March 31, 1964 a United States backed military coup occurred in the new capitol of Brasilia, Brazil. Thus began a 20 year reign of terror. The goal, of course, was to stop the spread of Communism in South America. Cuba had just fallen to the Socialist Revolution and concerns were heightened by the rising influence of labor organizations and the nationalist policies of the previous presidents.

Upon taking control military leaders began consolidating their oppressive powers by drafting a new constitution that “promoted democracy” and purging intellectuals and dissidents. Student groups, progressive members of the Catholic Church, politicians related to the previous government, and labor organizations were quickly disbanded. In the coming years members of these groups were often imprisoned and tortured for information. The grand and despicable practices of dictatorship had begun their stranglehold on the liberties of the people.

At this time, however, another movement was dawning. The bright and colorful music of Tropicalia was rising to popularity. Steeped in psychedelia and rock and roll influence, arguably the world’s most progressive music at the time was being recorded and performed in the midst of chaos.

The Tropicalia movement, also known as Tropicalismo, was led by internationally acclaimed artists like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and the more experimental Tom Ze and Os Mutantes. The music and associated visual, literary, and cinematic aspects of Tropicalia were based on the ideas of Antropofagia, or the cannibalism of all culture in the effort to create something new and unique. The influence of African rhythms, samba, rock, reggae, ska, jazz, blues, etc… can be heard in these groundbreaking recordings.

In the midst of terrible oppression, the music of Tropicalia was at once joyful and deadly serious, a testament to the incredible perseverance of the Brazilian people. Often considered the genre’s manifesto the 1968 album Tropicalia: Ou Panis Et Circenses is a stunning work of collaboration amongst Tropicalia’s elite. The album’s strong political message ultimately led to the arrests and eventual exile of it’s masterminds, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. Other artists in the movement were not so lucky. Many were arrested, tortured, and/or forced into psychiatric care.

While some artists continued to blossom and enjoy long and celebrated careers, the genre mostly faded from popularity in the early 1970s due in part to the Brazilian military government’s enactment of more and more extreme methods of oppression. This brief and bright musical movement, however, has had a long and lasting impression on the world’s music inspiring popular artists as diverse as Beck and Bjork.

Enquanto Seu Lobo Nao Vem – Caetano Veloso

Song by Caetano Veloso from the album Tropicalia: Ou Panis Et Circenses

Orientalism is defined as the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists.  In a more general sense, it’s when one culture tries to imitate another in an artistic sense.  Specific to this article, the term “orientalism” can be applied to music in the cases of Afro-beat, Tropicalia, Mbaqanga (Township Jazz), and even Ska & Reggae.

The interesting thing to me is how these genres, while initially trying to imitate American & UK music–a kind of reverse orientalism, have created their own genres which, in turn, have influenced those same musical cultures; from Santana (who tried to imitate, among many, the psycho african beats of bands like The Psychedelic Aliens) to Paul Simon (who essentially copied, verbatim, the sounds of Township Jazz in South Africa from the likes of The Boyoyo Boys).

Music is thus a synecdoche of influence.  One genre influences another which influences another, which can, in turn, influence itself, and so on.

Many of the songs on the mix below have obvious influences, while, at the same time, are an obvious influence to others.  It includes some of the greats of Tropicalia, some of the unsung heroes of Mbaqanga, the roots of Afro-beat and a little bit of Reggae & Ska.  It’s the first of what I hope to be many mixes exploring the idea of “synecdochic orientalism”.

Afrozilicalia (DOWNLOAD)

1. Bat Macumba – Gilberto Gil
2. A minha menina – Os Mutantes
3. Khuzani – The Heroes
4. Mane Joao – Erasmo Carlos
5. Money That’s What I Want – The Lawrence Amavi Group
6. Finger Toe - Tabukha ‘X’
7. Procissão – Gilberto Gil
8. Samba de Minha Terra – João Gilberto
9. S’timela Sase-zola – Mbogeni Ngema
10. 007 (Shanty Town) – Desmond Dekker
11. My Conversation – The Uniques
12. In Concert – Ofege
13. Fefe Naa Efe – Fela Kuti

American Songwriter asked us questions about where we live. Here are some answers.

Click.

Alright, here’s the thing, Yeasayer is playing next big nashville which you may or may not care about, but if you don’t, you’re an idiot, because everyone else cares. I mean, this NBN is the next big Next Big Nashville that everyone’s been waiting for, and the ONLY place to be on friday night is at that Yeasayer show.
Well, we just so happen to ALSO be playing that show at 9.  The metaphorical foreplay to the apparent pure sex that earns them the biggest letters on all the flyers.  We’re some really good musical 2nd base though.  We’re not as easy though–eyes up here, buddy.

With Yeasayer and us and everyone else who’s really cool playing that night, you’re going to be so pumped up because you’re blitzed on jager-bombs and fireball, and, god, it’s so much fun that all your friends are all in the same place right now, and HOLY SHIT was that Kirsten Dunst at the WAVVES show? that when the final arpeggio bloops its last bloop you’re gonna feel like you’ve got 8,333% of your DV of vitamin B12 in your system, and there’s NOOOO way the night’s gonna be over yet.
So what are you gonna do?  You obviously feel like your chances of getting laid have exponentially increased throughout the night, and can only continue to increase if you keep following the party around.  But where is the party going?  Well, friend, I’ll tell you.  It’s going here: Next Nashville Party.  Open Bar. DJ sets. Dancing. Mopeds. And probably some famous people.

