1972 Erasmo Carlos “Sonhos E Memórias 1941 - 1972” on Polydor

Man, it’s asking a LOT of your own record when you stick Mick, Elvis, Lennon, Warhol, and Marilyn on the cover in the Exile On Main style, which, by the way was created by the genius photographer Robert Frank, and have to live down the baggage of association. Only a Brazilian could pull it off without ego, and only Erasmo Carlos could pull it off with such sincerity, groove, earnest homage, and sense of humor. Did I mention groove? This record is filled with such positive life force it would have killed Lazarus. The lineup that augments the relatively straightforward tunes and Carlos’ acoustic guitar (dude often improbably and hilariously channeling both Ry Cooder and Nick Drake) is huge and multi-faceted, but the large percussion ensemble is particularly on point, with a special shout to the mighty Robertinho Silva! Plus my man Lafayette (Lafayette Limp Coelho Vargas) on organ! It’s funny how badly this record, including the gatefold, so badly wants to be 2 x LP but isn’t. I think the true attraction to Carlos is how his music could actually just keep rolling out like a papyrus scroll, an endless loop with musical notation in ink and quill, that you could just listen to forever. Oh yea.