Os Mutantes Recent News

Os Mutantes Announce New Tour Dates

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:09:00 -0700

Legendary psychedelic and Tropicalia band Os Mutantes have announced a North American tour co headlining with lo-fi pop wunderkind Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. Brazilians Os Mutantes have long been regarded as one of the most influential and innovative bands in pop history, revered by a host of musical luminaries including Beck, Devendra Banhart, David Byrne, Of Montréal, The Flaming Lips and the late Kurt Cobain. Last year Os Mutantes released Haih or Amortecedor their first album in fifteen years to unanimous critical acclaim. Mojo heralded the record as "A joyful triumph" while The New Yorker said of the record "a superb, politically tinged reunion effort....their new songs remain as bold and fascinating as their old ones."

The band's previous tour in support of the album proved equally as inspiring with Creative Loafing saying of a recent live show: "Even the new songs, which are strong and fuzzed out like an amalgam of their best essences, possessed a vibrancy that fit with the band's second (1969's Mutantes) and third (1970's A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado) releases, like some unearthed collection of unknown B-sides off of Sgt. Pepper. They were delivered with more spunk and screams and howls and dense guitars haunted by buzzsaws than on the new album, Haih Or Amortecedor, sounding as if some components had been purposely left out on the initial recording, like the songs could only be fully realized when performed live."

Os Mutantes will also be appearing at the 2020 Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas on Saturday November 6th along with Man Man, The Dirty Projectors, MGMT and many more. For more info go to: http://funfunfunfest.com

North American Tour Dates:

11-05, Dallas TX. Palladium Showroom
11-06, Austin TX. Fun Fun Fun Fest
11-08 New Orleans LA. One Eyed Jack's
11-09 Atlanta GA. Variety Playhouse
11-11 Washington DC. 9:30 Club
11-12 Philadelphia PA. Tracadero
11-13 New York NY. Webster Hall
11-14 Boston MA. Royal Boston
11-16 Montreal QC. Le National
11-17 Toronto ONT. The Opera House
11-18 Bowling Green OH. Clazel Theater
11-19 Chicago IL. Metro
11-20 Minneapolis MN. Ceder Cultural Center
11-21 Lawrence KS. Granada Theater
11-23 Denver CO. Bluebird Theater
11-26 Vancouver, BC. Rickshaw Theater
11-27 Seattle WA. Neumo's
11-28 Portland OR. Berbati's Pan
11-30 San Francisco, CA. Regency Ballroom
12- 02, Los Angeles CA. Henry Fonda Theater

Anti Records Reviews An Exceptional 2009

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800

Legendary Artists, A Breakout Album for Neko Case, A Triumphant And Soulful Offering From The Swell Season, Six Grammy Nods for Anti Artists, Tom Waits Live Album and Much More

William Elliott Whitmore: Animals in the Dark - On his Anti debut Whitmore reflects on life and loss and the world surrounding his Iowa horse farm on the banks of the Mississippi. The album showcases Whitmore’s classic songwriting and mastery of the acoustic guitar and banjo, but adds elements such as strings, an organ and a pedal steel, giving the songs a more expansive, cultivated sound. 2009 saw this unique artist captivating audiences around the world with his haunting and timeless sound.

"Animals reinforces his reputation as one of today's most transcendent folk artists." - Kansas City Star

"There's a time-honored truthfullness to William Elliott Whitmore that can't be rehearsed and most certainly can't be faked. It's tonally apparent in the world-weary ache of his baritone voice; it's lyrically manifested in the god-fearing mannerisms of simple protagonists; and it's buried deep within the gutsy pride and righteous integrity with which the Americana singer confronts issues of moral wrongs, institutional control, and fundamental rights throughout Animals in the Dark." - The Absolute Sound

NASA: The Spirit of Apollo - A joyfully sometimes surreal musical expedition overflowing with inspired collaborations -Tom Waits growls over Kool Keith, Karen O taunts while Ol' Dirty Bastard gives shout-outs to Wu Tang and N.A.S.A from the grave, and David Byrne, Chuck D and others expound on the evils of "Money." In spite of the range of performers, the pairings make perfect sense. Live the band features dancing aliens which is always a plus.

