Search - Forro in the Dark :: Bonfires of Sao Joao

Larry E. (wle) from DORAVILLE, GA
Reviewed on 11/28/2010...

uh
well it;s great
though i thought forro was supposed to feature accordion
traditionally anyway

wle

Forro wonder in Nublu

O. Yuce | New York, NY | 12/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very colorful album. There are melodies that you can whistle to, playful harmonies and all feels unbounded and flexible especially in their live performance Nublu bar, wednesday nights. They have great musicians joining them and you can never guess who'll be there. It really worths checking it out."

Love the music, wish David would stop singing

EHinLA | Pasadena,CA | 08/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I heard an excerpt of this on NPR and was happy to send away and purchase it without having heard much. I lived in Brazil many years ago, and have fond memories of a wide variety of music from the country and so was very open to this band (in fact they have a little of the sound of an old favorite, Almondegas). When I listened to the whole CD - which I have done about 4 or 5 times now I was dismayed... the opening tracks are, I think, a little bit weak, but, when David Byrne sings his first of two songs, the CD really loses pace. He doesn't sing well (nasally twang not suitable for this type of sound) and his contribution is jarring and disruptive to the overall flow of the CD. The second half of the CD is more consistent and interesting, musically - and the guest vocalists charm, UNTIL David makes appearance number 2 - in truth, he is rhythmically more on with the second song he sings, but when he sings his "f**kin smile" line - it just does not fit here and is ugly. This is sincere, fun and warm music - his lyric (it seems clearly improvised) is even more disruptive and abrasive - this isn't post-modernist/ironic music ala Talking Heads or, perhaps, Luna. The CD finishes out quite well - it is just a huge pity that David Byrne sings two songs on it, songs that disrupt the flow of the music, making it disjointed and not of a piece. Whose idea was this? Perhaps Mr. Byrne's influence was helpful from a production or marketing standpoint, it is just a pity that he lends his caterwauling, nasal sound to a CD in which it does not fit. Hopefully, on their next recording the band will exclude voices (even if they are of "stars") that do not suit the band's sound. This isn't a great CD, in fact, with Mr. Byrne's contribution I am tempted to give it 3 stars, but I still think it is worth buying and listening to, for the 4 or 5 songs that are really charming."