Jupiter Apple - Uma Tarde Na Fruteira (Deluxe Edition) (2022)

Here at Elefant we are fervent believers in poetic justice. It couldn’t be any other way. We have the clear example of Nick Garrie and the well-deserved second youth his incredible “The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas” experienced. We believe that “Uma Tarde Na Fruteira” deserves the same thing, and we are going to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its release to reclaim it with a new Deluxe Edition that includes 6 additional tracks. Because the figure of the songwriter and creator, Flávio Basso (aka Júpiter Maça, or Woody Apple, or as he signed his first international album with Elefant Records, Jupiter Apple), requires revisiting 7 years after his death, at just 47 years old.

It’s not for nothing that luminaries of good taste like Tom Zé, Caetano Veloso, Arnaldo Baptista, Rita Lee, Sean Lennon, Tim Gane, Sean O'Hagan and Dean Wareham fell all over themselves in praise of him. Rolling Stone placed his first solo album, “A Sétima Efervescência”, on the list of the 100 most important albums in the history of Brazilian music. “Uma Tarde Na Fruteria” was released by Elefant (the first time his songs came out on a non-Brazilian label) in 2007. In the end, it was his fourth and last album (a compilation of new songs and songs from previous albums), though he continued to release various singles until 2015, including songs on soundtracks.

Jupiter Apple is probably the XXI century’s most inspired representation of tropicalism. Who was responsible for bringing the teachings of OS MUTANTES, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Marcos Valle, Secos & Molhados, etc. to postmodernism? And that means experimenting, tripping out, mashing up psychedelic rock, samba and jazz, crossing all the lines, playing with melodies. That’s why “Uma Tarde Na Fruteira” is so much fun, so exciting, so emotional. Its 17 songs travel between samba-stylings and hallucinogenic experiences from “A Marchinha Psicótica De Dr. Soup” (how can you not think of “Parque Industrial”), the hard-rock riff of “Tema De Jupiter Maçã” (with the power of “Jardim Eléctrico”), the outer space psychedelic groove of “Base Primitiva Revisitada” and “Metropole”, and the super pop of “Menina Super Brasil” and “Act Not Surprised” (we would have to mention STEREOLAB here as well). And it also moves between the garage of “Collectors Inside Collection”, the exoticism and bossa style of “Tropical Permanent Holidays”, the chamber pop of “Mademoiselle Marchand”, the baroque folk of “The Futuristica Waltz”, the Estonian spirit of “Síndrome De Pânico”, the Brazilian journey of “Carvão Sobre Tela” … It’s incredible that this all fits into one album.

It’s a lavish banquet over the course of 17 songs that on this Deluxe Edition we complete with six tracks previously unreleased through Elefant. “Beatle George” is a tribute to his favorite Liverpoolian, with sitar included, a Hare Krishna chorus, and overflowing fantasy. “Bridges Of Redemption Park” is a samba full of saudade, absolutely delicious. “A Lad & A Maid In The Bloom” is a slow, winding development, close to 10 minutes, between turbulent noise, bossa, psychedelia, radiophonic narrations, and the most absolute unpredictability. The song could be an album all by itself. “Welcome To The Shade” shows off his ability to give samba an evocative tone among shadows in the dusk. “Please Don’t Disturb” gets back to roots, sounds more plaintive, more melancholic. And it leaves the doors open for a new symphony. “The Homeless And The Jet Boots Boys” is an eleven-plus minute exercise in narration through sound, musical expressionism, overflowing imagination. Few people in the world have been able to write pieces like this, maintaining the pop spirit and melodic definition at such high levels.

We really hope this recovery puts the name Jupiter Apple back where it belongs, that poetic justice puts the spotlight on him and recognizes his unique and inimitable talent, which is sadly not with us anymore. What we still have are his marvelous albums, his unforgettable work.