This collaboration by two of Brazil's most adventurous and appealing pop musicians has vitality and class to spare. The release celebrates twenty-five years of tropicalismo, the liberating blend of roots culture, rock-and-roll, politics, and poetry that landed both of these artists in exile under Brazil's 1970's-era military regime. The off-center oddity and spiritual power of the best tropicalismo infuse these finely-crafted tracks. "Haiti" roils with the slow, seductive undertow that marks Veloso's best work, while "Baiao Atemporal" exemplifies Gil's lighter-than-air blend of samba and reggae. Overall, neither artist dominates. Rather they resonate with playful ease whether on the retro-'60s "Wait Until Tomorrow," with its nod to Hendrix, the minimalist rock of "As Coisas," or the gentle acoustic samba of "Cinema Novo." Full translations of the lyrics find both songwriters boldly eliding between personal, political, and religious themes, commenting on music, art, and history all in one poetic continuum. Sweet and smooth but never lacking teeth, tropicalismo lives!

Contributed by: Banning Eyre
Originally published in: Boston Phoenix