Sergio Mendes ~ Brazil

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Ye-Me-Le (1969)

I've gone on plenty about Mendes in these pages. As the last five years have flown by I'm now of the mind that if you're new to collecting records, Mendes should be of the first ones you buy. They're readily available, very cheap, and brilliant musically. This is the fourth German edition I've found for Mendes, the others being Equinox, Crystal Illusions, and Primal Roots. And they all sound terrific. Ye-Me-Le is the last of the classic era Mendes albums for me to acquire, this one coming from a local vintage shop. The music is as expected, soft Bossa Nova covers of famous songs, plus a smattering of originals. Beautiful really. 

Ownership: 1969 A&M Germany (LP)

9/8/24 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (1966)

I told myself that the next clean copy of this album I find then I'm buying it. And this certainly fit the bill. It's a 25 minute album, and is mostly fluff. But the best kind of fluff. Really captures the 1966 ethos, a most creative year that seems to serve as an island unto itself. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 is the dictionary entry for Bossa Nova.

Ownership: 1966 A&M mono (LP)

7/12/20 (first acquired); 6/14/24 (reacquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Stillness (1970)

One of the classic era Mendes I still didn't have. While Mendes' 60s works are ubiquitous, once the decade flipped over, his sales clearly must have gone down, as not all of his albums are as readily available. In addition, Mendes was messing with the formula a bit here. Less of the easy listening bossa nova - or even the psychedelics of Crystal Illusion - and more of the earthy folky sounds of the 1970 pop era. It's all very well done, perhaps a bit too serious, and none of the hair raising inner-child melodies of the past. 

I may try for this title again in the future.

Former ownership: 1970 A&M (LP)

3/19/23 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool on the Hill (1968)

After hearing Equinox, I made the decision to hear all the Mendes albums, as long as they were in good enough shape. Brasil '65 is great and Equinox is very good, but the Herb Alpert album lost me (reconciled since). Fool on the Hill sits between the latter and Equinox in terms of quality. It really should have been better, as it isn't quite as cover heavy and features indigenous Brazilian songwriters. I wasn't convinced after the first side, but the flip sold me. In particular I fell for - of all things - 'Scarborough Fair'. I'm a fan of the song as it is, but the bossa nova version is just too much to resist. I can listen to Lani Hall (Herb Alpert's wife) and Karen Philipp all day long. Pizzicato Five and Stereolab made a career out of borrowing from this group. 

Ownership:

1968 A&M (LP). Gatefold. 

1968 A&M (reel to reel)

12/19/20 (acquired); 6/22/22 (review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Look Around (1968) 

Look Around is the album between Equinox and Fool on the Hill, and is at the height of Mendes popularity. He wasn't in any mood to experiment at this point, and kept that gravy train going at full blast. This is square on Bossa Nova influenced Easy Listening music. There are no mind melting tracks like what you would find on Crystal Illusions, Primal Roots, or even Brasil '65. But it sure is enjoyable for late night listening. Not real fond of the Beatles cover here, but most of the album contains originals, and pleasant at that. And Mendes covering Bacharach's 'The Look of Love' isn't even fair. Like Metallica covering Budgie, the ingredients are too stacked in its favor to be anything but great. The cover is stunning. Late 60s fashion at its zenith. These albums would be worth quite a bit of money if they didn't sell so many of them in the first place. Of course I'm keeping it. And the fact that I mentioned Metallica and Budgie in a Mendes review makes me really happy.

Ownership: 1968 A&M (LP). Gatefold

6/26/21 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 - Primal Roots (1972)

This album is a huge departure from anything I've ever heard Mendes perform. Gone are the soft pop songs, and its place is a serious fusion of Brazilian folk styles. Considering that all of Side 2 is made up of one track called 'The Circle Game', you know we're thousands of miles away from Ipanema. The minute I heard the incredibly breezy 'After Sunrise' with its female la-la-la's I was triggered by a long time memory. I can remember looking for this song at some point in my life, and could never find it. It comes from something I saw on television or video, but I cannot remember what it was. I have a guess, but I'll keep that to myself for now. And the side long track is brilliant, filled to the brim with great ideas, and never lags. It's not fair to compare Primal Roots to his other work, because it's just a different animal all together. This album puts the previously reviewed Love Music into perspective. That album followed this, and is a reaction to it most likely. One serious, one complete fluff. Easy recommendation to Mendes fans, and even progressive rock and fusion collectors.

Ownership: 1972 A&M Germany (LP)

4/19/21 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 - Love Music (1973)

Speaking of ill-advised covers. And, in this case, I don't necessarily mean exclusively the physical package. I finally found the Mendes album that's not for me. No Bossa Nova here, not even original songs. All English language pop covers - some more known than others. Ugh - this one is way too Vegas-stagey for my tastes. OK, this one goes. I definitely preferred the follow-up Vintage '74 to this.