Here’s the details of that:
11pm ’till when the booze are gone.
The Zombie Shop, Moped Warehouse, LLC
504 6th Ave South
Downtown ACROSS from the Slaughterhouse.

So to review: 9PM – us. The rest of the night: all the other music. At the turn of the day: Next Nashville After Party.

ok. booking: check.  They book Alan Braxe!

bondmusicgroup.com

Painting and playing. Great job everyone. We really did it.

“The Ostrich and the Lark” is available for purchase today. Buy it. Buying things strengthens the economy and promotes general public safety and overall good morale.

Panel 1: He stands in a small dimly lit kitchen. He has bad posture. He slouches staring at the wall. A row of tickets is in front of him.

Panel 2: A small printer is spitting out another ticket. *bzzz* *shrrnkk*

Panel 3: The printer is spitting out another ticket attached to the previous. *bzzz* *shrrnkk*

Panel 4: The printer is spitting out another ticket attached to the previous two. They are starting to curl around each other. *bzzz* *shrrnkk*

Panel 5: He is hanging the newly printed tickets on the ticket rack behind the ones already there.

Panel 6: *sigh* He’s holding a ladle full of dark red tomato sauce. He is looking at the ground.

Panel 7: His face is terrified.

Panel 8: The row of tickets. Written on the tickets in red letters is the word “loser.” One letter for each ticket.

Panel 9: The printer. *bzzz* *shrrnkk*

Panel 10: A black panel with “*bzzz* *shrrnkk*” written as many times as can fit.

Panel 11: He is on his knees. The ladle is on the ground and the red sauce is  splattered about.

Panel 12: The walls are closing in around him.

Him: No!

Panel 13: Looking down on him the walls are closer.

Panel 14: Looking down on him the walls are closer.

Panel 15: Looking down on him the walls are closer.

Panel 16: The printer. *bzzz* *shrrnkk*

Caption: It’s the kind of day it feels like the walls are closing in on me.

Free Alouette! and Skinny Little Wrists download here

“The Ostrich or the Lark”
August 17 on Other Electricities

What if the people came together? I mean really came together.

We became a giant monster with 12 billion eyes.

And in turn came a ravenous hunger that could only be fed

With several miles of pipe jammed deep into the ground.

We will drink the black blood down filling our monstrous belly.

But all our shit and piss will be foul and vile,

And will leave disastrous dead-lands wherever it does fall.

And soon there air so thick with stench will blind 2 billion eyes.

With 10 billion eyes we can still see very far,

Though the view will be uglier and uglier until there is nothing worth seeing.

And the black blood we are drinking would be harder to find.

Our straw of lead can’t break the skin deep enough anymore.

The lumbering beast of us is losing eyes faster than before.

And now the starving monster is left with just one choice.

To eat the shit that’s blinding us, to choke it down.

The pain in our belly is a constant reminder.

Like every day’s increasing blindness.

Drinking blood is no way to feed a hunger.

Mashable.com saw fit to feature us in their Free Music Monday downloads. Grab the track here. http://mashable.com/2010/05/17/free-music-monday-get-your-10-free-downloads/

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an adventure in cassette 4track recording. Noise hop experiments are strictly for the money.

normal nashville

thirsty nashville

we’ll be opening for DND at Mercy Lounge the 28th.  it’s gonna be super neat.

download their album here: http://denovodahl.bandcamp.com/album/tigerlion

St Louis MO – 4/21
Bloomington IN – 4/22
Grand Rapids MI – 4/23

“What are you thinking about?” she asks me.
“About going to Spain,” I reply.
“What are you going to do there?”
“Eat some delicious paella.”
“That’s all?”
“And fight in the Spanish Civil War.”
“That ended over sixty years ago.”
“I know,” I tell her.  “Lorca died and Hemingway survived.”
“But you want to be a part of it.”
I nod. “Yup. Blow up bridges and stuff.”
“And fall in love with Ingrid Bergman.”
“But in reality I’m here in Takamatsu.  And I’m in love with you.”
“Tough luck.”
I put my arm around her.
You put your arm around her.
She leans against you.  And a long spell of time passes.
“Did you know that I did this exact same thing a long time ago?  Right in this spot?”
“I know,” you tell her.
“How do you know that?” she asks, and looks you in the eyes.
“I was there then.”
“Blowing up bridges?”
“Yes, I was there, blowing up bridges.”
“Metaphorically.”
“Of course.”
You hold her in your arms, draw her close, kiss her.  You can feel the strength deserting her body.
“We’re all dreaming, aren’t we?” she says.
All of us are dreaming.

“upside d’owl”

I remember hunting as a child with my father. I think he knew there wasn’t much chance of us shooting anything.  The only thing we ever killed was time.

Once I saw a big buck deer in a clearing, alone. I don’t know where my father was. nearby, but not immediately beside me. There was a moment, me and the deer, then he spooked and ran into the thick brambles and other forest plants of which I don’t know the names.

At least, that’s what I told my dad.

Actually, I gave a little yell. That’s what spooked the deer. I was afraid my father would kill it.

I didn’t want it’s blood on my hands.