Valsa Pra Biu Roque

Ave Cruz

O Ronco Da Cuica

Bobagem

Samba Na Sola

Songs of the Day

Today, I'm running through tracks 11-15, the final 5 tracks of the album: "Valsa Pra Biu Roque," "Ave Cruz," "O Ronco Da Cuica,""Bobagem," and "Samba Na Sola."  I think "Valsa Pra Biu Roque" is probably my favorite song of the day.  It's a very sweet, slow (what I'm thinking is Tango/Argentian) song with just vocals and guitar.  It's obviously a love song, and you can hear that coming from Céu - she really shines on this one.  You can hear her longing, and it's very effective.  "Ave Cruz" is decent.  There's a cool 90s R&B thing going on that I dig, but it's all kind of generic.  I feel like I've heard it before, or that it could be easily replicated.  She sounds cool, it's just not my favorite.  I was really feeling like "O Ronco Da Cuica" was gonna turn around today's luck by the start of it.  The beginning has got a cool, more upbeat feel to it, and the doubled vocals have cool harmony that I like, but as the track continues, it starts to get a little out of its element.  It gets a little overly experimental.  Not that it's anything crazy by any means, just some distorted guitar, and some electronic elements, but they don't seem natural to the feel.  I just didn't think it needed all the extra - it was cool when it was straight ahead. "Bobagem" is very minimal - just vocals, percussion and bass for the most part, with guitar at the beginning and end.  It's alright, but I felt like the guitar should have returned a little sooner.  The feel of it kind of reminds me of what you hear in an upscale restaurant that's trying to be hip.  There is a saving grace in "Samba Na Sola" though, and I think that's mainly thanks to the fact that it keeps its feel the whole time.  Don't get me wrong, I was all about the mixed feels in the beginning of the album, but they felt more appropriate to the songs than they did in the second half of the album.  Always nice to have an upbeat song to end things out - makes me wanna dance.  The percussion is really great, and she sounds beautiful.  Just an okay day, but there are still some gems in here.

Mais Um Lamento

Concrete Jungle

Véu Da Noite

Songs of the Day

Today, I'm reviewing tracks 7-10: "Vinheta Dorival," "Mais Um Lamento," "Concrete Jungle," and "Véu Da Noite."  I love the little instrumental interludes she has on this album, "Vinheta Dorival" being one of them.  The simple guitar is very sweet, and I like how it segways into "Mais Um Lamento."  Céu does really well with having a very strong jazz feel, with subtle electronic undertones, and I'm super into it.  I said it yesterday, but it's got a very Portishead feel to it.  She's like the Brazilian Portishead, with a less heavy electronic influence.  Everything is super laid back on this track, and the low horns add a really nice touch to it.  "Concrete Jungle," I must say, is probably my least favorite track so far, and it mainly has to do with the fact that she's singing in English.  I can get the point in doing that, but like anyone else who is not singing in their native language, it sounds kind of weird.  Her tone completely changes, and that's what I love most about her voice.  I do like the accompaniment though, and the vocal percussion in the very beginning, so not all is lost.  I just wish she'd stuck to Portuguese, because she just sounds oh so lovely when she sings it.  The final song of the day, "Véu Da Noite" is essentially an instrumental track with some Céu sprinkled in there.  It's a very chill, jazz tune, but I think it's a little misplaced.  It's super laid back the whole time, and being the longest song at 6:18, and pretty much instrumental the whole time, it seems a little odd that they decided to put it in the middle of the album - it lags a little bit.  I could see it as a final track to really fade things out, but it just seems a little too low to be placing it in a point of the album where you should really be trying to grab the audiences attention.  An overall good day, but yesterdays tracks definitely top it.

Rainha

Lenda

Songs of the Day

So today I'm covering the first six tracks off the album: "Vinheta Quebrante," "Lenda," "Malemolencia," "Roda," "Rainha," and "10 Contados."  "Vinheta Quebrante" is a very cool way to start the album out.  It's a short little instrumental intro, but it really sets the tone for the album.  I love that it segways right into "Lenda" which is a super cool tune.  There's a great mix of hip hop, and jazz that really gives the brazillian feel a cool undertone.  I really dig her vocals on this one as well, which makes for great vocal introduction for the listener.  "Malemolencia" has a cool latin feel to it that I really dig.  And ooooh yes horns, how I always love you.  "Roda" is another cool one that's got a feel that reminds me of Portishead, which is one of my favorite bands I've reviewed so far.  I really dig the reggae feel the bass has going on in this one.  The feel switch from relaxed on "Roda" to a more upbeat groove in "Rainha" is super smart.  Love the horns and the synth bass - they give a super cool feel to this tune.  Very afrobeat, which I love.  Her voice sounds super sweet on this one, I love it. "10 Contados" is a very laid back way to end the day.  It's probably my least favorite of the day, but that doesn't mean much because I think all of the songs are tight.  I think what makes me like this the least is the fact that it's much more expected than the previous ones.  Regardless, it's a very sweet, relaxed tune that makes me want to go lay out on the beach.

Album Factoids

Céu

Released: 2005
Genre: Brazillian
Label: Urban Jungle Records
Producers: Beto Vilares, Antoñio Pinto

Week 77: Céu

This weeks suggestion (which I actually started 5 fucking months ago) comes from the beautiful Joanna, and I must say, she did not steer me wrong.  I've done 2 other Brazillian albums, and I loved both of them, so I'm looking forward to another taste of Brazil.  She's got a super cool voice, and the feels on this album are just my vibe after a first listen, so I'm sure I'll be diggin it as I dig deeper.