Former ownership: 1973 Bell Germany (LP)

4/1/21 (acquired / review)

 

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Crystal Illusions (1969)

The opener is inauspicious, and it reminded me of some of the duff tracks from Fool on the Hill. Things get on track with the Portuguese sung 'Viola'. After which, Crystal Illusions finds its groove, 'Song of No Regrets' reminds me of Burt Bacharach's 'Alfie' and is very solemn and moving. 'Salt Sea' is a stunner, the kind of song that turns me into a ball of mush. What a beautiful track. Not to be outdone, the closer of the side is 'Empty Faces', which adds some Bossa Nova to the same formula. Just breathtaking really. 'Pretty World' opens side 2 magnificently and is the kind of composition one would think only Bacharach, Hal David, and Dionne Warwick could have come up with. 'Dois Dias' is the other Portuguese track, and is oddly like 'Viola' in that it's not one of the highlights. 'You Stepped Out of a Dream' is way too saccharine, and one gets diabetes just listening to it. Then comes the closer, something entirely new for Mendes (I think). At close to 8 minutes, will it be prog? Haha, well no. It's the second half of the track that gets really interesting. There's an electric piano jam that recalls late-era Doors (a jam on a Mendes album? Who knew?), followed by some disorienting strings that is very psychedelic. Overall, a superb effort and a nice thick German copy too. This is my second favorite to date with only Brasil '65 topping it. Let's see if either get bettered (Primal Roots ended up being my favorite).

Ownership: 1969 A&M Germany (LP)

3/29/21 (acquired / review) 

Home Cooking (1976)

Picked this up with the Vintage 74 album. Ha - I guess this is the album that sees Mendes turn funk. Has some really good grooves, especially the A side instrumental closer 'Shakara'. All the same, Mendes is a pop artist professional so he's not going to let things get out of hand. Unfortunately. Plenty of Easy Listening and light Bossa Nova as well. The lady at the counter (she likes to comment on the album covers apparently) really got a kick out of the steaming oven on the back. Just as tabasco sauce is pretty wimpy compared to what's on the market, so goes Home Cooking. Good enough though. Keeper.

Ownership: 1976 Elektra (LP). Gatefold.

1/31/21 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes and Brasil 77 - Vintage 74 (1974)

As promised, I've been picking up Mendes albums as I see them in the thrift bins. This is actually one of his rarer titles. And with "electric fuzz guitar" listed on at least two tracks, and it's from 1974, I thought Mendes might have tried his hand at deep funk or something. Uh... no. Arguably he's no longer performing Bossa Nova anymore but rather straight up Easy Listening music. To my ears, Mendes has gone full on Burt Bacharach here, which is A-OK in my world. Pleasant female vocals over complex 60s era pop songs. It's a bit squishy in the middle, but since I can be nostalgic that way, I found this album to be pleasant, yet hardly revelatory. The older lady at the cash register (who's probably younger than me lol) thought the cover was cute. So there, it's a cute album. Not for fans of Kluster.

Ownership: 1974 Bell (LP). Gatefold.

1/30/21 (acquired / review)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Equinox (1967)

You may recall my notes on the Brasil '65 album from last summer, and my own primordial background with Bossa Nova. This isn't really that much different, more stylized and slick perhaps, but still very enjoyable on the whole. I found this better than the more popular in-between Herb Alpert Presents album. Also, for the first time, I'm picking up some Stereolab here. Wouldn't be surprised to read that Mendes was an influence for the Groop.

Ownership: 

1967 A&M Germany (LP)

1967 A&M (reel to reel)

11/27/20 (acquired / review)
 

The Sergio Mendes Trio - Brasil '65 (1965)

The cover hypes/screams that this album is "The Greatest New South American Arrival Since Coffee!" Haha - well you know, they might have a point... Especially in 1965.

On rare occasion I travel to Sao Paulo for business. Fortunately the hotels we are allowed to stay at are quite luxurious, and this is exactly the type of music they pipe into the lounge and the restaurant. In fact, some of the music comes right off this album. I suspect it's what a tourist, or what the hotels think a tourist, might want to hear while there. I mean you can't expect them to play Modulo 1000 or Lula Cortes e Ze Remalho. Or Sepultura.

Bossa Nova pop such as this has to be some of the easiest music on the ears. The beautiful female vocals, the soothing rhythms, the soft textured acoustic guitar, the lovely piano, and the flute. It's - forgive me - So Nice.

Ownership: 1965 Capitol (LP) 

5/24/19 (acquired / review); 11/28/25

5/24/19 (new entry)