Last year, a trio of Os Mutantes' original members played their first gig together in more than three decades at a concert that marked the 40th anniversary of tropicália, the influential, culture-spanning arts movement that sparked Brazil in the 1960s. Os Mutantes was one of the musical leaders of the group. On Barbican Theatre, London 2006 — a souvenir CD culled from the show — they breeze through their vast, tuneful catalog without missing a beat.
The reunited group, with a little help from some friends, performs cult faves like "Baby" and "Balada do Louco," while mixing in some obscure cuts even crate-digging hipsters might not recognize. And be sure to check out "I Feel a Little Spaced Out," in which guitarist Sergio Dias Baptista ably incorporates "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" into his fluid solo. Freak-folk deity Devendra Banhart even shows up in "Bat Macumba," offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for tropicália and bong fans.
