Dave
Well-Known Member
seashorepiano said:...I respect people who advocate for social justice, though I disagree with their common political beliefs... ...I buy Sergio's albums for the music within, not the (trite) political themes...
~ And ~
Mike Blakesley said:...As for the political themes, I have long thought that Sergio picked songs because he liked the songs, not necessarily for their political content... ...Some of the translations we've seen of the Portuguese lyrics on the earlier songs tend to bear this out...
So what exactly is meant by "Political Mendes"? Did "Viola" on Crystal Illusions bear any Political Significance? Is it the "subject matter" of "Righteous Life" and "For What It's Worth" on Stillness...? Or are we taking Ye-Me-Le's "Easy To Be Hard" a little too seriously...?
Politics aside, I think these albums represent a trilogy in 'The Brasil '66/'77s' entry in the Contemporary Pop Market, after ditching a lot of its "Typical Brasilian" trademarks it had started with...
I somehow was intrigued by the Rural Atmosphere of Stillness that my Sergio Journey began with a 10¢ copy of that just to hear how they did "For What It's Worth" while the 2nd Mendes/Brasil '66/'77 album I bought was Ye-Me-Le because of the intriguing cover shot there--and I was curious about "Wichita Lineman" (which really kicks off the album with a Bang!...) as well as what would be regarded as a "Blues/Pop Song", "Moanin'", and of course their treatment of "Easy To Be Hard" '--from the Tribal Love/Rock Musical, HAIR'...
Pais Tropical seems to continue their "American Pop Vein", though with a bit of a hint of a return to their Brasilian Ennui, (and with a few "outside session help" and a bit of Commerciality for Pop/Rock Radio") going the entire "full throttle" on Primal Roots...
I enjoy the "Later Mendes Stuff" as I do the "Earlier Brasil '66" Entries...
Dave