Brazuca Sounds

In episode #57 we discussed three Brazilian rock artists that broke in 1973: Secos e Molhados, Raul Seixas, and Novos Baianos.

The debut album of Secos e Molhados was a phenomenon in sales like never seen before; their blend of rock, pop, baroque, and poetry made them the first Beatlemania-esque in Brazil. Raul Seixas and his debut also cemented him as a rock icon that even stands today; Novos Baianos' third record was not as popular as "Acabou Chorare", but strange as it sounds, elevated the group's trademark blend of genres to higher grounds: it's even more samba, and it's even more rock n' roll. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠".

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In episode #57 we discussed three Brazilian rock artists that broke in 1973: Secos e Molhados, Raul Seixas, and Novos Baianos. The debut album of Secos e Molhados was a phenomenon in sales like never seen before in the country; their blend of rock, pop, baroque, and poetry made them the first Beatlemania-esque. Raul Seixas and his debut also cemented him as a rock icon that even stands today; Novos Baianos' third record was not as popular as "Acabou Chorare", but strange as it sounds, elevated the group's trademark blend of genres to higher grounds: it's even more samba, and it's even more rock n' roll. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠⁠⁠⁠".

In episode #56 we discuss one of the most important Brazilian record labels: Elenco. Founded in 1963 by Aloysio de Oliveira with the ambition of becoming the best bossa-nova label in the country, Elenco put together a constellation of big names and released a crazy amount of bossa-nova classics.

We'll talk about albums from superstars Vinicius de Moraes, Roberto Menescal, Sylvia Telles, Edu Lobo, Nara Leão, the brilliance of Sergio Ricardo, and some forgotten names such as Lucio Alves, Agostinho dos Santos and Aracy de Almeida.

Follow our playlist on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠⁠⁠

In episode #55 we celebrate the album "Índia", released by Gal Costa in July 1973. The album’s controversial cover was banned by the Brazilian military regime upon its release, but that was just one of the reasons it became so iconic. Gal Costa distanced herself from the Tropicália movement in "Índia" (like all her peers before her), showcasing a more stripped-down sound, influenced by folk (and folklore), blues, baião, Clube da Esquina, and Brazilian standards from samba (Lupicínio) and bossa-nova (João Gilberto/Tom Jobim). Gal Costa even had the time to perform probably the funkiest song ever produced in Brazil with "Pontos de Luz". The album was also a big rupture to Gal Costa's fans at the time, taking her to new levels of popularity and celebrity stardom. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "⁠⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠⁠".

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In episode #54, we tell the history of the most popular music genre in Brazil connected to the Northeast: forró. We also cover all its subtle variances, in genres like baião, xote, xaxado, and maracatu. We'll talk about key artists in forró such as Luiz Gonzaga, Jackson do Pandeiro, Sivuca, and Dominguinhos, the female queens Marinês and Carmélia Alves, and the megahits from names like Ary Lobo, João do Vale, Genival Lacerda, and Trio Nordestino. Then we follow with all the MPB-mainstream singers influenced by forró, such as Clara Nunes, Gilberto Gil, and Elba Ramalho. Unlike samba and its urban appeal that ultimately became a global phenomenon, forró remained attached mainly to the Brazilian roots, largely disseminated during our festivities in June (Festas Juninas) celebrating St. John Baptiste. Follow our playlist on Spotify to listen to all these songs in full: "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds".

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In episode #53 we celebrate the album "Matita Perê" by Tom Jobim, released in May 1973 by Philips. Considered one of the inventors of bossa-nova, Jobim had astronomical success in Brazil and abroad (especially the USA), so for this album, he decided to explore new territories. Produced and arranged by German composer Claus Ogerman, he came up with a complex mix of nature-inspired sounds, Brazilian roots, and erudite music, all encapsulated by the poetry of Guimarães Rosa, although the opening is quite literally a bossa-nova classic: "Águas de Março". The album was released as "Jobim" for the international market, by MCA Records, and also with a different cover. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds".

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In episode #52 we talk about the album "Milagre dos Peixes" by Milton Nascimento, released in August 1973.

Following the success of "Clube da Esquina" in 1972 Milton reunited with his band Som Imaginário to produce a follow-up as good (or better) than his previous masterpiece. "Milagre dos Peixes" had its lyrics heavily censored by the military regime, so it became an experimental endeavor of sonic aspirations and instrumental tracks.

We also discussed the album "Matança de Porco", released by Nascimentos' backup band Som Imaginário, led by Wagner Tiso. And finally, "Beto Guedes, Danilo Caymmi, Toninho Horta, Novelli", an obscure but fundamental album from members of the Clube da Esquina's collective.

To finish off this episode, we discussed the elemental contributions of Naná Vasconcelos to "Milagre dos Peixes", and his two epic percussive-centric albums released in 1973.

All songs are available on our updated playlist: "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds Podcast".

In episode #51 we discussed the impact of soap opera soundtracks on the Brazilian music industry. The scores were very often written/produced by big names such as Roberto Carlos/Erasmo Carlos, Marcos Valle, Baden Powell, and Vinícius de Moraes. We'll be playing songs performed by Osmar Milito, Chico Batera, Banda Black Rio, Lincoln Olivetti, and obscure jams from Kris & Cristina, Sonia Burnier, Ronaldo Resedá, and two soundtrack grandmasters: Waltel Branco and Nonato Buzar. The telenovelas are a big part of Brazilian culture and an invaluable source of material for music enthusiasts. Follow our playlist on Spotify "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds". 

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In episode #50 we celebrate the album "Previsão do Tempo" by Marcos Valle, released in September 1973 by Odeon. After experimenting with different bands, and a handful of soundtracks under his name, Marcos Valle came up with his album masterpiece according to many critics. Backed up by the trio Azymuth, "Previsão do Tempo" is a blend of Brazilian MPB, with funk, soul, pop, and jazz, with a high volume of political lyrics, written mostly by Marcos and his brother Paulo Sergio Valle. The album was not a mainstream hit upon its release although over time gained a cult status amongst DJs and record collectors. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds".

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In episode #49, we introduce a new wave of Brazilian music by presenting albums released in 2023 by Iara Rennó (pictured), Rodrigo Campos, and Bike. They all come out of São Paulo, summarizing a great variety of different genres, styles, and sounds historically being produced by the big city. Then we also quickly review the latest work by artists such as Glue Trip (Paraíba), Bala Desejo (Rio de Janeiro), Rafael Martini (Minas Gerais), Lucas Santanna (Bahia), and Criolo (São Paulo). Follow our playlist on Spotify "Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds". 

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