Customer Reviews

Para Alem da Saudade

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mellow enough to be wonderful as a background for a romantic dinner or for a curling up with a good book, and gorgeous enough to listen to without any distractions, Ana Moura's sultry voice, and the selection of melodic songs in this exquisite collection make for an exceptional CD that should find a wide audience, way beyond the niche of "world music" and lovers of the Portuguese fado. Born in 1980, Ana was discovered by producer/guitarist Jorge Fernando, who had been guitarist for the legendary Queen of Fado, Amalia Rodrigues, and Ana has a semblance of Amalia's vocal quality, with her smoky sound and emotional expression. She has performed to SRO audiences from Carnegie Hall to Amsterdam's Concertgebow, and perhaps this young international superstar will inherit Amalia's mantle as the new Queen of Fado.

Among my favorite tracks is "Vaga, No Azul Amplo Solta," where Ana is joined by Spanish singer/songwriter Patxi Andion, and their blend of voices in this beautiful song touches the heart and lifts the soul, and another is the lovely, lilting "Ate Ao Fim Do Fim." The musicianship throughout the CD is marvelous, with Jorge Fernando's guitar work predominant, and a slight jazz feel to the last track with a saxophone added to the arrangement (Fernando also wrote many of the songs and did the arrangements). The booklet insert has lyrics in Portuguese and English, and many photos of the very attractive Ana. Total running time is 47.03

"Ana Moura is a Portuguese Fado singer; "Fado" is a Portuguese traditional form of song that has a somewhat mournful quality to the songs that often are about the sea or problems faced by the poor people of Portugal. The songs apparently are frequently built around the word "saudade," a Portuguese word that has no English translation, but somewhat describes the sentiment of "longing for the unattainable." There are two centers of Fado tradition in Portugal; the Portuguese capitol of Lisbon and the university city of Coimbra. In Lisbon, you applaud the Fado singer by clapping your hands; in Coimbra, you cough loudly, as though clearing your throat! Regardless, the folk-like quality of this music is irresistible, and Ana Moura and her supporting musicians offer compelling presentations of songs that deal with love and loss, and of course, the sea." Tom Gibbs

A lovely, longing voice is shown by Portuguesa singer, Ana Moura. There is no need to translate the words, the music and the voice says it all. Ana Mauro started out in life singing Fado, but as she grew older pop and rock drew her in. She went one evening to a Fado house and was asked to sing, the owner of the house, a well known Fado signer, asked Ana to join her house and so began her career. A Fado house is also known as a Fado Club where only Fado is sung. This CD is the first release of her Fado music in the United States, titled 'Keep My Life In Your Hands'.

"My life changed when I began going to the Fado houses," Ana states today. "There's no microphone -- it's very intimate. New singers learn through a kind of apprenticeship, learning the intricacies of the style from the older, more established singers." 'Mapa Do Coracao' Map of the Heart' is one song that is so lovely and my favorite and may be seen on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aulsPto8yXQ.

A soulful, plaintive rich voice that is one of the highlights of Fado music and Ana Moura delivers the goods in this CD. A wonderful CD for easy listening.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 01-31-08

Le Conseguenze Dell'amore

Review? More like an unabashed plug, coming up.

I am simply blown away. Listening to Ana Moura's PARA ALEM DA SAUDADE (Beyond Mere Longing), it puts a body in a mood and transports a soul into a place redolent with unfulfilled yearnings, and pain with acceptance, and waiting for love (but maybe waiting in vain). Fado is a traditional musical style from Portugal and it offers a glimpse into the Portuguese soul and psyche. Fado is an old artform, with Ana Moura one of its latest and among its most gifted practitioners.

I read somewhere, fado is about love and loss and the sea. And that's true of PARA ALEM DA SAUDADE. Hearing these songs, I couldn't help but feel somber and wistful and reflective. Made me think of past things, and made me play that game of Oh-if-only... Do you have a quiet ache? Fado expresses so well the emotions of enduring hurt and bittersweetness and steadfast longing. This music made me sad, but the thing was, listening to Ana Moura, I reveled in the feeling. Ana's vocals are simple yet evocative, understated yet soulful. Her voice is smoky seductive without trying hard and sustains a quiet assuredness which at times elevates to a passionate crescendo. The spare musical accompaniment consists of a trio of guitars so masterfully played, and it's enough and it lends that ideal sense of intimacy. Two songs into this disc and I was swept away. Closed my eyes, longed for whiskey to kill (so as to really get in the moment). The songs made me sad, and it was okay.

I would've enjoyed this one irregardless, as Ana's heartfelt interpretation of fado steadily wove its spell, never mind that I could only capture a word here and there. Still I'm thankful there's a booklet included which translates the songs. The lyrics, in English, are beautiful and haunting and poetic. How much better must they be in the original language?

