Silva

Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 1504
Credits

Producer
Engineer
Personnel: Michael Leonhart (trumpet).
Brazilian singer/songwriter/guitarist Vinicius Cantuaria first came to public attention back in the 1970s while working with Caetano Veloso and other high-profile artists, but his solo career took off on an international level in the '90s with a series of quiet, sophisticated releases that incorporated Tropicalia and bossa nova roots with a decidedly cutting-edge sensibility. As with previous outings, SILVA meshes the rhythmic complexities of Cantuaria's post-Joao Gilberto acoustic guitar framework with syncopated percussion and the occasional dab of electronics. If anything, Cantuaria seems less eager to please--there's no English-language David Byrne guest spot on this one--but not one bit less impassioned or infectious.
Critic Reviews

Uncut (p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[C]lassic bossa, clever splashes of electronica, insistent but inventive rhythms, a string quartet and a voice so mellow that, at times, he sounds like he's apologising for disturbing us."
The Wire (p.55) - "Its roots are in classic Brazilian pop-jazz....But lean a little closer to your speakers and you'll find a subtext bubbling away on this subtly subversive recording."
Down Beat (p.83) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "SILVA further hones his delicate, lyric spin on bossa nova, employing spare yet exquisite arrangements that caress his hushed voice with the intimacy of a lover."