Because Brazilian music isn't that bad

Have you ever heard something about, or even listened to Tom Zé? And what about Novos Baianos? Ave Sangria? Os Mutantes? It's hard to know someone whose answer to all these questions is a "yes".
Recently, I've heard a lot of my friends saying that Brazilian music is awful, blah blah blah, and how they wish that they were born in another country, or that we had something "good", "like American and British music are". Saying this is nonsense! I knew it wasn't truth, so I decided making this post with some of my favorite Brazilian artists and bands. I have to admit, it isn't easy to be introduced to them - it wasn't the kind of music that was playing on the radio, it wasn't the soap opera soundtrack. It was the kind of thing that probably is resting over the dust on your grandpa's vinyl collection (or at least, was in mine's). Due to censorship on Brazilian military government, they didn't get that popular, so may I introduce it to you, after all these years:

1. Novos Baianos.

This slowly became one of my favorite bands ever. It's almost impossible don't falling deeply in love with them! Novos Baianos is a band formed mainly by Baby Consuelo (OMG I LOVE HER SO MUCH), Moraes Moreira, Paulinho Boca de Cantor, Pepeu Gomes and Luiz Galvão in late 60s in Bahia. With a strong post-Tropicalism, psychedelic and João Gilberto's influence, the band learned how to mix Brazilian rhythms like chorinho, baião, samba, afoxé, frevo with the good and old rock and roll. The result was the best Brazilian music album, according to the Rolling Stone magazine, Acabou Chorare (1972). But we won't forget the other good ones: Ferro na Boneca (1969), Novos Baianos F.C. (1973) and Caia Na Estrada e Perigas Ver (1976).
The Novos Baianos weren't just a band. They were a big family! You can see this in a doc made in 1973: Novos Baianos F.C., that shows a normal Novos Baianos day in a Rio de Janeiro's grange, filled of good live music, footbal, sex, drugs and rock and roll.
My favorite tracks: "Os Pingo da Chuva", "A Menina Dança", "Curto de Véu e Grinalda", "Suor do Sol", "Baby Consuelo", "Swing de Campo Grande", "Tinindo Trincando".
2. Ave Sangria.
It's one of the best psychedelic bands I've heard! Formed in Pernambuco on the 70s, Ave Sangria could mix regional rhythms, like baião, with rock, psychedelic lyrics and good distorted guitar pedals. Marco Polo's vocals are hypnotic! Unfortunatelly, due to censorship, the band didn't get famous or popular, despite the good quality of its work. They've released only one album: Ave Sangria, in 1974.
Fav tracks: "Hey! Man", "O Pirata", "Três Margaridas".
 3. Tom Zé.

God only knows how much I love that guy. Another genious from Bahia. Tom Zé was probably, the most tropicalist of the tropicalists. He was the kind of artist who was never afraid to experiment, definitely one of the most original Brazilian artists  - nonsense lyrics? He has. Hypnotic melodies? He has. Crazy clothes? He has too. Born in the small city of Irará, Tom studied music in Music School of the Federal University of Bahia. In 1968, he got first place on IV MPB Festival, with his song "São, São Paulo". Later, he released "Se o Caso é Chorar" (1972), "Todos os Olhos" (1973) and "Estudando o Samba" (1976), three amazing albums, filled with an weird but cool type of samba, frevo, a bit of rock, and totally original stuff.
Fav tracks: "Frevo (Pecadinho)", "Camelô", "Menina, amanhã de manhã", "Namorinho de Portão", "Sândalo", "Jimmy, renda-se", "Happy End".

4. Os Mutantes.

Some people say they were the "Brazilian Beatles", and I have to admit, they were almost at the same level. The brothers Arnaldo Baptista and Sergio Dias, together with Rita Lee, made one of the best brazillian bands ever: mixing rhythms, jokes, homemade distortion pedals and crazy clothes. With Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Zé, Rogério Duprat, they were also part of the tropicalist movement - but they weren't that worried with politics and social questions, they simply just wanted to be funny, crazy and have some acid. Their albums Mutantes (1968), Os Mutantes (1969) and A Divina Comédia (1970) are amazing, and their work is recognized by people like Kurt Cobain, Devendra Banhart and Sean Lennon.
Fav tracks: "The Rain, the Park and Other Things", "Caminhante Noturno", "Panis et Circences", "Ando Meio Desligado", "Desculpe, babe", "A Minha Menina".
5. Dônica.

The most recent band of this list. Dôncia is formed by 5 young boys from Rio de Janeiro: Zé Ibarra (vocals and keyboard), Lucas Nunes (Guitar), Deco Almeida (Drums), Miguima (Bass) and Tom Veloso (rhythmic guitar and lyrics), being the last one, Caetano Veloso's son. The band influences come from progressive rock, like Supertramp to Clube da Esquina. Their "musical godfather", as they says, is Milton Nascimento, and they've released one song together called "Pintor".
The band has been playing in Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza and other music festivals. By time, they've only released one album, "Continuidade dos Parques" in 2014. Dônica is perfect for anyone who wants a fresh, progressive rock mixed with bites of MPB.
Fav tracks: "Bicho Burro", "Macaco no Caiaque", "Assuntos Bons", "Pintor", "Casa 180".
6. Chico Science and Nação Zumbi.

An amazing group from Recife, Pernambuco. Mixing regional rhythms with rock, the group started a movement called manguebeat, in 90s, and it was sucessful. Your parents will probably remember him. Unfortunatelly, Chico Science, the main figure of the movement died in a tragic car crash in 1997. Chico died, but his music still alive here. The albums "Afrociberdelia" and "Da lama ao Caos" are masterpieces, full of rhythm and social critcs.
Fav tracks: "Maracatu Atômico", "A Praieira", "Manguetowm", "Macô", "Banditismo por uma Questão de Classe Social".

There still are so many artist I could mention here! But if I did it, you would probably take three years to read the full post LOL. Please, don't forget names like Jorge Ben, O Têrço and Chico Buarque! Going to finish this with one of my favorite Chico's songs, Jorge Maravilha.
That's all for now. See ya next post!