Tropicalia: Ou Panis Et Circensis

Despite the notorious raggedness of classic Tropicalia, this famous SGT. PEPPER's-inspired communal effort is notable for its musicality and what might be called its intelligent design. Much of the credit should go to the late producer Rogerio Duprat, the George Martin of Brazil (or its Joe Meek). At the very outset, Os Mutantes' "Panis et Circencis," approaches "Being for The Benefit of Mr. Kite" or "Penny Lane" in its life-is-a-circus eclecticism. Otherwise, this is pretty much Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil's show, their extraordinary musical and intellectual fertility evident from the very beginning. Not to forget Gal Costa, whose "Baby"--which Caetano wrote and plays and sings on--is one of the peaks of her career, and she had just gotten started herself.