Brothers Of Brazil – Self Titled

With the exception of solo projects and collaborations, reputable bands seldom get their start after their members already occupy the limelight.  Comedy troupes seem to be an exception though – the most obvious being The Lonely Island, which got their famed start on Saturday Night Live after a few standout shorts.  A world away in Brazil, brothers João and Sulpa took a similar path with their own “Brothers on Rede TV” variety show after the two realized just how fruitful their partnership could be.

Building their act around two juxtaposed stage personalities – one a well groomed traditional Latin performer and the other a snarly, spiky haired punk – their musical act mirrored their stylistic differences.  The resulting partnership has since outlived the series’ lifespan and taken on new life as Brothers Of Brazil.  Having conquered much of South America the band is now looking stateside after finding a North American home on SideOneDummy Records, ready to introduce their one of a kind act to a new continent.

After hunting around on YouTube for various stage performances, it’s easy to understand why so many people fell in love with the duo.  The two share a bantering back-and-forth with all the chemistry of an old married couple. The video for the album’s lead track, “Samba Around The Clock,” features João and Sulpa in a lively exchange sharing lines as the track undergoes a tug-of-war between traditional samba and raucous rock.  Their expressions and tones towards one another are truly entertaining, and I imagine translate into a must-see live show.  Switch gears to the stand alone CD though, and the focus becomes purely auditory, leaving a gap where they relied on stage appeal.

While they are truly talented musicians, combining elements of bossa nova and samba with rock and funk (and a guest list of other genres), I still suspect that they will struggle in attracting an audience lacking first hand experience with the group’s rise to fame.  When it comes to their act, the brothers’ biggest hurtle is in landing a punchline.  I doubt João and Sulpa are native English speakers (even if they are, my point still holds), which presents an issue when translating concept into joke in a verbally appealing way.  While a concept might seem humorous, a limited and straightforward vocabulary dilutes its effectiveness.  For example, “Blind By Fashion” and “Vanity Funk” try poking fun at society’s obsession with glamour and visual appeal, but fall short in both instances.  In the former, the group harmonizes for the obvious chorus “blinded by fashion/blinded by fashion/the fashionista/everybody’s bumping,” and later the weak punchline in the verse “cause it’s like/this brand, that brand/who cares what brand.”  In both cases they overuse a single word ad nauseum (“fashion” and “brand” just lose all connotations).  “Vanity Funk” falls flat on the same level, dragging out the joke of societal narcissism well past the initial chuckle.  In other words, they’re clever concepts that stumble on execution.

That being said, the most successful tracks are much more subtle.  For instance, “Imposter” imitates a little James Bond, including a fairly accurate Sean Conery imitation, and “Take The Money And Run Away To Rio” includes a rapid-fire verse that proves the brothers have what it takes to elevate their lyrical game and rise to the occasion (“Dollar up dollar down/Euros dance against the Pound”).

The Brothers Of Brazil are half way to making something special.  They’re musically unlike anything else out there, and occupy the vacant “international-punk” space on the SideOneDummy Records roster left by Gogol Bordello’s departure last year.  Even so, expanding their audience to North America will prove a challenge that will require tailoring their songs to an English audience.  Cultural context and comedy is a tough barrier to break, but based on their track record back in Brazil and the best moments of their debut, I have no doubt that their follow-up will see them rise to the occasion (although a thesaurus might help them get there quicker).