“The Spirit of Apollo is what happens when the imagination is let out of its cage. Good things happen.” – Urb

N.A.S.A.'s dope beats and wet-dream collaborations make Apollo an absolute must-have. - Alternative Press

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone – A stunning album by one of the preeminent songwriters and performers today. This is the record that finally transported Case from heroine of the underground into a deservedly larger spotlight. A riveting tour de force which has already graced many best of polls including those of Spin, Pitchfork and the top position on Amazon’s “Best Music of 2009” list. The album has also received Two Grammy nominations for “Best Contemporary Folk Album” and “Best Recording Package” (for the striking album cover)

“Case has one of the most powerful sets of pipes in pop” - Rolling Stone

“Neko Case’s songs are full of claws, wolves, tornadoes, birds of prey and the occasional gust of wind. But her voice is the real force of nature.” – New York Times Magazine

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: A Stranger Here - The renowned troubadour steps out of the country/folk arena that has shaped his legend and examines pre-WWII blues songs in a wholly unique way. A Stranger Here proves another wonderful tome in the library of one of the great American storytellers. The album has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Traditional Blues Album” and has garnered the album’s esteemed producer Joe Henry a nomination in the “Best Traditional Blues Album” category.

“Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is, along with Pete Seeger, one of America’s finest living folk singers. Seeing him play is a treat, but hearing him tell long, meandering stories — he didn’t get that nickname for nothing — is transformative.” - New York Times

“Both beautiful and brave in its purity" - Performing Songwriter

Bob Mould: Life and Times - A cathartic and vital album by an influential artist marks the respective anniversaries of the formation of Husker Du and Mould’s lauded solo effort Workbook with an album of unflinching self-reflection. Standouts like "Wasted World" and "I'm Sorry Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Anymore" highlight an artist completing a cycle decades in the making, his talent undiminished, his perspective acute.

"Passion, beauty, intelligence, grace: it's all here." – Filter

"This newest collection is moody and minimalist, and it showcases Mould’s introspective side. The most compelling songs evoke the speed, energy, and passionate commitment that justly made Mould an icon." - New Yorker

Jason Lytle: Yours Truly, The Commuter - Two years after Grandaddy's demise, Lytle returns with an immaculately crafted pop soundscape that mirrors both the dramatic environment of Lytle's newly-adopted Montana and the vintage twang of the Central California farmland that inspired hiss earlier work. Electronic flourishes collide with acoustic guitars and soulful piano parts, perfectly recreating Lytle’s signature lo-fi-electro atmospheres.

“A richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." - Alternative Press

“A textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth…it’s like Bruce Springsteen’s open highway finally reached a melancholy kid from Modesto.” - Spin

Booker T: Potato Hole – The trailblazing soul man has written the most audacious chapter of his career with his first solo album in decades. Backed by the Drive-By Truckers with Booker's signature Hammond B3, the album bristles with energy and heart. The album has earned a Grammy nomination for Jones in the category of “Best Pop Instrumental Album.”

“There are no chart-baiting superstar guest vocalists or gimmicks, just gut-punching, funky, loose-limbed, rock 'n' soul jams recorded in down-and-dirty sessions without an inch of fat.” - Boston Globe

“Potato Hole proves as extraordinary, delirious and laugh-out-loud weird as anyone might dare hope.” – Uncut

The Field: Yesterday & Today - The innovative sound artist expands his ever transfixing audio palette, continuing the oblique sampling strategy of his critically praised “From Here We Go Sublime” while building up the rhythmic architecture to startling new heights.

“Full of driving, dirty beats, crisp bells and hats that delicately pepper the high end, this sonic treasure offers plenty of infectious grooves.” - DJ Times

“Yesterday & Today is gorgeous, overwhelming, lush and (mainly) wordless, and it reeks throughout of inarticulable emotion.” - Prefix Magazine

Bettye LaVette: Change is Gonna Come Sessions – The soul singer extraordinaire revisits her forgotten post-Atlantic Records years as a nightclub singer and Broadway performer with a mix of classics including a heart wrenching rendition of Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" and an acclaimed version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," which LaVette performed at the Obama Inaugural Celebration.

