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Editorial Reviews
Review
Not Your Average Adult Content
Such an identity crisis doesnt afflict Brooklyns Nation Beat - a grand achievement given the diversity of this outfit. The sextets new Legends of the Preacher, also out today, is a dizzying cocktail of music of another culture, and it deserves credit for acknowledging that, in many parts of the globe, that other culture is Americas.
Legends of the Preacher is informed primarily by the many forms of rhythm coming out of Northeast Brazil, traditional music called ciranda, forró, frevo, maracatu, and repente. These dance and musical styles have been shaped by various instrumentations, and all are informed by African drumming. Nation Beats musical command of these forms is superb and made more impressive by what the group chooses to intertwine them with: traditional North American music such as country folk, funk, and New Orleans jazz. The result is an intoxicating fusion of ideas and beats that never ceases to thrill over the albums 16 tracks.
Whats most impressive is how seamlessly and organically everything flows together. The bands almost reverent treatment of Hank Williamss Im So Lonesome I Could Cry - propelled by layers of percussion, Raphael McGregors lap steel guitar, Skye Steeles violin, and vocalist Liliana Araújo nailing a Southern twang with verve and wit - appears sandwiched between the jubilant, Brazilian Portuguese sung Salve Ze and Coroa Imperial. Salve Ze is little more than a showcase for Nation Beats rhythmic mastery, sculpting this short burst of joy of nothing but acoustic percussion instruments - including hand claps - and voices. And Coroa Imperial somehow finds a way to carry over the countrified strings of Williamss classic song into a levitating blast of euphoric Brazilian pop.
Such gleeful genre experimentation has been the hallmark of Brazils storied late 1960s singer/songwriters, such as Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Tom Zé. Those songwriters always invested their experimentations with a political edge, and theres something almost anarchistic in the compulsive pop hybrids of Mssrs. Gil and Zé. Nation Beat is obviously the product of a different era, and their fusion isnt as interested in the political sparks that might fly off their cultural experimentation.
But that doesnt make what the group pulls off on Legends of the Preacher any less startling. The bands choice to fuse the musical strains here is, in and of itself, a radical idea, and the sophistication and unadulterated passion the group brings to its enterprise elevates the sound into the intoxicating. And Nation Beat can get there with little more than a gorgeous voice and some background noises, as evidenced on Banzeiro. An assortment of rhythmic noisemakers - making sounds like old mattress sprigs uncoiling - provides the stark setting for Ms. Araújos seductive voice, singing at a saturnine pace, with an occasional backing voice joining in. No idea what shes singing, but this threadbare song conveys its overwhelming emotion regardless. --The New York Sun
Such an identity crisis doesnt afflict Brooklyns Nation Beat - a grand achievement given the diversity of this outfit. The sextets new Legends of the Preacher, also out today, is a dizzying cocktail of music of another culture, and it deserves credit for acknowledging that, in many parts of the globe, that other culture is Americas.
Legends of the Preacher is informed primarily by the many forms of rhythm coming out of Northeast Brazil, traditional music called ciranda, forró, frevo, maracatu, and repente. These dance and musical styles have been shaped by various instrumentations, and all are informed by African drumming. Nation Beats musical command of these forms is superb and made more impressive by what the group chooses to intertwine them with: traditional North American music such as country folk, funk, and New Orleans jazz. The result is an intoxicating fusion of ideas and beats that never ceases to thrill over the albums 16 tracks.
Whats most impressive is how seamlessly and organically everything flows together. The bands almost reverent treatment of Hank Williamss Im So Lonesome I Could Cry - propelled by layers of percussion, Raphael McGregors lap steel guitar, Skye Steeles violin, and vocalist Liliana Araújo nailing a Southern twang with verve and wit - appears sandwiched between the jubilant, Brazilian Portuguese sung Salve Ze and Coroa Imperial. Salve Ze is little more than a showcase for Nation Beats rhythmic mastery, sculpting this short burst of joy of nothing but acoustic percussion instruments - including hand claps - and voices. And Coroa Imperial somehow finds a way to carry over the countrified strings of Williamss classic song into a levitating blast of euphoric Brazilian pop.
Such gleeful genre experimentation has been the hallmark of Brazils storied late 1960s singer/songwriters, such as Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Tom Zé. Those songwriters always invested their experimentations with a political edge, and theres something almost anarchistic in the compulsive pop hybrids of Mssrs. Gil and Zé. Nation Beat is obviously the product of a different era, and their fusion isnt as interested in the political sparks that might fly off their cultural experimentation.
But that doesnt make what the group pulls off on Legends of the Preacher any less startling. The bands choice to fuse the musical strains here is, in and of itself, a radical idea, and the sophistication and unadulterated passion the group brings to its enterprise elevates the sound into the intoxicating. And Nation Beat can get there with little more than a gorgeous voice and some background noises, as evidenced on Banzeiro. An assortment of rhythmic noisemakers - making sounds like old mattress sprigs uncoiling - provides the stark setting for Ms. Araújos seductive voice, singing at a saturnine pace, with an occasional backing voice joining in. No idea what shes singing, but this threadbare song conveys its overwhelming emotion regardless. --The New York Sun
Product Description
At the heart of Nation Beat's Legends of the Preacher lies a totally original 21st century fusion between thunderous Brazilian maracatu drumming and New Orleans second line rhythms, Appalachian-inspired bluegrass music, funk, rock, and country-blues. Their explosive live show -- which is frequently known to burst into crowd-wide Carnaval-style drumming and singing -- is attracting music fans from a wide demographic: bluegrass and country music fans, Brazilian music lovers, outdoor festival-goers, and pretty much anyone who loves to dance and loves great music. Legends of the Preacher also features three mesmerizing collaborations with 2007 GRAMMY(R) award winners The Klezmatics. The work with The Klezmatics further extends their work as world groove excavators and mad scientists, and the two groups connect sonically and spiritually to provide elegance, whimsy, charm, and soul to these groundbreaking fusions.
Following in the path of Modiba's humanitarian relief efforts in Darfur, anti-malaria work with Malian star Vieux Farka Toure and overall commitment to the social and economic empowerment of Africa and its Diaspora, 10% of the proceeds from Legends of the Preacher will benefit Recife, Brazil-based NGO Corpos Percussivos, a school of music and culture for underprivileged youths.uctions and featuring three mesmerizing collaborations with 2007 GRAMMY award winners The Klezmatics is due out in July, 2008.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!,
By
This review is from: Legends Of The Preacher (MP3 Download)
Nation Beat's Legend of the Preacher is spectacular. Every track is charged with energy and emotion. The dynamic range from track to track is impressive. There's never a dull moment. This album is definitely my current favorite. All fans of Afro-beat and Latin music should definitely check this out.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
buy it now!!,
By
This review is from: Legends of the Preacher (Audio CD)
don't pass this album up! each track has an impressively unique sound and style! this will definitely get you out of you seat! if you enjoy this album, check out their amazing life show this summer!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun mix of music,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Legends of the Preacher (Audio CD)
This is an excellent CD. I enjoyed the wide variety in styles and the beautiful singing. I bought this CD on the strength of an NPR profile of the band and was very excited upon listening to it for the first time. I rarely buy things on spec, but in this case I am very pleased that I did.
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