Customer Reviews

Serie Dois Momentos V.1

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I recently had the pleasure to fall truly in love with these 25 songs. They are from Secos e Molhados' first two lps, released in 1973 & '74. The music, often referred to as Brazilian prog-rock, is somewhat hard to describe to an Anglo-Saxon audience. All the lyrics are in Portuguese, which I don't understand. On the first lp (the more famous and consistent), I find 4 different styles. One song is slow blues/rock with few lyrics and some great solo guitar throughout. 2 songs sound similar to The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack- fast, giddy dance music. Most songs are of the 'prog rock' style, but very few are longer than 4 minutes. I suppose the only thing that connects them with classical prog rock is the generous use of flute, harmonica and moog synthesizer. The songwriting, too, is intelligent and creative. Finally, there are a few gorgeous ballads which might remind one of Jorma or Cat Stevens...these are usually nothing more than Ney Matogrosso's incredible vocals along with an acoustic guitar. The second lp (tracks 14-25) has a few great songs which may well be even better than the many highlights on the first. Yet, it is also less concerned with 'rock' and more concerned with capturing/creating Brazilian music. These musicians are all superb (esp. the bassist)...the main instruments are 6 & 12 string guitars (electric and acoustic), bass, drums, piano, flute, harmonica, moog synthesizer, percussion...Ney's singing is inspired and certainly makes these songs special (perhaps this helps explain why he left the band and went solo- but maybe not...as far as I can tell, neither Ney nor Joao Ricardo (guitarist and main songwriter) ever had nearly the success they had with these two lps). Apparently, the 1st lp was a huge success back in '73 in Brazil. Too bad there are only these two. ... These are certainly lost classics...that capture the era well... San Francisco based dj, Joe Sixpack ... writes that these two lps are some of the best Brazilian rock from the 70s... ps: the name of the group translates to 'Dry and Wet'...in English, at least, that's an awfully strange name for a rock band...and don't let the costumes fool you- these guys have far more in common with early Elton John than with Kiss....enjoy.

I wonder how this CD will sound to non-Brazilians. Secos & Molhados' exquisite blend of ballads, Latin rhythms and Portuguese music (the songwriter was from Portugal) took Brazil by storm in 1973. But their strongest appeal was the lead singer Ney Matogrosso, a slender frontman in his early 30's with a unique, almost female voice. What's more: a full year before Kiss released their debut album, Secos & Molhados were wearing make-up (to this day, Ney Matogrosso still believes Kiss copied them after seeing them on a full-page ad in Billboard magazine, but that's another story...). The impact they had was tremendous. Barely a year later it was all over. Ironically, the group's break-up coincided with the release of their second album. The group's mentor and songwriter João Ricardo has tried to revive Secos & Molhados with different line-ups ever since, but neither the fans nor the media ever accepted substitutes for Ney Matogrosso, who went on to become a successful singer in his own right. These are the only studio albums with the original line-up and now they're available on a single CD, with a decent booklet (a rare feature in Brazilian reiusses) and fully remixed sound. Those who own the original albums have even noticed bits and pieces that weren't there in the first mix, like the extended synthesizer at the end of "Fala". I sure hope this CD sets a new standard for all Brazilian reissues!

Almost everything has been said on the early reviews about these fabulous guys who shocked Brazil back in the 70's.

Just to remind that, at that time, Brazil was passing through a terrible military regime, with lots of oppresion acts against intelectuals politicians, students and of course artists.

Besides that, and also because of that, it was very hard to have a rock band in Brazil, and even more to record an album and make success.

Secos & Molhados (an expression that refers to a banquet with lots of food - Secos (dry) and drinks - Molhados (wet))
Secos e Molhados appears, in 1973, with 4 guys, with heavy make up, dreesing like hippie gipsys shakin'their hips with a hybrid sex appeal.Can you imagine that impact into middle class ordinary families and hard line generals?

The music, well, it's a mix of psychodelic rock, with folk and brazilian pop music, and the lyrics were made by poets, or even real poems turned into music.

They made huge success, hitting number 1 in a time that rock and roll were only for die hard fans. But, success sometimes, does great damages for unprepared minds. Ney, the lead singer, left the band, soon after the second album was released, saying that money had been stolen and business were going unfair at that point. And that's pratically the end. Further attempts to remake the band with new line ups simply flopped.

The first record has everything you need to know and listen from this band. In a way, sounds like gathering Pink Floyd with Joni Mitchell, Byrds, Grateful Dead and Cat Stevens.

The major tune i believe it is "Rosa de Hiroshima - Hiroshima's rose" a small tune based on a poem by brazilian's writer Vinicius de Moraes about the nuclear bomb in Japan, but also as a clear reference to what was going on in Vietnam at the time.

The second album follows the same formula, but not with the same impact, it is uneven, wth some tunes sounding unfinished, something made in a hurry to continue the success. However there are good songs like "Tercer mundo" (third world), a small flamenco tune sung in spanish (based on a poem by argentinian's Julio Cortazar)and "Flores Astrais" - Astral flowers.

This edition does a great job. People like who had the original records, are able to listen to many things hidden or erased from the previous releases, the guitars sound clearer and louder and synthetizers too.

There's also those stories about the make up, well, they were there in 1973, Kiss first recordered and appeared with make up in 1974, and Secos & Molhados made a presentation for a TV show in Argentina in 1973 when, some say, Kiss' agent watched and stole the idea. Anyway, truth or not, who would give the credits to brazilian guys? Forget it, show business has a lot of stories just like that. LIsten to the music and enjoy your banquet.

