Estrangeiro
Caetano Veloso
1989
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1989, Estrangeiro by Caetano Veloso represents a watershed moment in his vast discography, marking a period of profound experimentation and openness to contemporary and global sounds. The album stands out for its bold fusion of traditional MPB elements with influences from world music, jazz, and ethnic rhythms, particularly African, transcending previously known musical boundaries. It is a work that solidifies Caetano's ability to engage with the musical universe without losing his intrinsic identity and poetic vein. This album is widely recognised as one of the highlights of Caetano's output in the 1980s, which, despite also having produced lighter works, culminated in this avant-garde gem. The international production conferred upon it a challenging and dizzying sound, inviting the listener to immerse themselves in complex and innovative soundscapes, consolidating Veloso's position as an artist in constant reinvention and deeply connected with the cultural currents of his time.
Context
In the transition from the 1980s to the 1990s, Caetano Veloso was already a leading figure in Brazilian music, with a career consolidated since the 60s and a history of political activism that at times led him to exile. However, his art never stagnated, incessantly seeking new dialogues and aesthetics. Bob Hurwitz, president of the American label Nonesuch, who had previously worked with Caetano on an earlier album recorded in New York, expressed interest in a new collaboration. Concurrently, musician and producer Arto Lindsay, who had a strong connection to Brazil and great admiration for Tropicalismo, wished to produce an album for Caetano that could project tropicalist principles to international recognition. This convergence of wills and Caetano's inclination for experimentation resulted in the conception of Estrangeiro, an album that reflects the trajectory of a global artist, yet always rooted in Brazilian themes and aspirations, concluding a decade of intense creativity.
Recording
The album Estrangeiro was predominantly recorded in New York, at the end of 1989, under the guidance of producers Peter Scherer and Arto Lindsay. This production partnership was crucial, as Scherer and Lindsay were known for their work with the duo Ambitious Lovers, which explored a fusion of Brazilian music, disco, and elements of the New York avant-garde, bringing this experimental sensibility to Caetano's project. The recording process featured a stellar cast of musicians, both international and Brazilian. Names such as Naná Vasconcelos, Carlinhos Brown, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot added layers of richness and unique textures to the album's sound. Although most of it took place in New York studios like Skyline Studios and Platinum Island Studios, Caetano Veloso mentions that some parts were recorded in Brazil to include Carlinhos Brown and local drummers, with mixing and mastering finalised in New York. Roger Moutenot was the recording and mixing engineer, ensuring the sonic cohesion of this transatlantic production.
Songs
The ten tracks of Estrangeiro weave a rich and multifaceted tapestry of themes and sounds. The title track, "O Estrangeiro", opens the album with a cinematic, musical narration, evoking landscapes of Guanabara Bay and sentiments that echo Paul Gauguin's gaze and Claude Lévi-Strauss' criticisms, as well as quoting Bob Dylan on João Gilberto. "Rai das Cores" brings influences from the Algerian musical genre, demonstrating a diverse perspective on the world. The introspective "Jasper", co-written with Arto Lindsay and Peter Scherer, integrates the producers' vision into Caetano's lyrics. Tracks like "Branquinha" (dedicated to Paula Lavigne) and "Este Amor" (for Dedé Gadelha) reveal a more intimate and lyrical side, the latter noted for its melodic beauty. "Outro Retrato" honours the poetry of João Cabral de Melo Neto and the musicality of João Donato, with a funk pop vibe. "Etc." is described as intimate and sad, while "Os Outros Românticos", dedicated to Jorge Mautner, offers a shrewd social critique. The album also includes the vibrant "Meia-Lua Inteira", composed by Carlinhos Brown, which overflows with vitality and an unmistakable "Brazilian sun", often highlighted as one of the album's standout tracks. "Genipapo Absoluto" closes the album by stating "minha mãe é minha voz" (my mother is my voice), in contrast with the preceding social critique, rescuing a Caetano more connected to his roots.
Legacy
Estrangeiro quickly garnered critical acclaim and solidified its status as a landmark in Caetano Veloso's career. Renowned critic Robert Christgau ranked it 27th in "The 1989 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll" of the best albums that year. Years later, in 2022, the album was included in the prestigious list of "500 maiores discos da música brasileira" by the podcast Discoteca Básica, reaffirming its lasting importance in the national landscape. The album's impact was also felt internationally, reaching 13th position on Billboard's World Music albums chart in the United States. The work caught the attention of influential musicians such as David Byrne, expanding Caetano's reach to new audiences and artistic circles. Although Caetano himself expressed, in 1991, a personal preference for his eponymous 1987 album, considering it to have "more truth, more clarity", Estrangeiro is universally celebrated as one of his best works, representing a mature dialogue with Tropicalismo and a musical utopia that continues to be praised.
Tracks
Credits
Arto Lindsay, Peter Scherer
Francis Manzella
Roger Moutenot
Jacaré, Jason Baker, Karen Bohanon, Oz Fritz, Patrick Dillett, Paul Angelli
Hélio Eichbauer
Arthur Fróes
Luciano Figueiredo
Pedro Oswaldo Cruz
Jan Staller
Videos
"Estrangeiro" - Caetano Veloso | Melhores discos brasileiros dos anos 80 | Alta Fidelidade
Alta Fidelidade
Films
Books
Outras palavras: Seis vezes Caetano
Tom Cardoso · 2022
Irreverent and provocative like its subject, Outras palavras reconstructs the life and work of one of Brazil's greatest artists of all time. Caetano Veloso is one of the foremost symbols of Brazilian popular music and culture. Multifaceted, transgressive, and engaged, this book offers a comprehensive biography that certainly addresses the context and creation of the album 'Estrangeiro' within his career.
Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos
Ricardo Alexandre · 2022
The largest Brazilian music election ever conducted: 162 specialists, spanning journalists, critics, musicians, producers and podcasters, each nominated 50 essential albums, supported by a masterlist of more than 2,000 works. Led by Ricardo Alexandre with tabulation by Sérgio Jomori, it was published in December 2022 as a 200-page hardcover book with graphic design by Fernando Pires.
Caetano Veloso’s A Foreign Sound
Barbara Browning · 2017
What makes a song sound foreign? What makes it sound “American” or “Brazilian”? Caetano Veloso's 2004 album, 'A Foreign Sound', is a meditation on these questions — but, in fact, he had been asking these questions throughout his entire career. This book deeply analyses these questions of sonority, identity, and alterity in Caetano's work, being highly relevant for understanding the themes addressed in the album 'Estrangeiro'.
Analyses
Estrangeiro – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
1989 - Estrangeiro - Caetano Veloso
caetanoefoda.blogspot.com
Estrangeiro is a big step in the history of Arto's project, to make an album that represented all his influences from Brazilian music. As I was away, this idea of 'foreigner' came to me and I decided to give the album that name.
O dia em que Lévi-Strauss chamou o Rio de "feio" e Caetano transformou ...
revistaforum.com.br
In 1989, Caetano Veloso released 'Estrangeiro', an album that marked a new stage in his career and, to this day, is remembered for uniting musical experimentation and critical reflection.
Caetano Veloso - Estrangeiro (1989) - Discoteca Pública
discotecapublica.com.br
Caetano Veloso - Estrangeiro (1989) Artist: Caetano Veloso Title: Estrangeiro Year: 1989
MUSICA&SOM: Caetano Veloso - Estrangeiro (1989)
tabernanovostempos.blogspot.com
Musicians:This Caetano album opens with a strong point, which gives it its title: 'O estrangeiro', with powerful, intelligent, and controversial lyrics. It is an album that needs to be listened to several times to be fully understood and appreciated.
