Reissued trio shows musical mastery of Brazil’s Erasmo Carlos on Light In The Attic

Light In The Attic have reissued three classic LPs of Brazilian legend Erasmo Carlos. All of the usual quality research and excellent archive photos have been included, plus the pressings sound joyously good.

His collaborations with singer Roberto Carlos are some of the most commercially successful compositions in Brazil. These LPs display another side to this legendary singer and songwriter.

Erasmo Carlos E Tremendões includes a Caetano Veloso song Saudosismo in the Tropicália style, an Antônio Adolfo art-pop song Teletema and Ary Barroso song Aquarela Do Brasil. It’s a mixed bag that gets better listen after listen.

The volatile and violent political atmosphere and subsequent music that veiled criticism of the oppressive government led to artists being arrested and repressed. Veloso and Gilberto Gil were still in exile at the start of the 1970s, Rita Lee had quit Os Mutantes and Gal Costa was into a new style also. It meant that Erasmo’s 1971 album was the closest thing to Tropicália at the time.

Erasmo signed to Polydor where his sound also inspired by hippie culture, acid rock and soul music found a home. Carlos, ERASMO . . . features arrangements by Rogério Duprat and three players from Mutants: lead guitarist Sergio Dias, drummer Dinho Leme and bassist Liminha, as well as renowned psychedelic guitarist, Alexander Gordin, aka “Lanny”. It was co-produced by the Tropicália producer, Manoel Barenbein.

Sonhos E Memórias (1941-1972) features keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami, drummer Ivan Conti, aka “Mamão” and bassist Alex Malheiros – this trio became Azimuth. The LP features a wide range of styles such as bossa nova, rock and soul, but the album remains a cohesive whole and is highly autobiographical with emotive ballads.

This is a fantastic collection of previously overlooked work, not by high end collectors though – and with the exception of the Polysom pressing of Carlos, ERASMO in 2003 – you would have to dig deep in Brazil or your pocket to own them on vinyl otherwise.