As Dez Mais (Portuguese for The Top Ten) is the tenth studio album by Brazilian rock band Titãs, and their first cover album. It was released in 1999, selling more than 400,000 copies. It was their last album with guitarist Marcelo Fromer, who died in 2001 just a few days before the first days of recordings of As Dez Mais' studio successor, A Melhor Banda de Todos os Tempos da Última Semana.
Track listing
Single
"Aluga-se" was released in 1999 as the thirteenth single by the band. The original song was composed and performed by Brazilian rock singer Raul Seixas, and it was featured on his 1980 album Abre-Te Sésamo.
Music video
The music video for the song shows the band performing it inside a night club crowded with young people drinking, dancing and smoking. At certain point, some of the band members are seen playing a card game of some sort, and then playing pool.
Critical reception
Writing for Folha de S.Paulo, Lúcio Ribeiro panned the album, stating it was another commercial play by the band that "seems to have permanently given up composing new material to fill an album". He also said the group "annihilated" all ten tracks, turning "Rotina" in a "boring ska" and depriving "Pelados em Santos" of its debauchery.
The band's position
Members Branco Mello (vocals), Nando Reis (vocals, bass) and Sérgio Britto (vocals, keyboards) commented: "Since 'Sonífera Ilha', a song made to be a hit, people mess around with us. We want to be TV stars [...] The guy who makes music just for selling doesn't exist. First, we do music for our entertainment. [...] This is independent from our will. We make a consuming product. Everyone has the right to say whatever they want, but, for us, the priority is artistic".
Producer Jack Endino said that there are elements of pop in the band's two previous albums, the well-sold Acústico MTV and Volume Dois, and in all their seven albums released before Titanomaquia (first Titãs album produced by him). He added:
Personnel
Titãs
Branco Mello - lead vocals on "Gostava Tanto de Você" and "Rotina", co-lead vocals on "Pelados em Santos" Paulo Miklos - lead vocals on "Fuga Nº 11" and "Um Certo Alguém", co-lead vocals on "Aluga-se", harmonica, mandolin, banjo, backing vocals Nando Reis - lead vocals on "Circo de Feras" and "Ciúmes", co-lead vocals on "Pelados em Santos", bass Sérgio Britto - lead vocals on "Sete Cidades" and "Querem Acabar Comigo", co-lead vocals on "Aluga-se", organ, piano, mellotron, wurlitzer, backing vocals Tony Bellotto - acoustic, electric and twelve string guitar Marcelo Fromer - acoustic and electric guitar Charles Gavin - drums
Additional personnel
Jack Endino - bass in "Um Certo Alguém", electronic drums arrangement in "Fuga n° II", guitar and backing vocals in "Aluga-se" Edu Morelenbaum - conducting Eumir Deodato - conducting Ricardo Imperatore - percussion Paschoal Perrota - violin and arrangement Cassia Menezes - cello Marcio Malard - cello Paula Prates - violin Ricardo Amado da Silva - violin Antonella Pareschi - violin Jesuina Passaroto - viola Bernard Marie Bessler - viola Daniel Garcia - saxophone, flute, saxophone solo in "Gostava Tanto de Você" Roberto Marques - trombone Altair Martins - trumpet, flugelhorn Ron Lawrence - viola N. Cenovia Cummins - violin Todd Reynolds - violin Richard Lucker - cello Maxine Neuman - cello Joyce Hammann - violin Robert Shaw - violin Stuart Mac Donald - tenor saxophone Jim Sisko - trumpet David Marriott, Jr. - trombone
Technical personnel
Bae arrangements: Jack Endino and Titãs
String and brass arrangements: Eumir Deodato (except "Rotina" and "Ciúmes", by Titãs and Jack Endino) Studios: Iron Wood Studios (Seattle), Hanzeck Audio (Seattle), Avatar Studios (NY), Ar Estúdio (RJ), Blue Studio (RJ) e ARP Estúdio (SP) ExcExecutive production: Charles Gavin Artistic direction: Tom Capone Recording engineering (Seattle): Jack Endino e Kip Beelman Recording assistants (Seattle): Donn Devore, Kip Beelman e Floyd Reitsma Recording engineering (NY): Álvaro Alencar Recording assistant (NY): Gregg Gasperino Recording engineering (RJ): Álvaro Alencar Recording assistants (RJ): André Rattones e Luciano Tarta Recording engineering (SP): Roberto Marques Recording assistant (SP): Nelson Damascena Mixing: Studio X (Seattle) Mixing engineering: Jack Endino Mixing assistant: Sam Hofstedt Mastering engineering: George Marino and Jack Endino (at Sterling Sound, NY) Graphic coordination: Silvia Panella Cover: Desenho Brasa Photos: Rochelle Costi Photo assistant: Marcelo Zochio Costume design: Cristiane Mesquita and Lilian Varella Roadies: Sérgio Molina, Sombra Jones and Viça