Customer Reviews

Music Typewriter

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It may well be unfair to compare the son's work to the father's, but it is still hard to resist doing so. Caetano and Moreno Veloso share similar voices, though Moreno's is sweeter, higher-pitched and a bit less expressive, but only a bit. While the superstar father has his adventurous moments in terms of song structure, he seems to restrict his "outside" excursions to about one song per CD. Moreno is less obviously, but more consistently, adventurous, creating sinewy melodies, occasionally flecked with shards of dissonance, and sprinkling them with a wide range of unexpected instruments: toy piano, wind-bells, 3 string guitar, theremins, and "iron shovel", for instance. Moreno, however, is not yet as striking a song writer as his father, which is to be expected, though the son obviously possesses the sort of plaintive melodicism that seems to run in the family. Still, the song writing is solid, perhaps less immediately memorable and more fragmentary than the work of many of his immediate contemporaries, but the more one listens, the better the songs get. This is a pretty confident artist, adventurous and subtle, not trying to put every idea he ever had on his first CD, willing to stay low-key because that approach best complements these tunes. Like many of his father's albums, this CD establishes an atmosphere, one that colours and enhances subsequent listenings. Somewhat surprisingly for a debut album, the atmosphere is melancholic, though pleasantly so--a sort of rainy spring afternoon kind of vibe. Moreno has staked out his own territory, quietly and impressively. He is both his father's son and his own man. All things considered, this is a very fine first effort, a debut almost up there in the rarefied Bebel Gilberto stratosphere. If Bebel and Moreno (she deserves top-billing) ever did a North American tour together, Brazilian music might just suddenly develop a visibility in North American that it has lacked since the heydey of Bossa Nova.

Music Typewriter, in any genre, should be considered nothing less than amazing. It doesn't have the overproduced sound of so many records being put out these days. Instead, it is simple catchy melodies sung in a high, pure voice. If you are a fan of Caetano, Gilberto Gil, Joao Gilberto, you'll know that brazilian music is closely attached to elements of the earth. Some of the songs run under the guise of being boring, but with an understanding of where this music comes from, you'll be able to see the multi-layers of his songwriting skills. Songs like Sertao, Deusa Do Amor, Rio Longe, Para Xo, O Livro & O Beijo will keep you eagerly awaiting his next record.

It is not easy to be a musician and to be able to pay your bills based on your music. Only a few are able to make this dream come true. It may be even harder to those that have their names linked in anyway to famous musicians.
Moreno, son of Caetano Veloso, is not afraid of comparison. Music Typewritter contains great music, in a totally different style from his father. Moreno + 3 is here to stay. You should listen to the album and see for yourself.

This is a great debut, an amazing CD that makes you travel from many moods within arround 60 minutes.
Moreno has a great (I mean great) voice, as sweet as his father's.
I had the chance to go to his concert in Buenos Aires and it was simply wonderfull.

if ever a father has passed the torch to a son, it is here. moreno veloso's debut is deep, rich and so melodic. like his father, he's got the sweet voice, amazing chops, and a palate as broad, if not broader. If you dug Bebel's Updated Brazilian Sound, then this is the perfect compliment. You can almost imagine a collaboration between these two.
5 stars all the way.

I'll start off saying that there are exactly five songs on this album that I listen to with any regularity: "Eu Sou Melhor Que Você" (intelligent lyrics, very spare feel to the music), "Das Partes" (the Wurlitzer in the background and the general oddball feel make this lovely fun), "Arrivederci", "Rio Longe" (I rather like a bit of cheese factor in my entertaiment, and these two songs have it out the wazoo), and "Assim" (kind of bouncy, jazzy feel to this one). The rest ranges from utter Valium ("Sertão", "Esfinge") to just kind of uncomfortable-sounding ("Enquanto Isso"). Moreno is definitely not his father, though there are places where it's obvious that he's trying. In My Arrogant Opinion, he needs a while more (and a few more albums' worth of compositions under his belt) to really hone his skills and develop his own musical personality more.

It's my understanding this guy is the son of Caetano Veloso, Bahia samba master.

I am looking for more samba and listening to Moreno and wondering who wouldn't enjoy this rhythmic, gentle, complex and just all around hypnotic music. I am in love with how he puts in with his soft rhythms the soft playful stuff like whistling and a toy piano, just a lightness, not to take himself ever too seriously.

But truly, if you like the earthy almost sensual sound of Caetano, you will love Moreno. And if you like Brazilian jazz that skirts the edges, eliciting almost different emotion with different notes, not veering too far from that minimalist yet full sound...Moreno clearly grew up in a life saturated with music. Worth every penny.

I don't know if somebody sprinkled something funny on this
cd when I wasn't looking, but suddenly I'm hooked! All right,
not to all of the songs, but then tracks 7, 10, and 11 more than
make up for the bit of sloth in the rest of the album. And the good
news is that those songs were all written by the band's frontman,
Moreno Veloso, who has a hell of a lot to prove, being the son of
Brazil's legendary Caetano Veloso. Overall, I would say he's really
done his dad proud, especially in his more experimental songs,
where traditional samba and bossa nova meet electronica and funk
rhythms.

I first became familiar with Moreno on the Brazillian Melt compilation CD for the track "Deusa do Amor", which is one of my favourite tunes of the moment. The CD is interesting enough and has various moods.

It might take a couple of listens to really appreciate all of the subtleties of the CD but it is something worth taking the time to appreciate. I'll be watching his career progress just like Ms. Bebel Gilberto.