooning keyboard splendor of "Baby," the downtempo warbles of "Le Premier Bonheur du Jour," & other songs full of Brazilian spunk, sonic clutter, sixties guitar solos, piano ripples, & catchy little songs that never get old. Rootedin Brazilian tropicalia, the music has quite a few quirks & twists, but surprisingly it never becomes too weird to alienate listeners.
Os Mutantes was initially formed by Arnaldo & Sergio Baptista, who later added Rita Lee & their brother Claudio. Though the band didn't last very long, they developed a reputation for twiddling with basic Brazilian pop -- while they stayed happy & accessable, they also addedin distortion, feedback, non-catchy stretches of noise, & other sound experiments. It sounds fun, doesn't it?
And actually, it is a lot of fun. The trippy bossa nova/psychedelic rock/catchy pop isn't as heavy as it sounds, but instead goes for a light, playful, deeply stoned vibe. Eerie flutes, panpipes & jungle drums get mixedin with solid guitar riffs & smooth keyboards, acoustic & electric guitar harmonize, & piano is overlaid with train whistles.
Those traditional instruments ground what could have been just another psychedelic band. And the tropicalia gives it an earthy, unique edge that most psychedelica lacks. It's gloriously catchy, & incredibly infectious. The most typical aspect of it is the vocal harmonies -- other than that, there is simply nothing to compare this to.
There hasn't really been a band like Os Mutantes since, & until someone decides to revive that underrated sound, there probably won't be again. Mad, wild, crazy, & absolute bliss from beginning to end.
As Wacky as It Comes - By: N. J. Taylor, 22 Jan 2007 There's no doubt the Mutants started off as a psychedelic band. They eventually turned to progressive rock (heard that story before somewhere). The thing is they seem to be equally brilliant at whatever they do. Their self-titled debut is no exception; not to be confused with the equally excellent, almost self-titled second album, Mutantes (without the `Os'). The closest comparison for me is Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn, with Rotary Connection's Aladdin bringing up the rear. But comparisons don't do muchin this case because the Mutants are so original. With spaced-out yet melodic guitar & organ, crazy sound-effects aplenty & heavenly Brazilian vocals, it's definitely psych, but of a kind never heard before. Check it out...
