Customer Reviews

Fado em mim

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On a trip to Portugal last year, my group inexplicably voted to go to a Leonardo DiCaprio movie (in Portuguese subtitles!) instead of a traditional Fado show. Well, now that I have finally discovered what Fado really is by listening to Mariza's Fado em mim, to say that I feel deprived would be a massive understatement. In short, this is some of the most breathtaking music I have ever heard. My great-grandparents' home country of Portugal is beautiful beyond description, and Mariza's music definitely does it justice.

I don't understand the exact words she's saying, but her emotions and passion are loud and clear. "O Gente da Minha Terra" sounds very mournful and pleading, while not by any means melodramatic. The guitars and instrumentation on this album is masterful and adds to Mariza's beautiful voice many more layers of emotion. It sounds traditional (no "new-age" Yanni synthesizer crap) without being hokey. The bass (I assume it is a bass) in the beginning of "Por Ti!" sounds very American Jazzy. Whatever that means. What I'm trying to say is it doesn't sound too "old-World-y," like the only people who would listen to it are your mother or grandfather. Dude, it's really good. Don't deny yourself.

"Terra d'Agua"
I have trouble describing the layers of emotion I hear in this song. It's just freaking beautiful.

"Oica La O Senhor Vinho"
The beat of this song is awesome. It totally makes me think of going to Rhode Island for a weekend family reunion - I know, you're like "family reunions suck, Rhode Island sucks-" but dude, I'm talking about Portuguese-American cuisine here! Hell yeah! This whole album makes me feel so good. It makes me want to learn Portuguese. Kind of ironic because all my family members who actually spoke the language have almost all died in the last decade. (Just when you thought we had assimilated...) Someday I will.

"Barco Negro"
This song has a very cool beat in the back, and just Mariza's voice, no other instrumentation. The beat almost sounds African, and definitely the long sweeps her voice does on this track have a middle eastern hint in them. It reminds you how we all really can trace our roots back to every which way all over the world, and how universal music is, and how all cultures seem to influence others all over the globe. Very good. Seriously, buy this album.

This is a beautiful album in every respect. The song selection is impeccable: the classiest of the classiest. The arrangements are wonderfully executed in every aspect and, even though the songs are well known to anyone with even the most casual familiarity with the Portuguese fado, the musicians deftly pay homage to the original interpretations while adding a modern (some would say "jazz") flavor. But above all is the beautifully delicate, yet powerful voice of Mariza. Mariza has been criticized in some circles for being too similar to a young Amalia. In the sports world, this would be roughly analogous to dismissing Barry Bonds as "just another Willie Mays". The range, the phrasing, and the sheer beauty of her voice transcends any differences in language and/or culture for even the novice listener. Even if you do not speak Portuguese, you can certainly appreciate the beauty of her voice and feel the pain and suffering that is fado. In particular, I point to "Maria Lisboa" and "Barco Negro", two of Amailia's signature songs. Mariza executes the vocal interpretations to perfection: while there is a definite 21st century twinge in her voice, she strays only so slightly from the classic Amalia performances. It's a little bit like watching your favorite classic movie or TV reruns on DVD; the beauty of the original combine with the technology of the present and create an exquisite fusion of the two ages.
If you are going to buy just one foreign language recording this year, make it this one. I absolutely guarantee that you will enjoy and appreciate it as much after the fiftieth plyaing as you did after the first. I certainly have.

I consider that Mariza has a very personal style to sing fado. She has a great voice and her songs display a wide range of vivid emotions.
This is the kind of CD I enjoy by myself with a cup of coffee at the end of the day.
If you enjoy fado, I would also recommend you to get CDs of Cristina Branco, Misia, and of course, Amalia R.

Mariza brings memories of my days in Lisbon when Amalia Rodrigues ruled the "Fado." I have been living in the US for almost 10 years and haven't heard any of the new Portuguese Fado singers. Mariza made my "saudade" even greater and I can't wait to go back to Lisbon and sit at the cafe listening to the Fado. All the songs in this CD are beautiful, but my favorite is "Terra D'Agua", which means Land of Water. This album is a must for the admirers of the Fado. I am probably the only Portuguese living in the State of Washington, this album will make me feel a little bit closer to home.

It was an accident, really. I'd just gotten back from two weeks in Lisboa where I'd purchased a bunch of Amalia Rodrigues recordings. I have always loved Amalia and considered her one of the great voices of the 20th Century. I decided to go on line and Google the word fado to see what would turn up. As luck (fate, destiny?) would have it I found a link to a Boston radio station that had what turned out to be an interview with Mariza. Thing was, I wasn't really paying attention when I clicked on the "listen" icon and didn't know that this was Mariza. Well, once I heard her I started paying attention big time. At first I thought I was hearing Amalia but I soon realized that I was hearing a great new voice. As soon as the interview was over I signed on to Amazon and bought Fado em Mim.

