Search - Ana Carolina :: Estampado

Good original songs, and a well produced album

Norman J. Clarke | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Seattle, WA | 10/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been looking forward to another album from Ana Carolina since I bought "Ana Rita Joana Iracema E Carolina" last year, and only recently noticed that this album had come out some 10 months since its initial release. I'm always surprised at how little exposure Brazilian artists get in the USA, but most especially so for Ana Carolina. Of all well-known young MPB artists I'd say her music is perhaps the most accessible to American ears unfamiliar with Brazilian music since she does not venture into Samba, Forró, or even Bossa Nova, sticking instead to straight-ahead pop. Regardless, her music is no prefabricated pop junk - there's a great variety of instrumentation, idioms, and feeling on her albums which are always well (but not overly) produced.



"Estampado" is no exception. There are a few of good groove-oriented songs (Ana plays rhythm guitar and percussion in addition to being a singer) in Vox Populi, Não Fale Desse Jeito, O Beat da Beata (with guest Seu Jorge; easily the highlight of the album) and Elevador; and some nice ballads in Mais Que Isso and Nua. The rest of the songs lie somewhere in between, though she seems to be at her vocal best in sentimental songs like Encostar Na Tua and É Mágoa.



This album also adds some orchestral accompaniment on some of the tracks, which could easily have become cheesy, but is handled with taste and subtlety, adding to the overall polished feel of the album. This is another fine effort from Ana Carolina; not a significant departure from her previous work, but creative enough that you won't be bored. If you like her previous albums, you'll almost certainly enjoy this one as well."

A real revelation

Ori Redler | Tel Aviv, Israel | 05/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was indeed somewhat of a revelation -- eccidently tripping over this I discovered an excellent record with some superb tracks. Highly recommended."