mrkstvns's Full Review: Bebel Gilberto [Digipak] by Bebel Gilberto
Fish out of water, baby! That's how I feel sitting down at the keyboard to peck out a review on Bebel Gilberto's new self-titled CD. You see, despite being aware of all those glowing reviews on her first U.S. release, Tanto Tempo, I never actually sat down and listened to that album. And even though I love latin music, I really only listen to a fairly narrow range of genres there --- I've always avoided stuff like bachata and vallenato, and never even listened to much latin jazz, even though they are spanish-language genres, and I've never gotten into any of the portugese-language genres, like bossa nova.
When I was in Brazil a few weeks ago, I popped into a music store and was poking around to see what was what. I asked the guy working there to recommend a few good, recent discs. He pointed me to Bebel, and specifically recommended this disc. Now I'm starting to realize that I should have listened up back in late 2000 when all the good folks here in Eeeps land were sitting up and taking notice of Bebel's budding talent and her cutting edge electro-bossa nova sound.
Better late than never, I suppose. And there is some solace in being the first reviewer this time around to pick up on Bebel's newest release.
The Sound and the Fury...
Bossa nova, huh? What's it all about?
Well, I'd categorize the sound as being closer to jazz than anything else. It's rich in instrumental emphasis, but in a way that lets soft, seductive vocals bring depth and beauty to the arrangement. In Bebel's case, that instrumental aspect is rich in electronic keyboards and synthesizers, giving it a techno edge, while still managing to come off as traditionally rooted.
When I listen to Bebel's CD, I'm reminded of a show that I once attended at an art gallery for a sculptor who was working with plastics. While some people pondered the legitimacy of plastic as a material for a sculptor, they were missing the real point which was that the sculptor himself possessed real talent. He just happened to be able to work with whatever materials were at hand, and at the turn of a new millenium, plastic is a heck of a lot more likely to be "at hand" than traditional materials like granite or bronze. With apologies to Marshall McLuhan, the medium most certainly is not the message.
Anyway, you've probably read lots about Bebel Gilberto. If not, I urge you to read some of the reviews posted here on Tanto Tempo. There's some talented folks doing reviews here, and they noticed Bebel long before I did...
Bebel's story is pretty typical of the "silver spoon" musical prodigy. Talent was in her genes, what with a famous singer for a mother (Miucha) and a bossa nova legend for a father (Joao Gilberto), how can a kid not pick up some musical talent? Well, she did. And when you couple that with modern sensibilities and a creative willingness to work with new sounds and influences from a new millenium, and you have awesome production on your CDs, well, you get results something like Bebel Gilberto, so without further ado, let's slide it into the changer and spin it up....
Bold and Brassy
Just in case you missed out on Bebel's earlier CDs (like I did), her sound is very soft and sensuous. It's like what you'd expect to hear in a smoky lounge, where women in low-cut long silk dresses and well-dressed men flirt and dance and make romance. It's sophisticated music with a deep beat and a mix of orchestral strings. It sways and swings like nothing the U.S. has heard since the 50s. It has style and attitude, yet its mellow. Bebel's sound blends in modern synth-driven keyboards and electronic techno flashes, making it feel like the musical side of the auto industry's flirting with retro styles and smooth lines (like you see in cars like Chrysler's Prowler, Ford's Thunderbird, or GM's stylishly retro Chevy SSR.
Bebel is cool. Her sound is totally new millenium meets 1950.
I'm something of a language purist when it comes to music. I've never cared for latin artists who try to sing in English. There's a reason for that. English just is not a language that has a sensuous soul...it's a language that works for the blues, or for rock, or for country. It doesn't work for rancheras or cumbias, and to be honest, I don't think it works for bossa nova either. The Portugese language is a beautiful thing, with a sound that at once manages to capture some of the spirited soul of Spanish and the soft seduction of French. In my opinion, Bebel's weakest tracks are the ones that she tries to pull off in English. The one exception is Simplesmente, which somehow manages to sound convincing to my ears, but perhaps its the way that the language changes also marry to mood changes in the song itself. Dual language tracks can be powerful things, working in much the same way as a duet can work to simultaneously capture, for example, a male and a female perspective.
I think it's no coincidence though that the two weakest tracks on this disc, Winter and All Around are in English. Those two tracks might go over all right with the folks who are into New Age Celtic Elevator Pablum, but for me, they are dull lackluster things that would have been better left on the cutting room floor. I might not understand a lick of the Portugese lyrics, but I know that the language's inherent sound and feel marries with Bebel's style in a way that neither English nor any other language will ever be able to sing.
I like the songs that resonate with complexity and depth. That's why Aganju is one of my favorites. It has depth and passion, and it vibrates with an Afro beat that reminds me of the way that salsa and reggae move. Yet Aganju still manages to come off as seductive and sultry.
Baby seems to be the track that's born for popularity. It's a little more quickly paced than some of its compadres, but thats' a good thing. Baby rhymes and moves and sways. It's a real showcase for Bebel's rich vocal range and her oh so very sexy throatiness.
Let me get back to that point of complexity though. In some of my earlier music reviews here, I've mentioned my disdain for "bands" that consist of nothing but people banging on guitars. That straightforward directness might work for uncritical rock fans (it helps if said fans are less than age 12). On this album, you've got tracks that work in a lot of different kinds of sounds, giving the music the texture of a rich tapestry. On some tracks you've got soft violins, on others you've got flutes, on yet another you have the melodious roundness and maturity that can only be a woodwind.
This is an album that keeps a listener interested. It mixes up the beat and the sound. Just when you think you're gettin' the hang of things, BANG, you get hit upside the ear lobe with a new surprise --- like that huge sound of keyboards and strings and brass that hits you on Next to You. Who would have thought bossa nova could be so much fun?
I sure never knew what I was missing. Next time the Epinionators are telling me about good stuff, I'm gonna listen up! Now I just gotta go out and snag on that Tanto Temp disc and see how it compares to this one...
Cuttin' Tracks...
A dozen tracks show how bossa nova is done in 2004. Here's what you'll hear:
1. Baby 2. Simplesmente 3. Aganju 4. All Around 5. River Song 6. Every Day You've Been Away 7. Cada Beijo 8. O Caminho 9. Winter 10. Ceu Distante 11. Jabuticaba 12. Next to You
Bottom Line
This is an outstanding album. It hangs together well and is totally listenable from start to finish with lots of richness and complexity. While there are a couple of tracks that I think are too slow and dull-witted, most of the material here is simply outstanding music. A bit mellow, but with more than enough complexity and depth and aural intrigue to keep me spinning this baby for a loooonnnggg time to come. Give it a listen!
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