CD: Brazilian Girls - Let's Make Love | reviews, news & interviews
CD: Brazilian Girls - Let's Make Love
CD: Brazilian Girls - Let's Make Love
Back with a bang (and a few whimpers)
This New York band’s first album for a decade is as good as anything else they’ve done, but what were they thinking with the track order? Things get off to an agreeable bouncy Blondie-esque start with first single “Pirates”. But after that there are several decidedly plodding, generic tracks before the party really gets started.
Even if the generic simplicity of these "disco" tunes with their cheesy synth hooks were composed with a knowing wink, such a stance doesn’t suit musicians this sophisticated. Their unique Talking Heads-like chemistry as a unit is wasted on such confections. So it’s something of a relief when “Let’s Make Love” eventually kicks in with its quirkier tom-toms-heavy rock'n'roll arrangement and Nico-meets-Chrissie Hynde vocals. “Forget about the rest,” implores Sabina Sciubia. And I’m more than willing to if things continue looking up. And they do.
There’s “Balla Balla” with its “Walk Like an Egyptian” shimmer and swagger, “Woman in the Red” and its joyously fuzzy bass line, and the infectious stop/start groove of the Flying Lizards-ish “The Critic”. And so ultimately this critic, he say yes. This is largely Brazilian Girls as I’ve known and loved them since their self-titled 2005 debut album. Perhaps this was the idea: do the opposite to every other recording artist of the last 40 years; save all your best tracks until last and stick your dull fillers on at the start. But mystifying all the same.
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