Música Calma para Pessoas Nervosas

Album review

By the release of their sixth album, Musica Calma Para Pessoas Nervosas (Calm Music for Nervous People), in 1993, Ira! had been demoted -- by critics and consumers alike -- from leading lights of the São Paulo rock scene to the role of followers, and appeared to be struggling for both motivation and direction. The latter was certainly made evident with a bang, as soon as the group exploded into shocking album opener "Arrastão! (Ladrão Que Rouba Ladrão)." Named after a mass-mugging technique employed to great and terrifying effect on Brazilian beaches the previous summer, "Arrastão!" was an unapologetic heavy metal workout, on which leader and guitarist Edgard Scandurra seemed to be trying to exorcise all of his guitar hero hang-ups in the space of four minutes. In its aftermath, fans were treated to a psychedelic trip laced with oddly biblical lyrics ("Pai Nosso da Terra"), a ho-hum Rolling Stones cover ("She Smiled Sweetly"), a harmless and futile childish lullaby ("Campos, Praias e Paixões"), and then, most troubling of all, a collaboration with former Titãs vocalist (and friendly rival) Arnaldo Antunes called "Perigo," which goes to unnecessary lengths to replicate that band's art-punk formula. Much better is vocalist Nasi's subsequent contribution, "O Homem é Esperto, Mas a Morte é Mais" ("Man Is Smart, But Death Is Smarter"), which opens side two with some nicely funky hard rock to go with its smart-ass lyrics, followed by "Balada Triste" ("Sad Ballad"), which resumes the road to mixed results, with its questionable honesty just barely saved by an inspired guitar turn -- first electric, then Spanish acoustic -- by Scandurra. Finally, there came a mellow, nicely atmospheric offering in "Fado de Minh'alma," and then yet another eclectic if once again Titãs-esque rocker in "U.T.I." (jittery and claustrophobic) closing out the LP. Clearly this was an album that lacked direction. And not surprisingly, Musica Calma Para Pessoas Nervosas would fail to strike a chord with confused fans, and it marked the end of Ira!'s fruitful relationship with Warner Bros. -- their label from day one. Ira! would endure nevertheless, but Scandurra's continual tinkering with their sound and diminishing commercial returns for each ensuing release made it hard to dispute the fact that their golden era was behind them.

© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo