Lula Cortes e Ze Ramalho - Paebiru
1975
Shadoks Reissue
Ultra-rare Brazilian mid-70s psych masterpiece lovingly reissued by the fine folks who brought us the "Love, Peace, and Poetry" series, this is a must for fans of not only Tropicalia, but "New Weird America" (cf. NNCK, Sunburned Hand), krautrock, Swedish commune psych, and modern Finnish free folk.
from Gnosis2000.net:
Even for those insane collectors (including yours truly) who must hear every progressive rock obscurity, Lula Cortes y Ze Ramalho is an unknown name. Original copies disappeared in a great fire, producing an album that has to be considered one of the rarest of them all. While there are many bands who released albums in very small quantities and are now much sought after, many were only intended to be demos or for fans of the group. I bring this up because the Cortes album was very clearly made for a larger audience and serves as a metaphoric victim. This is not just another low budget obscurity, but a highly produced and brilliant effort. Perhaps someone will dare a CD issue, because once this music is heard by the masses, Lula Cortes will find its rightful place amongst the all time greats.
I had always imagined that Brazil in the early 1970's would produce a kind of uninhibited tribal psychedelic rock band that would rival the experimental wonders in Germany like Guru Guru or Amon Duul II. So after hearing plenty of rock and psych music from Brazil, I had given up on my dream until a tape of the double LP Lula Cortes Y Ze Ramalho literally showed up on my doorstep. Now I wonder how many others existed in Brazil but without a proper recording perhaps?
And the music? Are you ready for this? Imagine a direct cross of Swedish cosmic psychedelic pioneers Algarnas Tradgard and the progressive folk of Los Jaivas from Chile. Take the traditional instruments of the Mayans, Incans, and early Spanish settlers, and combine with unearthly chanting and singing, then mesh with jazzy elements like flute and sax. Now add a dash of classical with piano and zither. Shake three times and add a huge scoop of completely freaked out, free-from-boundaries electric fuzz guitar, organ, and psychedelic jamming. The result is the musical realization of a mescaline dance party. One has absolutely no idea what the music will do next, but rest assured it will be well-played, intense, imaginative, and emotional. How exciting it must've been to do music like this; each composition could be improvised in a number of ways every night. The combinations are endless. Music of this nature, like the album itself, is completely extinct.
--Tom Hayes 10-Feb-2001
From WFMU:
1975 and not a reissue, but something that fell into our hands and so great we had to review it. Apparently Cortes (a Brazilian) disowns this record entirely, but it's a staggering fusion of what one would think the Godz would sound like if they started around the circles of Caetano Veloso and company. If that's not enough, they also utilize a lot of the isolated sound techniques of krautrockers like Faust (especially in their use of messy fuzz guitar textures), weaving jams in and out of acoustic salsa, detuned string experiments, sound effects and tons of free jazz blowing around. Wild.
--Brian Turner
from Slipcue.com
Ze Ramalho was one of the most important Brazilian rock musicians to emerge from the post-tropicalia era of the late 1970s. Hailing from the northeastern sertao region, he blended baiao and forro into his wild, psychedelic musical mix. Gradually Ramalho's music became more mainstream and predictable, but his wild side still surfaces from time to time.
From Shellshock Distribution:
Beside Spectrum Sound Factory the rarest LP from Brazil. This concept masterpiece takes you to an acid trip into the Brazilian rain forest. Full of sounds, accoustic instruments and heavy fuzz guitar. If you like Ceremony from Japan youĞll love this one.
|
