Os Mutantes (Rita Lee)

 

 

Os Mutantes (released under the name of lead singer Rita Lee) Hoje E O Primeiro Dia Do Resto Da Sua Vida (Polydor 1972)

This years winter sales in Paris were quite good. I found some interesting records from the jms-cream records catalogue, but now in the second week it get's harder to find interesting CD's. So yesterday I was nearly gone from a Virgin Mega store, when I found this record. I was kind of intrigued by the cover and the red polydor label and turning the Cd around I saw that it was a brazilian  1972 re-release and I bought it. Once opened I realized that it was in fact a Brazilian Prog record by Os Mutantes If I understood well the portugese liner notes the band had alredy released a record in 1972 and couldn't release another record the same year hence they released the band record under the name of lead singer Rita Lee who designed alo the nice autoportarit cover. I didn't knew Os Mutantes at all and what a pleasant surprise it was! On this record the band mixes diferent styles rock, psy,  samba, jazz, experimental music always with a RIO like ironic edge. Most of the tracks start in  "classic" way and move then into proggy fields. Most of the compositions are by keyboarder Arnaldo Babtista who plays a mean funky Hohner clavinet and dominates the sound with the fuzz bass of Arnolpho Lima which is quite up front on the CD release. My favourite track is Tapupukitipa, the most experimental track with Cathy Berberian like vocalizes by Rita Lee.

Great discovery!