•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
Warming Our Hearts under the Warm Rays of the Brazilian Sun
Caetano Veloso, born in Salvador de Bahia in 1942, represents the pinnacle of 'música popular brasileira'. His decades-long career, which began in the 1960s, has made him famous worldwide. For a long time, he has been a strong political advocate in Brazil, which now honors him with the title of 'cultural ambassador to the world', although in the past, his strong opposition to the unwelcoming right-wing government of the time forced him into exile.
The music of this 1989 album is extremely colorful and splendid. Traditional Brazilian folk, but not only that; we also find songs with a sound closer to modern 'world music' and others of ethnic music, with strong African influences as well.
The Brazilian spirit is inevitably very strong among the tracks of the album; as we listen to it, we are transported to the sunlit, bustling streets of people, music, and colors of the South American metropolises. The album should be listened to from the first to the last track in its entirety, as all ten songs are splendid, extremely sunny, and very colorful. Worthy of particular note: the beautiful and very rhythmic opening track "O Estrangeiro", the three classic tracks in the Brazilian tradition "Branquinha", "Etc", and "Genipapo Absoluto" (which so much recall the atmospheres of the music of the immense predecessor Jobim) strictly performed with guitar and voice; then, the more reflective, less Brazilian and more pop "Os Outros Romanticos", and finally, the splendid, extremely sunny and vividly colorful "Outro Retrato" and "Meia Luna Inteira", the two best tracks of the album, boasting irresistible vitality and Brazilian sunshine.
A splendid and invaluable work, that smells of life lived on the street under the scorching Brazilian sun, imbued with the colors of this country's flag, yet filled with suffering, joy, and an irresistible zest for life. One of the highest expressions of Brazilian music, here modern, yet always tied to traditions.
It never tires, one to listen to and experience endless times.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Caetano Veloso's 1989 album Estrangeiro showcases a rich blend of traditional Brazilian folk and world music with African influences. The album captures the vibrant spirit of Brazil with colorful, sunny tracks that transport listeners to lively South American streets. Highlights include emotionally charged songs performed with guitar and voice, reflecting both joy and suffering. Estrangeiro is a timeless, invaluable work celebrated for its vitality and cultural depth.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Caetano Veloso
Brazilian singer-songwriter, composer and cultural figure born in 1942 in Santo Amaro, Bahia. A leading force of the Tropicália movement, he fused Brazilian traditions with global sounds, was exiled to London around the turn of the 1970s, and has remained a prolific, influential artist.05 Reviews
