Brazil, 1975, psychedelic folk, Brazilian folk

Lula Côrtes e Zé Ramalho – Paêbirú: A rambling half-wild half-peaceful scorching double album divided thematically into the superstitious “elements” of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water… in that order. This collaboration is nothing short of the alignment of the stars. Speaking in tongues, laughing at cosmic jokes, expansive, uplifting flutes, distant whistles and sound effects, and oh my those saxophones, all four of them, weaving in and out of the acoustic guitar phrasings, shamelessly flirting with the sitar. Everything you could ever want from a Brazilian album is here. Every bit of musical detritus flows into this album like a flood, but Côrtes and Ramalho stand waist deep and direct all the elements like the unhinged masters they are.