Brazil

AMG Review of Brazil

Greg Prato
All Music Guide

Originally only available as an import in 1996 (titled Brazil 96), the slightly renamed Brazil was finally released stateside two years later. Recorded live during a sold-out Brazilian tour, the '96 version of Men at Work contained only two of its original members -- singer/guitarist Colin Hay and saxophonist/flutist Greg Ham. But the new members sound almost identical to the originals, and with a stellar set list comprised almost entirely of classic material, it's near-impossible to hear the difference between the Men at Work lineups of 1996 and 1983. Positively electric versions of all their hits are here -- "Who Can It Be Now?," "Overkill," "It's a Mistake," and "Down Under," as well as strong album tracks ("Touching the Untouchables," "Down By the Sea," "Catch a Star," etc.) and a couple of songs that were popular '80s videos ("Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive," "Be Good Johnny"). Also included is an all-new composition, the Greg Ham-penned "The Longest Night," recorded in March of 1998. Brazil shows why Men at Work was one of the '80s' greatest success stories, and one of the few bands of that era who doesn't sound dated in the present.