"There's no one more soulful than Bettye LaVette…Bettye makes great music now because of her obstacles. She has a fire in her belly and a passion that was never squashed over the years...you just hear it and feel it in everything she sings." - CNN.com

“a compelling and intimate set of songs that adroitly combine a smoky jazz club, Saturday night rent party and Sunday morning church service. “ - Creative Loafing

Busdriver: Jhelli Beam – The art rap progenitor returns to jolt rap back into shape with virtuoso vocal stylings and poignant (and at times dadaist) lyricism. This record not only effortlessly trumps all previous mind-bending performances of his earlier works, but gives them new context; highlighting their dexterity with nuggets of election year paranoia and absurdist humor.

"Everything on Jhelli Beam makes sense. Every word is a picture. Every sentence pushed over the one before it the way dominos fall when they're lined up in a row....This is creativity - this is the reason for being: to preceive/ingest, and digest, and poop it out." - LA Record

“Busdriver's crazy, quick verses sprint from inside-out humor to social criticism alongside challenging beats that reward repeated listens. Exciting, odd stuff." - Chicago Tribune

Solillaquists of Sound: No More Heroes - With this release the Orlando-based hip hop quartet have accomplished the rare feat of creating a body of work that's as palatable to the public as it is groundbreaking, imaginative, and rewarding to listeners looking for something more in the soundtrack to their lives.

“authentic and raw, blending elements of dubstep, afrobeat, folk, most
obviously hip-hop, but surprisingly more synth-beats infused in a background of beautiful harmonies.” - 7x7 Magazine

“A lyrically potent, melodic, and danceable piece, make sure to cop one of the best records the year has to offer.” – Sputnikmusic

Joe Henry: Blood From Stars - The revered solo artist and Grammy-winning producer’s music spans many genres but the dominant sound on Blood From Stars is a rich blues tonality that swells into ravishing epics that jump the rails to incorporate folky jazz and bent Sinatra-esque washes of sampled strings. Henry’s eleventh album is a tour de force of lush arrangements and seductive song lines. The acclaimed musician/producer was also nominated for a Grammy for his work guiding Ramblin Jack Elliott’s release, A Stranger Here.

"Joe Henry is like that unexpected piece of dark chocolate at the bottom of the ice cream dish: something rich, sweet and so surprisingly good that you wonder how it escaped you before. This album captures a sensuous musicality, whether it's torch songs or avant-garde and traditional jazz, raw blues or pumped up soul escapades." – RELIX

“For connoisseurs of craft, Henry’s writing is an absolute joy, drawing effortlessly on classic pop, roots, and folk traditions and alchemizing these various strains into a single, sweet sound.” – American Way Magazine

Os Mutantes: Haih or Amortecedor - Still psychedelic, influential, political and playful after all these years – the near mythical has crafted triumphant return with their first record in 35 Years. Revered by luminaries such as Kurt Cobain, the Flaming Lips Devendra Banhart and Beck, the Mutantes have delivered one of the most original and enjoyable albums of the year.

"a superb, politically tinged reunion effort....their new songs remain as bold and fascinating as their old ones." – New Yorker

"Haih Or Amortecedor is rhapsodic, an endearing tribute, and a welcome addition, to one of pop music’s strangest group of musicians." – Popmatters

Islands: Vapours – The ever evolving Montreal outfit returns with an album that flits back and forth between moody synthesizers and drum-machine-heavy beats and an array of intriguing sonic textures, all the while remaining firmly rooted in the classic pop sensibilities and melodic hooks the band is celebrated for. 

"infectious and weird....masterful, refreshing synth-pop, served up pure and simple.” – Blackbook

"one of our favorite albums of the fall. It's just some lush, pop goodness." – Paper Magazine

Rain Machine: Rain Machine - Kyp Malone’s solo project features ten unflinchingly original and emotional songs mixing elements of modern jazz, blue-grass and blistering guitar driven rock into a refreshing new sound. As singer and guitarist for celebrated band TV on the Radio, Malone proved himself both a captivating and delightfully unpredictable musical force. On Rain Machine, he shows himself a singer and a lyricist of startling talents.

