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Arto Lindsay is a true veteran of the New York 'art-rock' scene. Born and raised in Brazil by American parents during that country's eclectic Tropicalia musical/political movement in the 1960s, he brought back with him a desire to blend musical styles and cross as many borders as possible. Forming the noise terrorists DNA in the late 1970s, He's since blended rhythms and influences from all corners of the world, never undermining the bossa nova influences from his childhood. He has since produced recordings by Tropicalia giants like Caetano Veloso and Vinicius Cantuaria, and worked with the likes of John Zorn, David Byrne, Lounge Lizards and Golden Palominos. Alas, his body of work is immense and too extensive to deliberate further on here. 'Invoke' is his reportedly last of a trilogy of albums on Ani DiFranco's label, and what a bow out it is. As usual, he sings alternatively in English and Portuguese, but here Lindsay seems to have found the hybrid of sound he's only scratched at before. The backbone is free-improvised jazz and a true samba craft mixed with his excellent sense of pure pop. Stand out tracks are Illuminated ("I'm devoted to a telling detail / I'm awash in overall impressions / I stand illuminated"), the dead funky Over/Run and You Decide. Why samba in Brazil or Notting Hill? Stay at home with Arto.

Torbjorn Wickman
CWAS #11 - Autumn 2002

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