5/5 You'll love it if you're a Gong fan. Otherwise ...
  by Fredrick Trafton (The Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock)
Gong Global Family: Live in Brazil is a very high quality recording of an excellent performance. "Gong Global Family" is one of the numerous Gong "offshoot" bands, this version being composed of The Divided Alien (Gong founder Daevid Allen for those not in the know), Josh Pollock and Michael Clare (Daevid's bandmates from University of Errors) and members of The Invisible Opera Company of Brazil (a Brazilian Gong cover band, for lack of a better term) who played a series of Brazilian concerts in late 2007. This is a recording of the first of those concerts, and the band sounds like they've been playing together for 20 years.

Well, it's obvious why they sound so good. Daevid and the UofE guys have been playing together for a long time, and this album features only old Gong songs from early '70's albums Camembert Electrique and the original Trilogy (Flying Teapot/Angel's Egg/You), which members of IOCofB have doubtless been playing for nearly that long. So it's easy to see why they sound so good. What was NOT expected is that, in some cases (particularly the sax player), they sound even BETTER than the current incarnation of Gong, who are currently touring with a similar set list. Not that I dislike Theo Travis (Gong's current sax player), but he's just a little too perfect for Gong. Gong has always been about barely-controlled ANARCHY, and this band's got the feel down pat. The only thing I really miss in this performance is Gilli Smyth's vocals, and even that's been supplied (via recording) in the places where it's the most essential.

Bottom line: if you're a Gong fan and like their older stuff, then you'll like this album. If you still haven't quite figured out what all the fuss is about when it comes to this band, then this album will do nothing to help you out. Not essential, but good fun and an enjoyable addition to your Gong collection. By the way, I'm reviewing the CD version here ... perhaps later I'll get the DVD on the strength of this recording.