Cosmotron

Skank

2003

Cover of Cosmotron
Top 100

Why This Album Matters

Cosmotron, the sixth studio album by the Minas Gerais band Skank, released in 2003, represents a turning point in the group's trajectory. The work is notable for the profound influence of The Beatles and Clube da Esquina, marking a period of significant maturation in both melodies and lyrics. Considered a major leap in the band's career, the album showcases a notable flirtation with MPB and British pop music. The song "Dois Rios" in particular spearheaded the project, symbolising Skank's transition into a new phase of their musical expression.

Songs

The songs on Cosmotron reveal an in-depth sonic and lyrical exploration. "Dois Rios", for example, is seen as the album's synthesis, where the band expresses its growth and affirmation of identity. Critics highlighted Skank's flirtation with MPB, evidenced by subtle references. In terms of composition, there are evocations of Brazilian classics: lyrics that allude to Tom Jobim's "Águas de Março" and the track "Formato Mínimo", which echoes Chico Buarque's "Construção" by ending each verse with proparoxytone words. Predominantly, the album features calm and melodious songs, driven by acoustic and electric guitar arrangements, with a clear British influence. The album also features special appearances, such as Paco Pigalle on vocals for "Nômade" and Jorge Echevarria on trumpet for "É Tarde".

Legacy

Cosmotron received generally mixed to positive reviews from music specialists following its release. Pedro Alexandre Sanches, from Folha de S.Paulo, while recognising the beauty of the songs, pointed out a certain nostalgia within the group for musicians of the past, questioning the band's identity. Mauro Ferreira, from IstoÉ Gente, on the other hand, praised Skank's in-depth flirtation with MPB. Commercially, the album achieved a good performance, selling around 210,000 copies. The enduring relevance of the work was reaffirmed in 2025, when the album was re-released on vinyl by the Três Selos Rocinante club.

Rankings

Tracks

Credits

A&R

Ronaldo Viana

Executive-Producer

Fernando Furtado

Producer

Skank, Tom Capone

Written-By

Chico Amaral, Samuel Rosa

Lead Vocals, Guitar

Samuel Rosa

Bass

Lelo Zaneti

Drums

Haroldo Ferretti

Graphics [Project], Photography By

Weber Pádua

Keyboards

Henrique Portugal

Other

William Oliveira

Other

Frederico Toledo, Marco Antônio Otoni, William Oliveira

Recorder

Marco Diniz, Thiago Peixoto

Mastered By

Ricardo Garcia

Mixed By

Alvaro Alencar, Tom Capone

Mixed By

Fernando Rebelo, Tomas Magno

Recorded By

Bruno Ferretti, Renato Cipriano, Tom Capone

Coordinator

Bruno Batista

Graphics

Marcus Barão

Graphics

Daniela Conolly

Podcasts

Episódio 13 - Disco "Cosmotron" da banda "Skank"

Sons e Histórias · Daniel Queiroz

41 min·1 Dec 2019

Raildo Vasconcelos, Junior Beatle e Daniel Queiroz contam curiosidades e comentam o disco "Cosmotron" da banda mineira "Skank"

Videos

Cosmotron - Skank | Resenha | Papo de Mattar 44

Guilherme Mattar

"Cosmotron" - Skank | Melhores discos brasileiros dos anos 2000 | Alta Fidelidade

Alta Fidelidade

"Cosmotron" vs. "Cê" | Bar Talk | High Fidelity

Alta Fidelidade

Books

Analyses

Discogs

Cosmotron – Discogs

discogs.com