Jorge Ben - O Telefone Tocou Novamente

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Jorge Ben - O Telefone Tocou Novamente (Brazil, 1970)

There is very little to say about this masterpiece of Brazilian popular music or MPB, as the genre has been referred to for some time now. Força Bruta, the album from which it was taken, quickly became a commercial and critical success, establishing Ben as a leading artist of the tropicalist movement and a pioneer in a unique style, never before known, baptized as samba-rock. It was recorded with the band Trio Mocotó and released by Philips Records in September 1970. Conceived during a period of political tension in dictatorial Brazil, its title derives from the Portuguese term meaning "brute force," an ironic title for the decidedly relaxed mood of the album.

The album introduces an acoustic music based on a sweeter, more whimsical, and less elaborate samba compared to Ben's earlier works. Its lyrics generally explore themes of romantic passion, melancholy, and sensuality, with women holding a prominent place in his songs. For the first time, this work brings in elements of identity politics and postmodernism, with irony and a reinterpretation of established idioms.

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