“Malone steps out with an emotionally open debut just as experimental and daring as his work with TVOTR.” – USA Today

“The tunes sound a bit like a rain dance—tribal bells, trance-inflected refrains, the occasional howl—but one that's been fed through the post-apocalyptic fury of TV On The Radio. The result proves a compelling sonic exploration, knotty and exultant as ever.” – The Onion

Dead Man’s Bones: Dead Man’s Bones - Initially intended as play about a monster-ghost-love-story, Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling eventually scrapped the stage show and recorded Dead Man’s Bones, a refreshingly original album featuring doo-wop songs about werewolves, haunting melodies telling tales of zombies with broken hearts, and children singing the joys and pains of being alive or being dead.

“Simultaneously sweet and spooky, heart-stirring and imaginative; a wonderful requiem to our forgotten fear of the dark" – LA Weekly

“A decidedly beautiful thing" – MOJO

The Swell Season: Strict Joy – The follow up to their Oscar winning “Once” soundtrack, Strict Joy finds the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova evoking the bittersweet aftermath of their real life romance and breakup with an album of stirring folk tinged blue eyed soul.

“a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem.” – NPR

“Strict Joy is a joy from start to finish, as few bands manage to mix intimacy and sweeping songcraft with such finesse.” – All Music Guide

Alec Ounsworth: Mo’ Beauty - a soulful and intriguing solo endeavor from celebrated singer/songwriter Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Recorded in music-steeped New Orleans with an all star cast of local talent, the end result is a display of masterful songwriting and arguably Ounsworth’s best work yet.

"Mesmerizing and profound" – The Onion

"The sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut, mixing spooky folk with frantic fun. Ounsworth's regular band may have a shaky future, but he doesn't." – Spin

Tom Waits: Glitter & Doom Live – This two disc collection perfectly documents Waits' sold out, acclaimed 2008 “Glitter and Doom” tour. The music disc features Waits' in his eclectic glory shifting seamlessly from an array of characters: carnival barker, preacher, country singer, soul balladeer; cabaret singer and storyteller. Disc Two is a selection of the comic bromides, strange musings, and unusual facts that Waits traditionally shares with his audience during the piano set.

“One of the most charismatic and straightforwardly entertaining live artists you are ever likely to see or hear. (..) Pick disc one for the uninterrupted junkyard blues and bewilderingly tender crooning: choose disc two for trivia and lies dredged from the back pages of the Fortean Times and delivered sans songs with the impeccable timing of a seasoned professional still in love with the stage and his audience.” – Time Out London

“Equal parts Captain Beefheart and Louis Armstrong as he examines the full spectrum of life, from the grimly grotesque to the sweetly sentimental… It’s an utter delight.” - NME

* Mavis Staples: Live: Hope at the Hideout - While technically released at the end of 2008, it’s worth mentioning that Mavis’ blistering live album has just earned the legendary soul singer a well deserved Grammy nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” Mavis was previously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Grammys for her collective work with the Staples Singers.

Os Mutantes' 'Haih or Amortecedor' An Overwhelming Critical Success

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:09:00 -0700

LEGENDARY FRONTMAN SERGIO DIAS TO BE INTERVIEWED ON PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM "THE WORLD" ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

The release of Os Mutantes recent album Haih or Amortecedor is the rarest of accomplishments for a legendary band. After more than three decades away, the revered Brazilian Tropicália band has returned with a collection of revolutionary new songs that, far from tarnishing their artistic legacy, serves only to further the Mutantes' status as true musical visionaries. Praise for Haih or Amortecedor has been overwhelming from fans and critics alike. And now amidst the bands' triumphant North American tour, longtime band leader Sergio Dias will be stopping by for an in-depth and engaging interview on Public Radio International's popular program "The World" to be aired Friday September 11th on local public radio affiliates.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR HAIH OR AMORTECEDOR

"A joyful triumph" - MOJO

"Remarkable for its maverick spirit and pop unorthodoxy... the musical delights here are universal... frontman Sergio Dias has conceived a multicolored universe where anything seems possible." - BILLBOARD

"The psychedelic Carnaval goes on. A"- -ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"it's good to hear a new Os Mutantes record that carries forward the ideals and exploratory spirit that made us all love the band in the first place." - PITCHFORK

"You'd be right to call "Haih" scattershot and exhausting. But the group aims to sound like everything, and most of what it comes up with is fantastic." - LOS ANGELES TIMES

"For all the verbal conundrums and chameleonic arrangements, the revived Os Mutantes rarely sound calculated or contrived. Their response to bleak realities is manic inventiveness and willed optimism. When they break into the chorus (in English) of "Neurociência do Amor" - "Let us sing to the rainbow of love all together/Yes, singing the music of life we are all one" - they sound like they mean it and that somehow the 1960s didn't end." - NEW YORK TIMES

"It's a welcome return to form." - USA TODAY

"Garagey fuzz-rock riffs twist with samba magic; Disneyesque waltzes trip into wigged-out polkas. Infectious, sun-bleached and psychedelic - the welcome return of a South American institution." - Q MAGAZINE

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

09-19 Camp Mather Groveland, CA
09-24 Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver CO
09-25 The Waiting Room, Omaha NE
09-26 Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis MN
09-27 Subterranean, Chicago, IL
09-29 Magic Stick Detroit, MI
09-30 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH
10-04 Somerville Theater, Somerville MA
10-05 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia PA
10-07 State Theatre, Falls Church VA
10-08 Webster Hall, New York NY
10-09 Mr. Smalls Theatre, Pittsburgh PA
10-10 Capitol Theatre Columbus, OH
10-11 Boomslang Music Festival, Lexington KY
10-13 Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa FL
10-14 Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale FL
10-15 Club at Firestone Orlando, FL
10-16 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
10-17 Tipitinas New Orleans LA
10-18 La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX

New Os Mutantes Song Premieres On Stereogum Today, North American Tour Kicks Off August 28

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:08:00 -0700

Revered Tropicália band Os Mutantes have emerged after thirty-five years to record a sumptuous new album entitled Haih or Amortecedor due out 09-08 on Anti Records. The new songs are the result of an astonishing collaboration between band leader Sergio Dias and Tom Zé, renowned Brazilian musician and fellow instigator of the Dadaist influenced cut and paste Tropicália movement. The result is an album which both captures the classic Os Mutantes sound while moving it distinctly forward.

When the first new song "Teclar" debuted in July, Pitchfork remarked: "Lead Mutante Sergio Dias isn't trying to sound like a kid anymore, something more veteran figures should probably try when they record new stuff. The track is slower and more languorous than the Os Mutantes of old. Hints of Eastern melodic scales and pastoral British folk creep in alongside the mix of traditional Brazilian music and Beatles-informed psych that first brought this band into the game."

The Mutantes are now set to premiere a second song off their anticipated new album today at www.stereogum.com. Like most of the new songs, "Anagrama," is collaborative composition between Dias and Zé. The result is an enthralling mix of modern psychedelia and sensuous folk pop.

"When I first wrote this song it was too personal but I loved the melody," Diaz explains. "So underneath there are lines of some other lyrics that I am singing. It's a very poetic love song but it was just too personal, so Tom Zé did this really amazing thing where he cut off the last syllable of every word so you would have to figure them out in your head. There is a telephone voice referencing the other lyrics. The music is kind of a here there and everywhere, a bossa nova with a bit of Loving Spoonful in the guitar."
The band will embark on an extensive North American tour beginning August 28th in Los Angeles.

