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‘Tropicália’: Terrific documentary on the Brazilian music revolution of the 1960s
01.09.2013
11:26 pm
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Marcelo Machado’s lively and informative 2012 documentary Tropicalia features rare footage of Brazilian music legends Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, Gal Costa and Tom Zé as it explores a revolution animated by music and art. Mixing traditional Brazilian and African rhythms with contemporary psychedelic experimentation and the avant-garde, the 1960’s tropicália movement celebrated free expression in reaction and opposition to an atmosphere of increasing social and cultural oppression. As a military dictatorship took hold of Brazil, artists were among the front line of resistance and many were forced to leave the country or face death.

Tropicalia may not be definitive but it sure as shit is important and vital. 
 

Posted by Marc Campbell
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01.09.2013
11:26 pm
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Os Mutantes live on French TV (1969)
05.30.2011
02:59 pm
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Positively gorgeous newly-unearthed vintage footage of Tropicalia warriors Os Mutantes performing two Gilberto Gil/Caetano Veloso tunes from their first classic LP on French TV in 1969. Serious chills up the spine when they kick into a very dreamy version of Panis et Circencis. Also, aside from being a fun rave-up jam, the lyrics to the song Bat Macumba have a visual shape if you happen to be reading along:
 
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba o
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macum
bat macumba ê ê, batman
bat macumba ê ê, bat
bat macumba ê ê, ba
bat macumba ê ê
bat macumba ê
bat macumba
bat macum
batman
bat
ba
bat
bat ma
bat macum
bat macumba
bat macumba ê
bat macumba ê ê
bat macumba ê ê, ba
bat macumba ê ê, bat
bat macumba ê ê, batman
bat macumba ê ê, bat macum
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba o
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
bat macumba ê ê, bat macumba oba
 

 
bonus clip 1: A short film fantasy about Os Mutantes narrated by Devendra Banhart

 
After the jump Os Mutantes shill for Shell…

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Posted by Brad Laner
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05.30.2011
02:59 pm
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Rock against repression: Gal Costa, “Milho Verde” and the banning of India

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Brazilian singer and birthday girl Gal Costa started her career during the Costa e Silva and Médici military juntas in Brazil, and from the top there was no stopping her. Joining up with the renegade Tropicalia movement in 1968, Costa helped make history with a group of musicians led by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.

In 1973, in an atmosphere rife with governmental repression, torture and strict press censorship, Costa unleashed the album India, which sported a Sticky Fingers-esque cover that got the album immediately banned from the shelves. Based on a themed live show and arranged and produced by Gil and recently rediscovered funk-meister Arthur Verocai, India comprised a great bunch of post-Tropicalia experimental rock tunes, a version of Tom Jobim’s bossa classic “Desafinado,” and this intense version of the Portugese folk tune “Milho Verde.” 
 

 
Bonus clip after the jump: an Afro’ed Gal tears down the house in 1968 with Veloso & Gil’s “Divinho Marvilhoso” at IV Festival de Música Popular Brasileira!
 

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Posted by Ron Nachmann
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09.26.2010
12:42 pm
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