It`s hard to think of a Brazilian band that has enjoyed greater international success than Cansei de Ser Sexy, affectionately known as CSS to their legion of fans. Having formed in 2003 they then signed to ex-Nirvana label Sub Pop in 2006, and since then they`ve been touring Europe and the US, taking part in the NME`s Indie Rave tour and opening for the likes of Primal Scream and Ladytron. As if that`s not enough, their first single with Sub Pop, `Let`s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above`, has become an unlikely indie disco hit, and rarely seems to be off the airways.
All of which makes their Edinburgh show a must-see occasion, and the fans are certainly crammed in for tonight`s Triptych gig. When they finally take to the stage Lovefoxxx is wearing a large paper bag over her head, two eyeholes cut into it so that she doesn`t stumble into the mike stand, but luckily she removes it after the opening song and treats us to a manic grin. With a pair of glasses drawn onto her face she`s certainly one of the current indie scene`s more eccentric lead singers, but her boundless energy keeps their all-too-brief set fizzing and sparking right through to the end.
Obvious highlights are singles `Alala` and set closer `Let`s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above`, as well as a disco version of L7`s `Pretend We`re Dead`, but the real show-stopper is Lovefoxxx herself. Alternately launching herself into the crowd and gyrating wildly across the stage, her energetic antics lend almost every song a vitality and immediacy and keep our eyes firmly glued on the band. There`s a near-critical faux pas from Ana Rezende when she yells `We love you Glasgow!` during the closing moments, but by then they`ve built up sufficient reserves of goodwill to let it slide. If this is what Brazilian music`s like, then the rest of the world has some catching up to do.