Violeta de Outono
Violeta de Outono
1987
Why This Album Matters
Violeta de Outono's self-titled debut album, released in 1987, represents a singular milestone in 1980s Brazilian rock. During a period dominated by the so-called 'BRock', with sounds heavily influenced by post-punk and new wave, the São Paulo band emerged with a bold and distinct proposal, delving into the depths of psychedelic and progressive rock. Their music, ethereal and introspective in nature, with rich instrumental layers and sophisticated arrangements, challenged the conventions of the time, proposing a timeless sonic journey that echoed the great psychedelic bands of the 60s and 70s, such as Pink Floyd and Gong. This debut work not only consolidated the trio's unique identity on the national scene, but also paved the way for a less commercial and more experimental strand of rock in Brazil. The album, which blends psychedelic influences with subtle touches of post-punk, stood out for its originality and its ability to create hypnotic and melancholic soundscapes, becoming a watershed moment and a revered reference for connoisseurs of more elaborate and artistic rock.
Context
Violeta de Outono was formed in 1984 in São Paulo by Fabio Golfetti (vocals and guitar) and Cláudio Souza (drums), who had just left the band Zero, pioneers of New Romantic in Brazil. Shortly afterwards, Angelo Pastorello (bass) completed the trio's classic line-up. Before their debut album, the band recorded a demo tape entitled 'Memories' in 1985 and released the EP Reflexos da Noite in 1986 on the Wop Bop label. This EP, which included tracks such as 'Outono' and 'Dia Eterno', received good airplay on alternative radio stations in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, attracting the attention of the RCA record label, which signed them for the production of a full album. In the 80s, Brazil experienced an effervescent rock scene, with various bands achieving success and popularising the so-called 'BRock'. However, most of these bands followed punk and new wave trends, both in aesthetic and sound. Violeta de Outono, for its part, opted for a distinct path, influenced by psychedelia and progressive rock, distancing itself from the mainstream and cultivating a loyal fanbase who sought a more dense and complex musical proposal.
Recording
The album was recorded at the legendary RCA studios in São Paulo, on Rua Veridiana, between February and May 1987. The record label spared no expense, offering all available resources for the album's production. Production was handled by Reinaldo B. Brito, known as Reinaldo Barriga, in collaboration with the band itself, who had a clear vision for their sound. The album's recording was carried out in such a way that the band could maintain the sound and concept of their live performances. Going against the trend of productions at the time, which frequently explored electronic drums, the trio opted for a live studio recording, seeking a timeless sound that harked back to classic rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. The recording engineering team included Pedro Fontanari Filho, Stelio Carlini, Walter Lima, and Claudio Coev, under the supervision of Gunther J Kibelkstis.
Songs
The album Violeta de Outono is composed of nine tracks, most of them penned by Fábio Golfetti. Among the original compositions, 'Outono' and 'Dia Eterno' stand out, having received good radio coverage and becoming true classics in the band's repertoire. The track 'Outono', in particular, is an adaptation of a 10th-century Chinese poem, 'Claustro de Outono' by Li Yu, and explores themes of solitude, introspection, and melancholy, using the season as a metaphor for an emotional state of retreat. Meanwhile, 'Dia Eterno' is considered one of the best tracks in the history of national rock, and its music video was filmed at the Observatório Nacional, in Rio de Janeiro. The album's lyrics are markedly introspective, laden with psychedelia, melancholy, and reflection, exploring themes such as nature, the passage of time, human existence, and the search for meaning. The instrumental complexity is evident in tracks like 'Retorno' and 'Sombras Flutuantes', which are instrumentals, allowing the band to demonstrate their ability to create dense and immersive atmospheres. The album concludes with a notable version of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' by The Beatles, a psychedelic classic that became a landmark in Violeta de Outono's sound. The band's interpretation of the song was widely praised, with even rumours that Paul McCartney had appreciated the version, standing out for its lysergic, introspective, and melancholic approach, in contrast to the original's more extroverted aesthetic.
Legacy
Despite its release in 1987, a period dominated by pop rock and new wave in Brazil, the album Violeta de Outono quickly established itself as a classic, selling around 30,000 vinyl copies. Initially, some reviews in Bizz magazine were not entirely favourable, perhaps because its sound challenged the trends of that period. However, time proved the work's worth, and the band was voted 'breakthrough band' by Bizz readers in 1987. The album is widely considered one of the most impressive records in 80s Brazilian rock and a timeless classic, reaffirming the trio as one of the most original and influential groups of that period. Its unique sound attracted a diverse audience, uniting fans from different 'tribes' of the underground scene at the time, such as darks, rockabillys, and neo-hippies, at their shows. The recognition of the album's importance is evidenced by its re-releases: in 2007 by Voiceprint Records and, later, in 2017, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, with a new remastering and the reunion of the original line-up for commemorative shows. The album continues to influence new generations of musicians and psychedelic rock enthusiasts, consolidating Violeta de Outono as an exponent of the genre in Brazil.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Reinaldo Barriga, Violeta De Outono
Miguel Plopschi
Reinaldo Barriga, Violeta De Outono
Reinaldo Barriga, Tadeu Valério
Gunther J. Kibelkstis
Angelo Pastorello, Claudio Souza, Fabio Golfetti
Angelo Pastorello
Claudio Souza
Fabio Golfetti
José Oswaldo Martins, Paulo Torres
Pedro Fontanari Filho
Claudio Coev, Pedro Fontanari Filho, Stelio Carlini, Walter Lima
Violeta De Outono
Books
Analyses
Violeta de Outono – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Criatura de Sebo: Violeta de Outono - 1987
criaturadesebo.blogspot.com
Esse é o LP de estreia do grupo Violeta de Outono, um ano antes havia lançado o EP em 45 rpm chamado Reflexos da noite . As influências pscodélicas e do rock progressivo são notórias. É inevitável ouvi-los sem lembrar da primeira fase do Pink Floyd ou do space-rock do Gong.
G. Álbuns: Violeta de Outono | Violeta de Outono (1987) - Na Mira do ...
namiradogroove.com.br
Um dos grandes louvores do Violeta de Outono é gerar complexidade com poucas palavras. Seus versos são curtos, mas carregados de uma profundidade bela e misteriosa. Dentro de suas muitas abstrações, temos um pedacinho do que a vida nos esconde de melhor.
Violeta de Outono (1987)
violetadeoutono.com
O disco, que reafirmou o trio como um dos mais originais e influentes grupos daquele período no rock brasileiro, traz nove faixas de rock psicodélico, incluindo os hits "Outono" e "Dia Eterno", que tiveram boa cobertura das rádios na época.
Violeta De Outono - Violeta De Outono (1987) - PEQUENOS CLÁSSICOS PERDIDOS
pequenosclassicosperdidos.com.br
Violeta De Outono - Violeta De Outono (1987) Eram tardes de verão quentes, muito quentes, numa época em que as chuvas da estação eram quase tão certeiras quanto as das 16h em Belém.
Discogs
Violeta de Outono – Discogs
discogs.com