Manda Bala

For most of my adult life and for no apparent reason, I've had a love for things that come out of Brazil. Tropicalia, Lygia Clark's masks, caipirinhas, saudade, I even took capoeira as my gym requirement in college. In addition to the fact that Brazil's art scene had an interpretation of psychedelia that was far visually and musically superior to that of the U.S., there's a general vibrancy to all of these things that just makes me really happy. Thus, Brazil is very high on my list of places I must visit...although now I may skip São Paulo.

I watched the 2007 documentary "Manda Bala" (Send a Bullet) last weekend, and was completely blown away. It interweaves the stories of some pretty disparate characters — a plastic surgeon, an ex-pat businessman, a frog farmer, a kidnapper, a kidnapping victim, some of the most hardcore cops ever — to shed light on the the circle of corruption in Brazil. I say "shed light" because the result is by no means a comprehensive portrait; there's simply too much to cover. It did make me want to look further into the subject and I'm guessing that was intentional. Also, fans of Errol Morris will probably like the interesting way director Jason Kohn shot the interviewees and their translators as much as I did. Netflix it now.

I could write one million words about my favorite Tropicalia artists and songs, but instead I recommend delving in with a good compilation, of which there are several. "Tropicalia Essentials" (buy) is excellent, as is Soul Jazz's "Tropicalia: A Brazilian Revolution in Sound" (buy).

Tom Ze - Dor e Dor (alt link)

Os Mutantes - A Minha Menina (alt link)

Caetano Veloso - Lost in Paradise (alt link)

Gilberto Gil and Os Mutantes - Domingo No Parque (alt link)
I listen to this song when I get home from work, I'm tired, and I have to go back out.

Gilberto Gil - Samba do Aviao (alt link)