MUSIC REVIEW: SEU JORGE & ALMAZ

Smooth Soulful Sounds as the Artist Writes Love Letters to His Favorite Songs

By: Andrew Shaw

July 27, 2010

(NowAgain Records) First finding recognition to the broader world in the award winning movie City Of God, actor/musician Seu Jorge found even wider acclaim and a forum for his musical stylings in Wes Anderson’s Life Aquatic…

The Brazilian’s adaptations of Bowie classics into his native tongue, strummed on nylon string guitar, captivated audiences and gave birth to an album in its own right, away from the ‘official’ movie soundtrack.

Seu Jorge & Almaz is the result of the artist teaming up with fellow Brazilian compatriots, Almaz — a trio who played together on yet another movie soundtrack, this time for a Walter Salles film.  It seems the four men enjoyed the experience so much that, after the movie song was done and dusted, they pursued this project, which would eventually be produced by Mario C.

The album is a journey through influences of all involved musicians; every song is a cover version.  Every cover is hugely interesting, entertaining, and a welcome interpretation of previously loved material.  Brazilian artists, who may not be known to the global audience, are brought forward and reworked, while more familiar songs to the English-speaking world are treated to careful, loving remodeling.

Seu Jorge has a voice so deep that it just sounds qualified to deliver anything sonic.   He has range, but it’s always weighed at the bottom of any inky well.  If there was a god and he had to speak, you’d perhaps want him to appear this way — singing from the base of his feet, backed by maracas shaking to the sound of the favella.

“Everybody Loves The Sunshine” is a standout moment.   The retelling of Roy Ayers’s track from 1976 has all the instrumentation that you’d expect: smooth summer organs, drum clicks, and slow-heat atmosphere.  Makes you wonder who Seu Jorge couldn’t seduce if he set his heart and vocal chords to it.

Kratwerk’s “The Model” gets a drastic visit and is reshaped with acoustic affection.  Fans of the electronic masters will surely thrill to hear what happens when their loved ones visit foreign shores.

There are rockier moments away from the laid-back mood that are perhaps stereotypically expected from Brazil, but overall, even when the guitars become janglier or more distorted, they’re still approached with a level of control — rare single strums, the kind usually heard on Western soundtracks, offering more atmosphere than outlets for unbound passion.

The tone here is certainly Brazilian, both instrumentally and vocally.  Seu Jorge & Almaz make no show of trying to win the affection of English-only-speakers who may struggle with an album with over 50% foreign-language lyrics.  This is a love affair conducted between performers and material; it’s about hanging with sounds and sensations rather than trying to dominate the world.   Their mentality pays off.   You can’t help but wonder who they’ll cover next.

For Fans Of: Manu Chao, Anotnio Carlos Jobin, Marisa Monte

Standout Tracks: “The Model,” “Girl You Move Me,” “Tempo De Amor,” “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”