Os Mutantes North American Tour Dates:

08-28-09, Los Angeles California, The Echoplex
08-29-09, San Francisco California, Outside Lands Festival
08-30-09, San Francisco California, Independent
09-01-09, Redway California, Mateel Community Center
09-02-09, Portland Oregon, Aladdin Theater
09-03-09 Vancouver, BC, The Commodore Ballroom
09-04-09 Bellingham Washington, The Nightlight
09-05-09 Seattle Washington, Bumbershoot Festival
09-19-09 Yosemite California, Symbiosis Fest
09-24-09 Denver Colorado, Cervantes
09-25-09 Omaha Nebraska, Waiting Room
09-26-09 Minneapolis Minnesota, Cedar Cultural Ctr
09-27-09 Chicago IL, Subterranean
09-29-09 Detroit MI, Magic Stick
09-30-09 Cleveland Ohio, Beachland Ballroom
10-04-09 Boston Massachusetts, Sommerville Th.
10-05-09 Philadelphia PA, World Café Live
10-07-09 Falls Church VA, The State Theatre
10-08-09 New York New York, Webster Th.
10-09-09 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Mr. Smalls
10-10-09 Columbus Ohio, Capitol Th.
10-11-09 Lexington Kentucky, WRFL Fest
10-13-09 Tampa Florida, Skipper's
10-14-09 Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Culture Room
10-16-09 Atlanta Georgia, Variety Playhouse
10-17-09 New Orleans Louisiana, Tipitina's
10-18-09 Austin Texas, La Zona Rosa

Os Mutantes Announce North American Tour

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:07:00 -0700

Visionary Band to Tour in Support of Haih or Amortecedor
Their First Album in 35 Years

Os Mutantes have announced a tour of North America in support of their startling new album Haih or Amortecedor. Seeing the legendary “Tropicália” band live is something Kurt Cobain could have only wished for when he pleaded (unsuccessfully) for them to reunite and tour with Nirvana. Now Brazils’ beloved Mutantes, long regarded as one of the most influential and innovative bands in pop music, have returned with both an ambitious new album and a series of highly anticipated performances. Revered by musical luminaries including Beck, Devendra Banhart, David Byrne, Of Montréal, The Flaming Lips and Cobain, the reunited Mutantes offer something far more intriguing than mere psychedelic nostalgia. While the ingenious genre blending Tropicália spirit remains intact on “Haih or Amortecedor”, it’s clear the Mutantes are not looking to the past, but ahead into further uncharted musical terrain.

Band leader Sergio Dias says he is eager to translate the epic Mutante sound on stage. “I love playing this music live,” Dias says. “It is the best thing possible. When we were playing at the Pitchfork festival it was like looking at yourself when you were a kid trying to mumble the words to I Wanna Hold Your Hand in English and not understanding the words. There weren’t many Brazilians there but the kids were singing our songs in Portuguese. Playing with this band live is amazing. I can not describe anything better other than maybe going into space. It keeps me young.”

Acclaim for Os Mutantes live:

“The band began Friday’s set with a song from 1969 that imagined Don Quixote getting a chance to sing on television, with music that switched styles every 20 seconds or so, from light-opera vocal harmonies to fuzz-toned garage stomp to slow, mock-bluesy rock to a brief bit of improvised chaos. And that hardly exhausted Os Mutantes’ inventiveness; they had lilting pop melodies, Latin rock, mock-Baroque counterpoint and even something like an anthem: “Balada do Louco” (“Ballad of a Crazy Man”), written by Arnaldo and sung by Sérgio. “They say I’m crazy to think this way, but I’m happy,” he sang in Portuguese. ‘It’s better than being normal.’” New York Times

“The band are more than just a bunch of session musicians: the backing singers pull faces at each other, Zélia prances around like a mad hippie with a tambourine, and at one point, someone plays a bass guitar like a cello. You could almost forget you were in the Barbican. The temperature shoots up and people pull their jumpers off and dance. If you didn't know any better, you'd see a band at their peak, playing for their lives… Long after the lights have come up, the crowd are still chanting "Mutantes! Mutantes! Mutantes!" As a Brazilian, seeing an obscure South American psych-rock band receive such rapturous applause from a young London audience almost brings a tear to my eye… In a way, Kurt Cobain was lucky that Os Mutantes turned down that support slot - Nirvana getting out-rocked by a bunch of mad, middle-aged Brazilian hippies would have been a sight to behold.” The Independent UK

