SECOS & MOLHADOS

It�´s hard to picture nowadays the impact this album had in Brazil�´s music scene at the time. The mix of rock music to brazilian rhythms and styles were not exactly a novelty: Tropicalia is a good example of giving a modern and psychedelic treatment to MPB (the letters standing for brazilian popular music, in portuguese), but it didn�´t reach a big audience at the time. Secos & Molhados debut album, on the other hand had an immediate and profound impact. The mix of national folk music and rhythms with rock, blues and prog was so perfect, seamless and subtle no one dared call it a sell out to "american music", like all the other attempts up till then were. And their visual was extremely bold for the time, even dangerous: three androgynous men with heavy make up and outrageous clothes, making provocative poses at the height cold war and military government. It certainly appeal to the "glam"youth, but to a lot of people they just looked like a bunch of weirdos (or worse). Yet, their music captivated just about everybody: from hippies to squares, from adults to children. It was the bestselling album of the decade and one the biggest musical and cultural phenomenons in the brazilian music history.

Looking back, some details can be seen more clear: they had the songs (Jo�£o Ricardo was a gifted songwriter), an excellent and fluid backing band and, more than anything else, an extraordinary singer in Ney Matogrosso. His unique vocal style made many people think it was a woman singing. Small wonder he is regarded as one of MPB�´s living legends with an ongoing solo career after all these years. The lyrics were a novelty too: they actually chose to put music into already written poetry, some of it penned by Jo�£o Ricardo�´s father, portuguese poet Jo�£o Apolin�¡rio. The result was some of the most intelligent and poignant words to be put into music at the time, like Rosa de Hiroshima (Hiroshima�´s Rose), a well known poem about the effects of the atomic bomb on Japanese people written by famous poet Vinicius de Moraes.

As almost anything that arrived too much too soon, it would not last long: the band dissolving about an year latter, among bitter fights regarding money, jealousy and bloated egos. But their legacy was a lasting one. And their music still stands as one of the best to ever grace popular radio and the charts. For once quality music, with sophisticated lyrics, was a big hit, both with intellectuals and the common men. A rare feat indeed. But it did happen. And I still love this CD to this day.

Rating: for all the sheer quality, groundbreaking novelty and historical importance, anything less than five stars would be criminal. Liking it or not. A real classic of the 70�´s.

Secos & Molhados' debut album is an eccentric mashup of Brazilian folk, art pop and prog sensibilities, with frontman Ney Matogrosso and the gang blending together a broad mixture of influences into a product which was simultaneously undeniably Brazilian in character but at the same time celebrated a vision of Brazilian culture far from the dour conservativism of the military junta of the time. Matogrosso's startling singing voice is applied to various poems, whilst the musical backing reminds me at points of Audience on a Brazilian vacation. Add an injection of glam androgyny and you get a feast which at the time was surely as rich and startling as the one on the cover, though musically speaking Matogrosso's vocals are the most interesting thing here.

In assessing this classic Brazilian release from 1973, one that enthralled millions at the time and influenced thousands in the decades since, I feel almost as heretical as SECOS & MOLHADOS surely were at the time. Visually part of the glam movement, with a lead vocalist who in short order professed sexual interest in men, their mere existence flouted the military dictatorship of the time. They grew out of the Tropicalia movement of the 1960s which was spearheaded by OS MUTANTES among others, and that forms a pretty reasonable summation of their sound at the time of this debut. To those who have arrived here via the prog folk classification, I must warn you this isn't especially folky, acoustic guitars and woodwinds notwithstanding, but that does seem to be the default position when world music trumpets its presence in these parts.

Not surprisingly, the more acoustic oriented pieces have aged the best, with the opener "Sangue latino" (Latin blood) being the strongest, an irresistible bass line lying down first and having its way with the strummed and picked guitars that form the upper layer. Most strikingly is the voice of Ney Matogrosso. To say it's androgynous is to imply ambiguity of a sort, but his pitch perfect and versatile counter tenor is a ringer for a woman singer, and an accomplished one at that. His voice is one of the calling cards of the group, and, while later lineups did not include him, it's hard to think of them as emanating from the same collective. Other superb contributions in this vein are "Amor", again with killer bass but also harmony vocals.

In contrast to the sultry acoustic numbers are the more upbeat fuzzy leftovers from a bad 1960s hangover. "O vira" would be one of the best/worst examples. The approach is light and silly while retaining musical professionalism, like the aforementioned OS MUTANTES but also like what QUEEN would cash in on a few years later. I'm not sure if this would have been considered groundbreaking at the time, but my prog antennae barely rise from the horizontal.

A suite of 5 tracks toward the tail end all clock in at barely 2 minutes or less, and, apart from the mammoth 2:02 length "Rosa de Hiroshima", are predictably both pretty and as fleeting as the proverbial ephemeroptera. Sadly, this lineup mimicked said life cycle, and split before their follow up was even released. I realize that awarding two stars for a landmark debut might result in my certificate of cultural competency being shredded before my eyes, so a weak 3 stars it is. I'm not saying you had to be there in both space and time to fully appreciate SECOS & MOLHADOS' calling card, but I'd wager a tastefully stocked boutique of wet and dry goods that it would sure help.

4.5 stars. I'm rating this the same as their followup but I slightly prefer this one, more consistent even if my favourite song by them is on the second album. Both albums are in the same style with lots of acoustic guitars along with male and female vocals. Again plenty of short tracks and a folky vibe but the songs are so meaningful and well done, I just love their sound. A three piece but with seven guests filling out their sound.

"Sangue Latino" opens with bass and drums as strummed guitar and female vocals arrive. She has such a nice voice. "O Vira" has some distorted guitar to start as it kicks into an uptempo, catchy sound with male and female vocals. Hard not to move to this one but it's far from a favourite. We get a guitar solo after a minute and accordion late.

"O Patrao Nosso De Cadia Dia" opens with bells ringing out before some warm acoustic guitar takes over then female vocals. Flute after a minute as the vocals step aside. Contrasts continue then bells end it. "Amor" has strummed acoustic guitar before the bass and drums kick in. Multi-vocals follow. Great sound! Love that bass too. Harmonica before 2 minutes followed by vocal melodies. The bass continues to be upfront. Nice.

"Primavera Nos Dentes" is one of my favourites. The piano tinkles away as the bass supports before the drums join in then guitar. They seem to jam here in a relaxed manner. Male vocals 3 minutes in. So good! "Assim Assado" opens with drums and percussion as the bass and flute join in with fuzzed out guitar. Female vocals then multi-vocals. It picks up after 1 1/2 minutes instrumentally as the vocals stop. It settles with female vocals. Flute and percussion end it.

"Mulher Barriguda" features drums and upfront bass before the piano and vocals kick in. A festive mood here as female vocals lead the way. Harmonica will come and go. Some vocal melodies late. "El Rey" has strummed acoustic guitar and female vocals. What a beautiful sound and we get some flute as well. "Rosa De Hiroshima" is mainly flute, acoustic guitar and female vocals.

Prece Cosmica" has a catchy sound with male and female vocals. Violin a minute in as electric guitar follows. A cool tune. "Rondo De Capitao" has these vocals and flute that almost trade off but they do overlap as we also get some picked acoustic guitar. "As Andorinhas" opens with rolling drums followed each time by outbursts of sound before female vocals and piano take over.

"Fala" is such a good closer with piano, female vocals, bass and a beat. I like the vocal melodies. Some adventerous sounds too with that violin, synths and orchestral movements. A great way to end this fantastic record.

Yes I am so into their sound that I forget I'm not into short tracks and folky music. What can I say, this must be magic.