Last Thursday I sent C=T contributor, Charles Killsgworth, to cover one of the most iconic and relevant musical groups of our time, Os Mutantes.
Photos and Word by Charles Killingsworth
Reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto and Love, a reflection of 60’s pop culture, bossa nova and psychedelic rock origins; Os Mutantes delivered a proper performance Thursday night at Cervantes Ballroom. Offering an education in sound, Sergio Dias, one of the original and founding members of Os Mutantes, arrived as the leader of a clan of outcast vampires and left us with humor and amusement.
Like recluse hippie mariachis, they may seem strange at first, but there was a time when Os Mutantes was the forefront of what founded Brazil’s modern art culture. They were rebels. Forward-thinking, with a deep sense of culture and craft, during an era that was suppressive and unaccepting of human emotion.
43 years after their inception, Os Mutantes’ performance was a decent trip through Brazil’s Tropicalia revolution and psychedelic rock. Serving as a perfect example of how we could use music as a revolutionary tool.
Excellent track! As one who writes about Lusophone music, and who loves it, I feel as if it’s impossible to overlook the influence that Os Mutantes have had on contemporary Brazilian music. This track in particular reminds me a bit of Roberto Carlos’s eponymous CD.