From Brazil to SoCal, Luiza Sa finds the sun in her latest CD with hip girl band CSS
BRAZILIAN WHACKS | Luiza Sa (second from left, with bandmates Carolina Parra, Ana Rezende and Lovefoxxx) calls CSS ‘a queer band — whatever that embraces.’
Cansei de Ser Sexy — better known by the easier initialism CSS — has been doing the party-rock thing longer (and far better) than the now-defunct LMFAO. With their authentic quirkiness and South American perspective, they tap into a carefree sound that resonates among college radios and queer hipsters. But for Planta, the band’s fourth release, the Brazilians decided to go full-on American and relocated to Los Angeles for a different vibe.
Out band member Luiza Sa talks up the band’s move and their penchant for music that is all about good times while being a beacon for queer music.
— Rich Lopez
Dallas Voice: By the sounds of it, your relocation to the U.S. was on a whim. Luiza Sa: [Laughs] Well, sort of. It’s hard not to feel good there and we wanted that California feeling in the record, but L.A. has a certain kind of magic around it and that’s partly why we did it.
For sure. You’ve been on the upsweep since the first album, but you mentioned before that it’s a lot of work. Do you still feel that? Getting to this place has not been the easiest job. I said that after all the attention we were all of the sudden getting after Donkey. My job is to write enjoyable music, you know?
Did it get easier as time went on? Well, I’m grateful that I’m 30 now. Stuff is easier to navigate but back then, things were insane. It’s a lot of fun, but it was a hard wave to ride.
Planta is very CSS, but does sound different. Yeah. We worked with a lot of great people like Hannah Billie and David Sitek from TV on the Radio. [Beth Ditto from Gossip also appears on the album.] Previous collaborations had been done via the web but this time, being here, everything was face to face. And then we’d just go chill and hang out until the late hours.
You’re into astrology. Does that affect when you record or write? Well, I believe in a lot of different things, but I don’t like max retrogrades. If that’s happening, I know I have to redo some things. Sometimes, I’m just like “fuck it.” I think there are some perceived references in the album, but I don’t write songs about it. I’m not trying to be an astrologist. We do mention the sun a lot, but that’s more of the California vibe.
Your girlfriend participated in this album. How did that play out? It was awesome. I had a demo for “Into the Sun,” but just could not find the lyrics. She was visiting and is a musician herself and after playing it for her, she came up with an idea for the lyrics. She’s part of the group, nobody cared. There’s no ego with us. She no Yoko!
CSS is sort of below-the-gaydar. Is that fair? We’re a queer band — whatever that embraces. We live in gay cultures obviously and that’s important with all the change in civil rights lately. Our gay fans will tell us about their personal experiences and I love that. It’s incredible. You know, we’re not about sexuality, but about love. We are very gay. I’m gay. And we’re Brazilian.
What the heck is “Teenage Tiger Cat” about? OK, so it is literally about a cat! Dave had this kitten and named him Evan and as we recorded he was growing up. And he looked like a tiger.
On the cut “Dynamite,” other than referring to something painful, what do the lyrics Break dem nutzz symbolize? Oh my gosh! I think Sponge Bob had a song that we riffed on. But if it was painful, I assure you it was unintentional.
Too late.
When a band breaks away from the usual, good things can happen, bad things can happen — or very little can happen. The latter is the result of queer-centric band CSS’ latest release, Planta. They’ve been blowing up for a while now, but what should have been a fully realized album turns into merely a reliable fourth release.
To put forth expectations may be subjective, but the Brazilian-based band has definitely evolved since 2005’s eponymous Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS, get it?). After the success of the dynamic La Liberacion in 2011, Planta seemed destined to be their breakout. The catchy hooks and signature quirkiness are there, ready-made for hip TV commercials, but relocating to Los Angeles (which they did specifically to record this album) has resulted in a less combustible product.
CSS has always been less about making a statement and more about happy vibes anyway, a philosophy apparent here. The package of 11 tracks is the perfect summer soundtrack with an easy flow, launched from the opener “Honey” and drifting through the remaining tunes like a raft on a lazy river.
This is where the L.A. ambience comes through. Instead of channeling the energy of its nightlife and Hollywood spectacular, CSS looked more to the beaches and sunshine. Every song feels right at home in the stereo of an open-top convertible, as on the appropriately titled “Into the Sun.”
The surf qualities are evident in the more energetic “Dynamite,” which could easily make “break dem nutzz” this year’s “kiki.” The song’s riff recall’s The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” while the band revs up the album’s groove. But it never explodes out of the gate to push Planta into classic territory.
Where the album may vibe easily along, CSS’ usual charm is always present; this is where Planta succeeds. The (now) all-female band sounds more cohesive despite its lineup change. Founding member Adriano Cintra left the band under some contentiousness; Lovefoxxx is an ideal leader destined to shine in the spotlight, but band members don’t fade away in her shadow. Each make the perfect piece to the bigger CSS puzzle through innovative instrumentation and some of the most original lyrics you’ll ever hear like in “Teenage Tiger Cat,” literally about a cat who grew up during their L.A. recording experience.
CSS knows how to get away with a song like that and the equally silly, but impressively narrative “Frankie Goes to North Hollywood.” Planta drifts toward its end with final track “Faith in Love” that quietly closes this chapter in CSS’ interesting career path.
Planta adds to the bands evolution from its sound to its collaborations with Rancid’s Tim Armstrong on the album’s first single “Hangover,” Gossip’s Beth Ditto on “Dynamite” and production by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek. Impressive company for sure which widens the bands musical palette, but Planta plays more like CSS is still working their way upward. The blowup is still yet to come.
— R.L.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 12, 2013.