Customer Reviews

Rádio S.amb.a

5 star:		(3)
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3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nacao Zumbi hails from the Northeastern state of Brazil, Recife. Led by musical rebel Chico Science, the band challenged the standard definition of Brazilian music with a radical mix of Nordestina forms such as Maracatu and Baiao and "foreign" styles like punk rock, heavy metal, dub, funk, drum-and-bass and hip-hop. Their fans called this eclectic brew Mangue Beat (Portuguese for mangrove).

Their two albums, Da Lama ao Caos and Afrociberdelia received critical acclaim from the press as well as fans David Byrne, Arto Lindsay and Oasis. These accolades brought Chico Science and Nacao Zumbi very close to international recognition. Then disaster struck: in 1997 Chico was killed in a car accident.

It has taken three years but Nacao Zumbi is back with a new album, Radio S.amb.a. On this recording, they take on the most Brazilian musical form, Samba. This recording kicks off with the percussion driven first track, Do Mote Do Doutor Charles Zambohead /Azouque, which prepares the listener for the delights to come. They keep the intensity up on Arrancando As Tripas (ripping the guts out) by doing just what the title implies: tearing the guts out of this progressive samba workout. All through the album you hear their Brazilian roots as well as the influences of their American musical heroes, which makes for a very unadulterated mix. This is a great comeback from a very original band whose leader is missed, but who do not miss a step in this Brazilian party of groovy sounds for the mind as well as the feet. Listen to it and enjoy one of the funkiest hard rock bands in the world today!

I also loved the track from Brazil 2mil a remix of Amor De Muito from Afrociberdelia. I was personally surprised that Nação Zumbi released another without Chico Science. It was a great shame when I found out weeks ago that Chico had died in 1997.

Still...this album is brilliant. If you like tracks on Chico or Nação's previous albums then you will surely love this. This really is a piece of brazillian magic that I can only describe as perfect.

Chico Science and Nacao Zumbi, Tool, NIN The Fragile, the Pretenders before heroin took it's toll, and Henry Rollins, Liar Man, when he's having a good day. Some people just rock. Afrociberdelia is truly one of the best albums ever. And you know what? Radio S.AMB.A is in the same class. These are just a few of my favorite things.

I wasn't that acquainted with Nacao Zumbi except for a song or two off the Brasil 2Mil Cd. But if you like nice vocals and harmonies, chord progressions, you might be disappointed with this, as I was. Almost every song has lyrics shouted more than sung, in a rap/hip-hop-like style, but with almost no melody or background chords...lots of percussion, but it didn't have that intoxicating brazilian sound, or even the creative transformation of that sound like on Brasil 2Mil. I'm sure there are tons of other fans of brazilian music who would say i'm a traditionalist, so i don't mean to offend anyone, but just want to warn prospective buyers that if you are thinking typical or even modern brazilian music, don't buy this cd!