Cru

Seu Jorge

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 6, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 3, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wrasse Records
• ASIN: B000A7Q2AA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,578 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Seu Jorge is a voice straight out of the favelas, Rio de Janeiro's notoriously violent slums where grinding poverty and desperation exist side-by-side with a musical hotbed. Once a homeless street child, he broke into the big time in the 2002 film, City Of God, an unsparingly frank look at life and death in the old neighborhood. Then he was prominently featured on the soundtrack to director Wes Anderson's comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, where he put a whole new spin on vintage David Bowie songs. On Cru (Raw), Jorge is in his element, alternately growling or crooning amid acoustic guitars, harp-like cavaquihnos and shrieking, whining cuicas (friction percussion played with an oil-soaked rag). He remains confrontational, whether delivering a political rant (Eu Sou Favela), expressing disgust over the ubiquity of grotesquely huge breast implants (Mania De Peitão), or applying hip-hop to carnival percussion (Bem Querer). The set is rounded out with covers of Don't, a Lieber and Stoller tune that was a hit for Elvis Presley, and Chatterton, from the lethal pen of the late French singer-composer-agent provocateur Serge Gainsbourg. --Christina Roden

Product Description
Japanese pressing of the world music star's 2005 album. Col. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Seu Jorge's Sophomore Album (4.5 stars), October 22, 2005

By	Juan Mobili (Valley Cottage, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

From the first notes of the cavaquinho on "Tive Razao," you may realize there's a lot more to Seu Jorge, than his whispered versions of vintage Bowie tunes in "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" soundtrack, and by the time you hear his version of "Chatterton" -Serge Gainsbourg's song- you'll be convinced that the breadth of this guy's music is remarkable.

Although, Jorge's arrival in the Brazilian popular music scene is rather recent -discovered, you may say, for his role in 2002's City of God- and this is only his second album, the material included here already shows a singular and mature voice, at ease with honoring Bossa tradition -"Fiore De La Citta" and "Una Mujer"- as well as mixing new sounds -"Bem Querer" or Elvis's old hit "Don't."

This is an intimate album where ballads and memories from his early life in a Favela -the name given to the poor neighborhoods you'll find in all major Brazilian cities- predominate, and his singing elevates them to small gems, counting "Sao Gonca" and "Bola De Meia" in addition to those mentioned before.

All in all, a gorgeous album that can be considered quiet yet also fierce. I think of Seu Jorge as a young descendant of the Tropicalia movement, perhaps not as groundbreaking musically but just as strong on his commitment to acknowledge Brazil's social ills.

PS: You can find my in-depth review at futurosity.com

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of 2005: Magical, December 14, 2005

By	Manny Hernandez "Author of Ning For Dummies" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Like many people, I learned about Seu Jorge through his participation in the music for "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou". I found his work interesting, but not particularly engaging. But "Cru" totally got me into his work, head in first. He reminds me of the legendary Brazillians that brought Brazil's contagious music to the forefront of the collective conscience, the likes of Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque. Jumping from laid back to upbeat, from an urban beat to more of a serenade mellow sound, Seu Jorge will capture you with his magical music from the first track of this, one of 2005's best albums.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The new brazilian samba-bossa-cuca-nova star!!!, July 1, 2005

By	Telmo Moura "Telmo" (Lisbon, Portugal) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cru (Audio CD)

I bought this album yesterday and i can't stop listening to it. This is just great. His voice is very nice. Seu Jorge can sing soul, bossanova, french and italian songs....Elvis' "Don't" in his voice seems to be the perfect song. After "Life Aquatic O.S.T." Seu Jorge keeps surprising me. I think that he deserves a 5 star rate!!! In portuguese, "acho que TIVE RAZÃO".