I am excited by their eclectic sound and delivery, but ultimately Os Mutantes leaves something to be desired. Cohesion, perhaps.

Haih… is the first album in 35 years from the legendary Brazil band, but their style hasn’t developed to anything that might have excused the lengthy absence. Gone is the whimsy of meshing multiple musical influences. Remaining is the annoying aspects of style cross-overs gone awry. There are Snarky guitar riffs, accordion whirls, quick-change rhythm sections that disorientate. All of this is the opposite of impressive. It causes feelings of unease.

I can certainly hear the talent behind the mess. Some of these musicians are damn good, but none of them seem to be listening to each other. Sometimes I feel like I’m hearing a Disney soundtrack, other times a culturally-explosive wedding (where every member of the wedding party brought their own band and they all played at once), but most of the time I’m flat-out confused.

I’m sorry, Os Mutantes. I really want to like you and your crazy style, but I do not. A good reference from Beck does not win you a good rating.

Track Listing:

1. Hymns Of The World P.1 (Intro)
2. Querida Querida
3. Teclar
4. 2000 e Agarrum
5. Baghdad Blues
6. O Careca
7. O Mensageiro
8. Anagrama
9. Samba Do Fidel
10. Neurociência do Amor
11. Nada Mudou
12. Gopala Krishna Om
13. Hymns Of The World P.2 (Final)