Secos e Molhados enjoyed a brief but notorious career during the 70's. They are the best example of early Brazilian rock during a progressive/fusion period that helped shape all the Brazilian rock bands who came afterwards.

They combine great musical numbers with a songwriting talent that left me speechless the first time I heard it. Their lyrics (in Portuguese) and among the most poetic I ever heard.

In fact, Secos e Molhados is in a league all by themselves because they were so unique. Ney Matogrosso's androgynous vocals are simply incredible and it hypnotizes the listener in a way seldom seen. His solo career confirmed him as a major force in Brazilian music.

The songs talk about all kinds of things... and this CD (containing two albums released around 1974/75) is truly like a book of poems that is unpredictable and surprising. The songs are funny, outrageous, sad, anti-war, erotic, romantic, bittersweet and poignant. Every song looks like a journey (although they are short in length... some hardly go beyond two minutes).

For those who cannot understand Portuguese, here is the beautiful Rosa de Hiroshima (Hiroshima Rose)

Pensem nas crianças (Think of the children)
mudas, telepaticas. (mute, telepathic.)
Pensem nas meninas (Think of the girls)
cegas, inexatas. (blind, inexact.)
Pensem nas mulheres (Think of the women)
rotas alteradas. (altered routes.)
Pensem nas feridas (Think of the wounds)
como rosas calidas. (like flaming roses)

Mas, oh, não se esqueça (But, oh, do not forget)
da rosa da rosa (of the rose's rose)
Da "Rosa de Hiroshima", (The "Hiroshima Rose",)
rosa hereditaria. (hereditary rose.)
Da rosa radioativa (The radioactive rose)
estúpida, inválida. (stupid, invalid.)
A rosa com Cirrose, (The rose with Cirrhosis,)
a "anti-rosa" atomica. (The atomic "anti-rose".)
Sem cor, sem perfume, (Without color, without perfume)
sem rosa, sem nada. (without rose, without nothing.)

Isn't it beautiful?

How can we forget the unforgettable Secos & Molhados, in Spanish "Secos y Mojados"? They came to Mexico in the 80's and made a pleasant impression on the people. Their songs were so catchy and melodious. This CD reveals everything said here; excellent sound quality and wonderful songs! Worth getting for those who still love 80's music.

It's really hard to find albums that are completely good, albums where each and every song is great. Yet, thank goodness, Secos & Molhados were able to pull it off twice. Their rich, original, superbly melodic sound and the profoundly intimate meanings in their lyrics talk to me in a personal way I had never experienced in music before, and only came to experience again with Björk. To me, their songs can be of extreme novelty, even today, after decades, and sound so unexpected and deliciously not obvious, but at the same time feel soothingly familiar and comfortable. I believe this would be the type of music appreciated by people who look for beauty, even if it comes from another world. And in this case, I think it does. Just exuberant. And if you like poetry, truly understanding their words would be nice too. I can't imagine a better excuse to learn Portuguese.

Remixed from the original tapes, this CD gives you the complete set of tracks from the two and only original albums released by Brazilian glam pop-rock group Secos e Molhados, a star that shone so brightly but sadly burnt out quickly in the first half of the 1970s. The first surprise if you've never heard them before is Ney Matogrosso's high-pitched voice, which could almost be mistaken to be a woman's (I think the correct musical term is a 'contralto'). The second surprise is that they painted their faces, wore loud, colourful and camp outfits (feather boas, peacock feathers etc.) and their dancing style -- especially Matogrosso's -- was equally camp (although Matogrosso was the only gay in the group). By the way, these guys were painting their faces before the US group Kiss started doing it, and rumour has it that Kiss's manager got the idea from the Secos e Molhados when they toured Mexico.

Every track is single material, they're that good, and the playing and singing is top-notch. All short and perfectly crafted, the tracks cover a range of moods and styles whilst remaining accessible. I've read a few comments recently about the music being Progressive Rock; well, it's nothing at all like Progressive Rock in my opinion, but in retrospect (I was around at the time and even remember seeing them play their first single 'O Vira' on Brazilian TV) the music was indeed progressive with a lower case 'p', especially so for Brazil as it was a radical departure from the typical Brazilian pop music -- and groups -- of the time. Bossa Nova or Tropicália this certainly ain't. They were a breath of fresh air, although, funnily enough, at the time I was not particularly captivated. After not hearing these tracks for over thirty years I happened to come across a video of `Sangue Latino' on a Web site and was blown away by how good it is, including the lyrics (which are excellent on most of the tracks), and bought this CD. It's all hum-along stuff, but some of the tracks give me a lump in the throat, as the music and lyrics create a powerful image: `Rosa de Hiroshima' (Rose of Hiroshima) being one of them.

A masterpiece of modern pop music. Wherever you're from, if you like a good tune and interesting, different music from other countries then you should check out the Secos e Molhados, and there is no better way to do it than to buy this CD. By the way, the remixing has been done thoughtfully and the audio quality is very good.

These group has a personal quality style. For that they must be known, especially those who likes exquisites. Im not an expert english writer, but down here are good reviews, of what suppose this original singers for more than someone. Meanwhile for a sampler, look at all brazilian music.

The first disk, from 1973 was a surprise for
all of us brazilian kids.
A good music that was sing by all teens
And was the start of Ney Matogrosso,
one of the great singers till now in brasil
Hear how higth he can sing, and always in tune
and good expression!