When WEA commemorated Tităs' tenth anniversary of recording in 1994 by compiling their greatest hits into not one, but two best-of collections, the stalwarts of '80s Brazilian rock were still going strong. After all, despite the sudden departure of key songwriter and lyricist Arnaldo Antunes two years earlier and the mostly mixed reviews accorded their first album without him, 1993's Jack Endino-produced Titanomaquia, Tităs were still a seven-headed beast; and since most of these "heads" were excellent, proven songwriters ...
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When WEA commemorated Tităs' tenth anniversary of recording in 1994 by compiling their greatest hits into not one, but two best-of collections, the stalwarts of '80s Brazilian rock were still going strong. After all, despite the sudden departure of key songwriter and lyricist Arnaldo Antunes two years earlier and the mostly mixed reviews accorded their first album without him, 1993's Jack Endino-produced Titanomaquia, Tităs were still a seven-headed beast; and since most of these "heads" were excellent, proven songwriters in their own right, the band appeared set for continued success in the next decade. That fate ultimately conspired to deny this smooth sort of longevity arguably had less to do with the issues above than unforeseen internal and external forces (Brazil's changing musical landscape, further dissensions, distracting side projects, and the tragedy of guitarist Marcelo Fromer being run over and killed by a motorcycle), but in any case, this two-pronged best-of set wound up becoming more definitive than originally intended. With 41 tracks chosen overall (20 of them here), the first, Tităs 84 94 Um, focused on the band's more lightweight, pop-oriented material -- which still amounted to a remarkably eclectic blend of styles. First album submissions like the fey MPB-meets-Devo of "Sonífera Ilha," the doo woppy "Toda Cor," and the live "Marvin" show chart savvy and little else, and it's not until second album nugget "Năo Vou Me Adaptar" that Tităs' best-known original quirks start asserting themselves. This bears full fruit with the three entries from the band's greatest opus, 1986's Cabeça Dinossauro (the comic ska "Família," the all-purpose rock hit "Homem Primata," and the electro-funk smash "O Que") and, to a lesser degree, the techno-drenched "Comida" and "Diversăo," from the following year's Jesus Năo Tem Dentes. A whopping six numbers (the synth-laden "Miséria," the hard-rocking "Flores," the organ-driven poetry exercise "O Pulso," the jittery synth-fest "Deus e o Diabo," plus intro and outro) are chosen from 1989's chart-topping Ô Blésq Blom, confirming that disc's status as perhaps the band's most accessible ever. And the creative backlash that followed is made just as evident in the explicitly worshipful sexuality of "Clitóris," from next album Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora. That record's other offering, "Năo é por Năo Falar" is, likewise, an avatar of the rediscovered simplicity that would also inform its decidedly heavier successor, the aforementioned Titanomaquia, and its contributions "Hereditário" and "Disneylândia," which finally brings this set to a close. In summation, Tităs 84 94 Um contains an outstanding selection of songs, but it's almost impossible to envision its existence without its slightly darker (and perhaps slightly superior for it) companion piece, making a good argument for simply taking the plunge and investing in them both. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi
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Add this copy of 84-94 1 to cart. $2.34, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill of Orange County rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Ana, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by WEA.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. This item has very light surface scratches that do not affect the use of the disc/s. This is a USED item and case may have light wear. All items unless otherwise noted will include disc, case, and artwork. Codes have been used. Other contents such as booklets may vary, please inquire for details. All items ship Monday-Friday within 2-3 business days.