This album is extraordinary for the consistantly high quality of every cut. To hear Mariza sing the old favorites (like Barco Negro, Ha Festa da Mouraria and Maria Lisboa) was like hearing them afresh and for the first time. Her rendition of O Gente da minha Terra brings me near to tears every time I hear it, and the alternate cut with piano accompaniment (its not listed) was a revelation of how Fado can be both old and new at the same time.

Mariza brings a modern and respectful sensibility to an old genre that was looked on as music only "Old" people --such as myself-- listen to. A voice like Mariza's attracts both young and old listeners, as well as some of the best musicians in Portugal. This is a must have album whether you are a fan of Fado or not. Mariza is one of the great voices of the 21st century.

This is one of my all-time favorite fado CDs. The combination of Mariza's vocal delivery and Custodio Castelo's tasteful fado guitarra performance makes this a top-tier fado collection. Mariza and the musicians really shine on "O Gente Da Minha Terra", where their dynamic range is showcased beautifully, delicately, and at times, very powerfully. Another interesting aspect of this CD is the mix of modern fado and classic fado, although the classic fados have been given a relatively modern interpretation. However, in all cases the approach is restrained and tasteful, so it won't offend neither the modern nor the classic fado fan.

This is world-class fado at its finest!

Although she's only born in 1972, she gives a whole new voice and meaning to the 150 years old tradition of fado. She can be mad at you, love you and caress you, all in one song. She has the ability to sing to a full theater and you'll think she's only singing to you. To do this on stage is unique, to record this and convey the same feelings is a piece of art.
In the field of the new Fadista's, Mariza is way ahead of the rest. Listen to the CD, go see her in concert, you'll fall in love with the voice and will know what new Fado is all about. You can't explain it, but you'll know it deep down inside

Mariza is an extraordinary figure who sings "Fado", the soul(ful) music of Portugal with a range of technical virtuosity and emotional authenticity that is breath-taking. When I saw her live a few months ago I found myself totally at the mercy of her voice and gestures. She's a masterful singer and outstanding performer. She uses the full dynamic range of her voice, from hall-filling to whisper.

Compared with the flamenco of neighboring Spain, fado has less sheer rhythmic drive and complexity, and less raw excitement. On the other hand, singing in fado is more nuanced - not "full-on" all the time. The instrumentation too is more delicate, with the standard classical guitar plus the distinctive, silvery sound of the fado guitar. Fado is also melodically and hamonically richer - it has tunes that you can hum, albeit with some tricky changes.

Fado em Mim has an excellent variety of pace and mood. I'm a sucker for the minor-tinged, dramatic, sadder stuff such as "Loucura" (Madness) and "Que Deus Me Perdoe" (May God forgive me) but the lighter-hearted pieces are a delight too - the classic "Oica La O Senhor Vinho" (Listen here, Mr Wine) and Maria Lisboa.

DON'T BUY THIS if you like your music strictly Anglo-Saxon or easy-on-the-ear-mellow. But if you're willing to be enchanted and carried away to another world, this is just the ticket for you. Listen, and marvel.

Well, I just saw Mariza perform here in Austin not an hour ago, and the spell she cast over Hogg Auditorium is still floating in my heart and mind like opium. This woman will make you fall in love, believe in the healing power of destiny, and the mysteries of the sea and the sun on the horizon. All I can tell you is that she turned me out hard.

This music is utterly captivating, and she sings it with impeccable taste that is properly respectful of tradition yet expansive and contemporary. Truly marvelous stuff, this.

I just heard Mariza singing on TV a couple of days ago for the first time and she left me speechless. She reminded me slightly of Luz Casal (from Spain), but this musical style (fado, a type of Portuguese Flamenco) I was totally unaware of until today.

If you want to get a taste of it, go to http://mariza.linktvstore.org/ and download "O Gente Da Minha Terra" (Link TV's Music Store offers it for a mere 99 cents). Then, if you like it (I am sure you will), come back and get your copy of her 'Fado Em Mim' album. You will agree once you do, that this lady's singing can pierce your heart and almost make you cry in a way few others can.

It is just unbelievable how awfully long such a brilliant artist has taken to penetrate into the US market (something that, I'd still contest hasn't quite happened...), but at least there's Amazon and Link TV to save our musical souls once in a while! ;)