Secos e Molhados: Secos e Molhados (1973)

Now here’s a group that got it. Blessed by the astounding voice of Ney Matogrosso (who eerily sounds a lot like Gal Costa), Secos e Mojados ran with what she started. The one-two punch of “Sangue Latino” and “O Vira” off their first self-titled album released in 1973, thoroughly embraced the Brazilian-ness of their background both through imagery and music. “Sangue Latino” is a track I will always admire, how can one not? If ever there was a statement to be made for the bravery of the Latino struggle its this one, and what a way to make it!

Over Ney’s high pitched counter-tenor voice, the other members of the group Joao Ricard and Gerson Conrad produce the some of the most heavenly 12-string acoustic guitar you’ll ever hear. Challenging a bunch of taboos openly in the song, with their Brazilian take on glam, issues of sexuality, androgyny, and authenticity were faced upfront by their declamation of how they’re part of the same struggle. In a macho culture, Ney was thoroughly projecting everything he loved: indigenous style, progressive folk and samba, and yes, his sexuality. His immense talent for performance kept a light that Brazilian music had more to offer to the world. I mean, look at this video I’m linking to (which starts around the :10 sec mark), can you imagine how you gain an audience at such a time and in such a way? In Brazil, at such a time when so much of the population was so young and naive, you can imagine how many minds were blown.

I’ll link to the album in my comment, which I highly recommend as well. It covers so much ground stylistically (from Brazilian genres and prog or glam), simply listen to “Amor” ,“O patrão nosso de cada dia”, “El Rey”, “Rosa de Hiroshima”, or “Flores Astrais”…and feel a bit more of the light Brazilian music was shining then. Broken apart all that light, had so many colors.

Further Listening:
1973: Secos & Molhados
1974: Secos & Molhados (II)

Ney Matogrosso:
1975: Homem de Neanderthal (otherwise known as Água do Céu-Pássaro)
1976: Bandido
2002: Ney Matogrosso Interpreta Cartola

World Cup Predictions for the Day:
– USA v. Germany: Tie
– Portugal v. Ghana: Portugal (Winner)
– Algeria v. Russia: Algeria (Winner)
– South Korea vs Belgium: Tie (Winner)

http://grooveshark.com/album/Secos+and+Molhados/4133655

Here’s a video performance of “Sangue Latino” on a Mexican variety show by Secos e Molhados:

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/AqrIAdu1qC4&source=uds