Customer Reviews

Dez Anos Depois

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The whole thing that makes this album so beautiful is the sparse arrangements. Yes, it's just vocals and guitar. That's why you feel like Nara is sitting there in your living room singing to you in the candlelight.

this cd rates as one of the finest examples of Brazilian music (even though it was recorded in France). a vast majority of the 24 tracks are written by Jobim & they are among the very best interpretations of his wonderful songwriting that one is going to find. a 3 star rating for this cd is an absolute joke. the arrangements are fairly stark but if you listen to the track Insensatez & have any soul at all you'll be moved to tears. Leao's voice is overdubbed so that she sings along with herself & the result is nothing short of stunning. this recording could not be any more perfect. not a single note or nuance could be added or taken away. there are plenty of jazzier, more fleshed out arrangements of these songs & some of them are true masterpieces. with material such as this you can't go far wrong. i consider classic MPB & Bossa Nova as one of the most satisfying movements in music culture & i would place Nara Leao's Dez Anos Depois among the very top of the heap.

I agree with some of the previous reviews - the sparseness of the instrumentation on this album makes the album, rather than detracting from it. IMHO, bossa is a very intimate musical style and the sparseness here maximizes the intimacy that the listener experiences. In fact, when other instruments come into the mix, which only happens occasionally with some flutes and violins, IMHO the record is a little bit the worse for it. In fact, after listening to this, I can well understand why Joao Gilberto was purported to have told Stan Getz to play more softly when they recorded Getz/Gilberto, as his loud playing was going against the idea of bossa nova - softness and sparseness make it more effective. Granted, what Getz did lead to an undeniably great record, but listening to this record will give you a greater appreciation of the bossa style, in my opinion.

Throughout, Nara's voice is spot on, and her renditions of many of the well-known classics on here are both unique and outstanding, including Insensatez, Corcovado, Outra Vez, O Grande Amor, Desafinado and Chega de Suadade. In fact, I would say that the versions of Insensatez and Corcovado on this album are my favorite recordings of these two songs that I've come across so far, and that includes the Getz/Gilberto version of Corcovado. To me, Nara is the female Joao Gilberto - her voice is that good, and as was said of Gilberto, I'd say of Nara that she could sound good singing the telephone book. Bottom line, this CD is 24 tracks of sublime bliss, and its a shame that its not as well known or popular as some others that, as good as they are, often pale next to this.

A curious thing about this "Dez anos depois" (Ten Years After) is: Ten years after her MPB career start, finally Nara Lećo finally recorded an exclusive Bossa Nova album. It's odd if you considered that's Nara is best known worldwide as "Bossa Nova Muse".

The reason for her reputation happens in late 50's. In that time, the most important composers, musicians and singers who will start the Bossa Nova Movement, usually meeting each other in her family apartment in Copacabana beach (Rio de Janeiro) to play.

Nara was a late-teenager in that time and she was always present in that "living room" sessions.

Nara Leao's vocals are at their most best,very soft and soothing.But most of the songs only feature her vocals with a guitar(and other instruments).These songs sounds unfinished to me and in dying need for some bass guitar and drums.Although some songs feature bass guitar and drums but absolutely not enough to keep me very happy. But,I still enjoy this CD anyways but would of enjoyed it FAR MORE if all of the songs featured more of a back up band.