Verve
2009
Tide
About This Album
Luciana Souza's second project with producer Larry Klein for the Verve label is a more authentic, Brazilian-based project than her previous tribute to Joni Mitchell, and showcases further why this vocalist is one of the true original voices in contemporary music. Keyboardist Larry Goldings, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, guitarists Larry Koonse or Romero Lubambo, percussionist Cyro Baptista, and Klein on electric bass guitar offer musicality that is grand but not grandiose. On this recording, Souza sings lyrics in English or Portuguese that speak about heartfelt realms of home and togetherness with nature, in co-opted assistance with Klein, David Batteau, and in works adapted from e.e. cummings. At her best, the wise and wistful Souza sings the song of belonging "Our Gilded Home," and the slow, spirit/soul tune "Once Again" with all the patience and virtue of an angel/saint. On the other side, she is able to inject excitement and energy in equal proportions during the pure, bouncy, sharp-edged, popping "Adeus America/Eu Quero Um Samba," and the jumping out of her skin "Sorriu Para Mim." The most intriguing selection applicable to modern times is "Circus Life," an incredible, extended treatise on the constant, unexpected ups and downs of the world, with an emphasis lyric "the cure is worse than the disease" among many others -- listen closely to this one.
Track List (try tracks 3,4,5,6,7 and 10)

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