Despite the name, legal hassles, and a lyrical focus on pro-legalizing herb and anti-the police repression stemming from it, it's a mistake to reduce
Planet Hemp to a one-dimensional band.
Os Cães went platinum in Brazil, and when the Rio de Janeiro crew's second album is over, the overall impression falls closest to a Brazilian
Public Enemy coming from a live hardcore band direction. Even that's misleading -- "100% Hardcore" lives up to its title, but the opening "Zerovinteum" finds the rappers trading off on a reality-check portrait of their hometown over a surprisingly funky descending bassline with wah-wah guitar highlights. "Hip Hop Rio" celebrates, well, a hip-hop Rio nation with a heavy fuzz bass groove digging at the hips, an element that returns along with the wah-wah guitar for the anti-police "Mão Na Cabeça." But you never quite know what
Planet Hemp's going to hit you with next. "Biruta" throws in a
Jethro Tull-style flute and heavy Hammond organ over funky bass and drums, but "Adoled" is a faithful version of
Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean" that rocks out convincingly. But then another hardcore, anti-cop broadside ("Seus Amigos") is followed by a cool-out groove of "Paga Pau," with a sultry sax solo and low-key vocals. "Nega Do Cabello Duro" tosses in a '50s R&B/rock & roll/ragga feel, heavy riffing dominates "Hemp Family," and "Quem Me Cobrou" thrashes fast and furious. But then
Planet Hemp cools it out again on the closing "Se Liga," before a hidden track works off a sax-flavored
Meters groove with prominent organ from Apollo 9.
Planet Hemp may be hardcore favela-identified, but the band is pretty varied within that context -- an indigenous instrument often pops up in the arrangements and the band is pretty good with
Public Enemy-style sonic scratch collages, too. The tradeoff flow between the rappers is solid, the band understands dynamics, and those all add up to make
Os Cães Ladram Mas a Caravana Não Pará one dynamic, exciting disc.