North American Tour Dates:

08-28-09, Los Angeles California, The Echoplex
08-29-09, San Francisco California, Outside Lands Festival,
09-01-09, Redway California, Mateel Community Center
09-02-09, Portland Oregon, Aladdin Theater
09-03-09 Vancouver, BC, The Commodore Ballroom
09-04-09 Bellingham Washington, The Nightlight
09-05-09 Seattle Washington, Bumbershoot Festival
09-19-09 Yosemite California, Symbiosis Fest
09-24-09 Denver Colorado, Cervantes
09-25-09 Omaha Nebraska, Waiting Room
09-26-09 Minneapolis Minnesota, Cedar Cultural Ctr
09-30-09 Cleveland Ohio, Beachland Ballroom
10-04-09 Boston Massachusetts, Sommerville Th.
10-08-09 New York New York, Webster Th.
10-09-09 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Mr. Smalls
10-10-09 Columbus Ohio, Capitol Th.
10-11-09 Lexington Kentucky, WRFL Fest
10-13-09 Tampa Florida, Skipper’s
10-14-09 Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Culture Room
10-16-09 Atlanta Georgia, Variety Playhouse
10-17-09 New Orleans Louisiana, Tipitina’s
10-18-09 Austin Texas, La Zona Rosa

For More Information:

Os Mutantes on MySpace
Os Mutantes on Facebook
ANTI Records

Legendary Brazilian Tropicalia Band Os Mutantes sign with Anti- Records

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:06:00 -0700

Still Psychedelic, Influential, Political and Playful after all these Years – Os Mutantes Craft Triumphant Return with First Record in 35 Years

Founding frontman Sergio Dias Baptista and his new incarnation of the near-mythical Os Mutantes have signed with ANTI- Records with plans to release Haih – their first record in 35 years – on September 8th.

Os Mutantes were formed in Sao Paulo Brazil in 1966 by Sergio Dias and his brother Arnaldo, who blended their love of English rock n roll, culled from shortwave radio broadcasts, with American psychedelic in the spirit of Jimi Hendrix and traditional Brazilian music to create an entirely new sound to match an equally turbulent time in Brazilian history. While Os Mutantes were leading a growing youth mobilization as part of the Tropicalia movement alongside the likes of Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, their country was reeling in the midst of a military coup and ensuing artistic crackdown which eventually left Gil and Veloso imprisoned and exiled.

In the short years they were active, Os Mutantes crafted a distinctive, riotous and modern sound, experimenting with homemade instruments studio effects, traditional forms of Brazilian music, field recordings, unorthodox song structures and time signatures - and combining those with international influences in the form of pop music being exported out of England and the US in the late 1960s. Coupled with an overt political message embracing libertarian expression and artistic freedom, the few records Os Mutantes recorded have become enduringly influential. In the mid 1990s, 20 years after their last recording, Kurt Cobain famously issued a plea, begging for a reunited Os Mutantes to open for Nirvana. Since then, the band’s importance has been cited by current alternative superstars ranging from the Flaming Lips and of Montreal to Devendra Banhart to Beck, who wrote "for years it [Os Mutantes] was pretty much the only thing I listened to."

Now Os Mutantes have found a home with other likeminded provocateurs such as Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Mavis Staples and Billy Bragg on the Los Angeles independent label ANTI- Records. 2006 saw a reunion of sorts, with the band playing a handful of shows in London, New York, the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, San Francisco and supporting the Flaming Lips at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, but it is the release of Haih in September that will mark the band’s first recorded material since 1974 and their very first album to receive a worldwide release. Conceived by Sergio Dias with collaborations with other Brazilian legends Tom Ze (lyrics) and Jorge Ben (who wrote the song "Minha Menina"), Haih is a vibrant and timely return from one of world music’s most important bands.

"Living the conception and birth of this album, as an individual, was the most intense experience, for it was as if time has ceased to exist, and I was bouncing from life to life, decades through decades, revisiting myself as a 16 year old boy playing guitar and feeling so free and, as any teenager, indestructible." Sergio Dias, May 2009