Tom Zé... (I have Brazil classics #4 "Best Of...")


Caetano Veloso (I have Livros and Best of...)


Caesaria Evora (I have Cabo Verde)


Timbalada (I've only heard what you've put on mixes)


Café Tacuba (I own nothing)


Gilberto Gil (I have only heard selected tracks from the 60's/70's and was underwhelmed. Still.. should I?)

Gal Costa (See Gilberto Gil)


Les Orme (Keep it to the 60's psychadelia and AWAY from the 70's prog if you please)


this has been a PopTodd/BillyG public service announcement...

As a generalization re: Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, their greatest hits or best of compilations are not the way to go. I own about 20 albums from each including a best of from each. The song selections on the best ofs tend to based more on song rights than quality. In fact, I'd rank the best ofs that I own for them near the bottom of what I have. I'd also point out for Caetano, his earliest stuff is overrated based on its cultural importance. In terms of songwriting and musicianship, he peaked in the early 70's.

Tom Ze

I'm not nearly the fan of Ze that you and Tony are. As a result, I don't really listen to him that often and am not as comfortable ranking him. If I had to pick a couple best though, it would be Todos Os Olhos and Estudiando O Samba. "COM DEFEITO DE FABRICAÇÃO" which you've mentioned looking for was reissued by Luaka Bop this year so you may have more luck finding it.

Caetano Veloso

Transa is not only my favorite Veloso album...its my favorite album period. Next best (read my next favorite) but more mellow are Bicho and Cinema Transcendental.

Gilberto Gil

Gilberto is a more talented musician than Caetano but his work is all over the place and is not nearly as consistent. My favorites in rough order are Expresso 2222, S/T 1971, S/T 1969, Refazenda, Refavela. I list more because the S/T ones are pretty pricey. I'd guess you'd like him more than you think.

Cesaria Evora

Miss Perfumado is her best and a real classic. Sao Vicente is probably my second favorite. I haven't heard one I don't like yet though and many are available through Columbia House and BMG

Timbalada

Another band that can do no wrong by me. I'd say the self-titled debut is probably their best, and Pense Minha Cor is probably the second best but I have every album and they are all good. Weakest is probably Timbalada Dance which is remixes of songs off of other albums.

Edit: If you like Livros, Carlinhos Brown - founder and chief songwriter of Timbalada contributed the percussion on that album.

Cafe Tacuba

I only own two Cafe Tacuba albums, Tiempo Transcurrido and Cuatro Caminos. I like, not love both. Tiempo Transcurrido is a compilation and I'd recommend it above Cuatro Caminos but I'd recommend a lot of bands over Cafe Tacuba.

Gal Costa

She's another artist who is a bit inconsistent. I like her S/T 1968 album alot but its the only one that I've heard that I'd really highly recommend. Her S/T 1969 album and "Legal" are also supposed to be good but I haven't heard them. The S/T 1969 one can be a bit hard to find too although Dustygroove does have it in stock now.

I'd put Doris Monteiro high above her though in terms of Brazilian female artists.

Les Orme

I can't help you at all here. Never heard him.

I'd be pretty surprised if you wouldn't also really like Lo Borges and Marcos Valle. Marcos Valle is one of my favorites and put out a great string of Baroque Pop albums in the early 70's. They are out of print but if you can find them, get them. Lo Borges has a pretty distinctive beatlesque feel to some of his work.

If you're ever looking to sample some brazilian albums, this site has a lot of streamable samples.

Also check your pm in a little bit.

np: Mandrill "Fencewalk"

cafe tacuba and kinky are playing here in june. i'm considering going, even if it's at the aragon. hmm...

good thread

Kinky is a good live band. I saw them at the House of Blues a few years back. Good upbeat show. Recommended, but at the Aragon??

that entire billg post just got saved on mycomputer and i am going to check a lot of that. thx for a good thread

A bump, becaus Billy has posted some really good information on here!
Thanks, Billy!
Transa has leapt to the top of my "to-buy" list, and I'll prolly pick it up with a gift card I get for Father's Day. (I usually do.)

But all that stuff sounds amazing.

I can attest to the awesomeness of Transa as well. I grabbed it on a trip down to Sao Paulo last year after Billy's recommendation. Joia is also a good mellow listen.

I re-read and corrected my post. I've never actually heard Cesaria Evora's "Cabo Verde". I carelessly copied that mentally from the one you have. You actually introduced me to her and I could have sworn you'd recommended "Sao Vicente" which is the first one I picked up and my second favorite by her. Caetano sings backup on one song off that album. I'll have to pick up Cabo Verde myself sometime soon.

Be sure to let me know what you get for father's day. I almost feel like I'm celebrating myself this year

And here's some further evidence that Carlinhos is a badass, Carlinhos and the truck he's played on during Carnaval the past two years:



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