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| Pitchfork |
 The Red Hot Organization was founded in 1989 with a noble if idiosyncratic mission: to fight AIDS through pop culture. At the time, the general public was just beginning to understand what AIDS actually was and how it could be transmitted. Red Hot's decision to raise money for AIDS research by selling themed albums featuring prominent musicians helped raise awareness as well as funds, and its first compilation, 1990's Red Hot + Blue, featuring David Byrne and Tom Waits, among others, covering Cole Porter songs, sold more than a million copies and made millions of dollars for AIDS-focused non-profits.Twenty-one years later, Red Hot + Rio 2 is the 12th Red Hot title, and the organization has released nine other compilations (including No Alternative and Dark Was the Night). The math is a little different these days. Not as many people buy CDs, and the idea of selling a million of these seems almost quaint (2009's Dark Was the Night still managed to raise more than a million dollars, though). AIDS awareness is also in a very different place-- in an odd way, people in the United States seem to have almost forgotten how bad the pandemic really is, and how crushing it is in a lot of societies, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS has become something that's just there, in the background, and we may know a few people who have it, but the aura of public health crisis has fallen away from it in our media. So in that way, building awareness is just as important as ever. Red Hot + Rio 2 is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot + Rio installment, which was focused on an update of 60s bossa nova sounds. This moves on to a contemporary take on Tropicália, and the list of collaborators involved includes a few original Tropicálistas: Rita Lee (solo), Os Mutantes (with of Montreal), Tom Zé (with Javelin), and Caetano Veloso (solo and with David Byrne). It also features Beck and Brazilian singer Seu Jorge doing a version of the former's own "Tropicália", and a mix of other artists doing covers of original Tropicália songs and new tunes written in descended styles. These artists, working alone and together in various combinations, come from at least four continents, and you'll hear Brazilians singing in English, Americans singing in Portuguese, and all sorts of other oddities. Sonically, this is aimed in a strange place, somewhere near the middle of the road, but not quite there-- it edges into too-smooth territory on the John Legend and Twin Danger tracks, but also into funky surrealism on the Os Mutantes/Of Montreal update of "Bat Macumba" and into heady jazz on Madlib's collaboration with veteran Brazilian singer Joyce Moreno....full text |
| Heyreverb |
| The summery, breezy songs that make up the latest compilation from the Red Hot Organization might just be the official soundtrack of the season. A tribute to the ’60s Tropicalia movement of Brazil, “Red Hot + Rio 2″ is one of the most listenable records to come across our desk in months. Alternating among English, Portuguese and Spanish, this hip, multi-culti offering features familiar and unfamiliar names, songs and voices. But at every turn, this two-disc set surprises and triumphs, thanks to careful curation. And it’s the 17th compilation to “raise money and awareness to the fight against AIDS.” The big names are here: David Byrne, Beck, John Legend and Bebel Gilberto. The indie stars, too: Beirut, Devendra Banhart, Of Montreal, Seu Jorge and Os Mutantes. The quality of the songs and recordings is extremely high. Ticklah’s dubby remix of Curumin’s “Ela” is a flashy jam. Beirut’s “O Leãozinho” is a rhythmic stunner. Alice Smith and Aloe Blacc’s “Baby” is a sweet and gentle jaunt. Jorge’s assist on Beck’s “Tropicália” gives the song an added groove. This record is easy to like. And it’s even easier to dance along to. –Ricardo Baca...full text |
| Mxdwn |
| The second installation of Red Hot Rio hits storefront and internet shelves this week as part of Beco Dranoff, John Carlin, and Paul Heck’s HIV/AIDS awareness and fundraiser. The two disc, 34 original track album is a mishmash collection of artists from Brazil and beyond performing an eclectic variety of tracks. Red Hot + Rio 2 travels across the world to bring you rare and exotic music you would normally never get the chance to hear. Disc one, title simply Red, contains “Tropicalia,” where Beck and Seu Jorge team up to create French infused Latin rhythms. John Legend performs “Lone I’ve Never Known,” a powerful piano driven song, singing “Dreams of love, will they ever come true / am I a fool to dream of you? … Dreams of a love I’ll never know.” Following that is Aloe Blacc and Clara Moreno’s dreamy “Nascimento (Rebirth) – Scene 2,” which uses whimsical and jazz piano, horns, and chants. Alice Smith and Aloe Blacc perform two versions of “Baby” on Rio 2, an original and shorter dub version, both of which are sung and produced very well. Prefuse 73 contributes to “Terra,” with emotional Spanish vocals by Caetano Veloso along with strings and acoustic guitar. Disc two, appropriately title Hot, begins with Beirut singing the catchy “O Leãozinho” in their poly-instrumental, world inspired style. The Boogie’s “Panis et Circensis” is one of the few tracks to feature an electric guitar, traditional drum set, and English lyrics. This is followed by of Montreal and Os Mutantes’ “Bat Macumba,” a short jam with repeating chorus chants. Madlib, Joyce Moreno, and Generation Match get together to record “Banana,” a jazzy piano and horn-driven song driven by Madlib’s unyielding drums and Moreno’s French vocals. “Freak le Boom Boom,” a personal favorite by Marina Gasolina and Secousse, is a French/Latin hybrid which employs dancey dub claps and wobbles alongside Gasolina’s sexy vocals. In all honesty, there are just too many hits to mention here....full text |
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