The eclectic alt-rock band Skank outgrew its ska roots to become one of Brazil's most successful pop groups of the 1990s. Originally from Belo Horizonte, the group was founded in 1991 with a lineup that included lead singer and guitarist Samuel Rosa, bass player Haroldo Ferretti, Henrique Portugal on keyboards, and drummer Lelo Zaneti. The band famously self-financed and self-released their first album, generating enough buzz regionally that they soon landed a major-label contract, and became internationally known a few years later. Here's a quick look at the group's work...
Skank "Skank" (Sony Music, 1993)
Skank "Calango" (Sony-Chaos Recrds, 1994)
Skank "O Samba Pacone" (Sony Music, 1996)
This was their big breakthrough album, with international distribution that brought attention both to the band and to the Brazilian ska scene. The opening track, "E Uma Partida De Futebol," is a monstrously catchy big-beat style, soca-tinged pop song; the rest of the album is a little safer and more by-the-numbers, mellow ska-pop and reggae-tinged outings. The toasting on "Sem Terra" is nice; along with "Um Dia Qualquer," it's one of the catchier songs on here. Overall, their music has a perfunctory feel, but it's still more satisfying than many of their pop contemporaries, nothing really that sticks out and makes you want to turn it off.
Skank "Siderado" (Sony Music, 1998)
A slicker set, drenched in funk and hip-hop, with denser, more elaborate pop production... It's all very accomplished, if a bit on the safe side. They pay tribute to an MPB elder on "Do Ben," which strings together lyrical references from various Jorge Ben hits; the group's ska roots only resurface in the middle of the album... It's all okay, I suppose... A bit like what the Stray Cats were like for American rockabilly: really too slick, sometimes monotonous, but you wanted to root for them anyway. It's worth checking out, especially if you want a whiff of some more recent mainstream Brazilian pop.
Skank "Maquinarama" (Sony Music, 2000)
Skank "MTV Ao Vivo: Ouro Preto" (Sony Music, 2001)
Skank "Cosmotron" (Sony Music, 2003)
Skank "Radiola" (Sony Music, 2005)
Skank "Carrossel" (Sony Music, 2007)
Skank "Estandarte" (Sony Music, 2008)
Skank "Skank 91" (Sony Music, 2012)
Samuel Rosa "Suite Branca" (Grupo Corpo, 2015)
Samuel Rosa & Lo Borges "Ao Vivo No Cine Theatro Brasil" (Sony Music, 2016)
Samuel Rosa "Rosa" (Self-released, 2024)
Skank "MTV Ao Vivo em Ouro Preto" (Sony Music, 2001)
Skank "Videografia: 1994-2001" (Sony Music, 2002)
Skank "Cosmotron: Multishow Ao Vivo" (Sony Music, 2003) (DVD)
Skank "Skank No Mineirao: Multishow Ao Vivo" (Sony Music, 2010)
Skank "Rock In Rio" (Sony Music, 2012)
