A long hard look at Brazil... part 7

Chico Buarque' another one of those big names. I've heard a couple albums, but the one I always come back to is the great Construçoa (1974). More traditional, maybe. It doesn't sound like Chico went through the same rebellious phase the others did. He comes straight from the bossa nova masters (that's how it feels to me anyway – I'm making half of this up, remember). But for songs as massive as opening track 'Deus lhe pague'

Dark and ominous, exciting, all those dissonant chords and piano bass notes creeping up on you. Sounds like tympanis pounding.

Or the epic, orchestral title track, which sounds like three different spy movie themes before it ends (at least). Dramatic and wonderful. It just picks you up and sweeps you along.

In my mind he is the great, somewhat sinister crooner of Brazil.