PARA ALEM DA SAUDADE is Ana Moura's third release, after Guarda-Me a Vida Na Mão and Aconteceu. I like every song here, truly. But, yes, I admit to several favorites: the folksy "Os Buzios" ("The Cowrie-Shells"), "E Viemos Nascidos Do Mar" ("And We Came Born from the Sea"), the lilting but wistful "O Fado Da Procura" ("Fado of Search"), "Mapa Do Coracao" ("Map of the Heart"), and the semi-bluesy "A Sos Com A Noite" ("Alone with the Night"). I cannot recommend PARA ALEM DA SAUDADE highly enough. Give this one a try. Let Ana Moura's brand of mournfulness and sensuality wash over you. It'll put you in a mood, and you just might get your melancholy on.

There's been some buzz about the "fado" sound: Portuguese and African simple and sad voices to one or two guitars; here is that poetry. you don't need to know the language (I don't) but you hear it through your heart, and that is truly universal.

Ana Moura's voice is intimate and clear; the music drifted into me and made a day at the same desk in the same office a whole lot deeper. She is a treasure; a melancholy valentine in a bottle from another part of the world.

Warm and dreamy stuff; a necessary respite for the soul. I can't recommend this enough over anything produced in the states today. If you can't escape to a foreign retreat, here's an inspired little piece of it.

BTW: Even the CD's packaging is better than most: the gorgeous cardboard sleeve contains an slimmer CD case and a book of lyrics, translated.

Ana Moura once again proves why she may become the greatest fadista of 21st century. Portugal's new crop of fadistas are all wonderful, from the African born, Mariza to Dulce Pontes. But Ana's fado is different. Musically it doesn't stray from fado's origins and her vocal presentation continues to become more focused and stronger. When I listened to this new album I once again felt transported to Lisbon's ancient Alfama quarter, where fado was born. Grab this album even if you don't understand Portuguese, you will be happy that you did!

I wasn't familiar with "Fado" until I heard this CD. I'm blown away -- truly so! Even though I couldn't understand the lyrics, I was absolutely transported by the music. This is the soundtrack of life -- real life, not pop culture, cookie-cutter life. "Primeira Vez" lilts and yet has a haunting quality I haven't heard in many years. It stays with one. Ana Moura's voice is like listening to someone else's dream: it's rich and full and fully unique.

Para Alem da Saudade is a remarkable CD. Its chameleon-like quality makes it a perfect "soundtrack" to any life -- or party or even a quiet evening at home. I think "Fado" must be a little like the Blues -- it tells the universal story.

As I have nothing to compare this with on an equal basis, I'll just say that I love Para Alem da Saudade. And I think Ana Moura is a performer to watch!

The exquisite elegant voice of Ana Moura stands out so beautifully along
with the one instrument which accompanies her the guitar. There are songs of longing, songs of introspection, songs filled with yearning, songs of the soul seeking to be fulfilled, and obviously, songs of love. All include poetic lyrics which thankfully are translated to English from the Portugese. Fado is soulful music at its best - very personal, deep and meaningful. It is sung with passion and emotion expressing one's inner secret feelings. There is a hidden wisdom contained within its lyrics. The only thing missing is a seaside cafe, a good glass of wine and the sounds of the Mediterranean waves lapping against the shore ...

Some examples of the poetic lyricism contained within this CD:
OS BUZIOS
"A great love is waiting
But keep it secret
Your heart is empty
At the edge of fear
See how the shells fall
Facing North
But I will fix destiny
I will change your luck" ...

AGUAS DO SUL
"Blue is darkening
The sky is black
Southern waters
Never has it rained like this
Over the bridge
Dense light
Fountain water
Troubled muddy
In the hands of the believer
May God keep us lucky" ...

ROSA COR-DE-ROSA
Rose, pink rose you have
In your stalk the thirst for water
I don't know what you've got nor where you're coming from
Take care of my hurt
I don't know what you've got nor where you're coming from
Take care of my hurt" ...
Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

Very sparsely produced, this CD showcases the beautiful, rich alto voice of Ana Moura. This disc avoids the pitfalls of over-processing, over-orchestrating and over-compressing that have spoiled so many otherwise enjoyable vocal recordings for me. Accompanied on most tracks by two acoustic guitars, the disc is clean, gorgeous and unsullied. Moura's voice needs nothing else, and luckily she is smart enough to know that. No crazy reverbs, delays, voice doubling, backing vocals or hand claps; just grace and simplicity. Highly recommended.

It is not surprising that such a superb album as this is distributed by HARMONIA MUNDI, one of the biggest distributors of this genre in the US.
Ana Moura Clearly has a beautiful voice that is brought to the forefront of the production with the use of a trio of Portuguese guitar, Guitar, and Bass.The Variance in light and Shade that Ana manages is just delightful, and in Track 13 where she sings opposite an excellent male voice, she demonstrates so vividly how good her voice is in this album.The final track has a lovingly sparse saxophone, which is just angelic.
I have only ever heard one non-english singer who comes close to Ana's skill, so I better leave my bias there ( I mean that, whoever would think I'd get to hear such clear work of singers with brilliant phrasing, I heard my friend first, so thats my bias ).

The Booklet with the CD is relevant in all respects; with wonderful shots of the photogenic Ana, we have Portuguese and English texts of the lyrics, and I must admit they are beautiful. From the production credits, it looks like they had a hands on crew, and working with a master singer, the end product is great.

If this is fado, sign me up for a life membership. It's just the best poetry, music-making, and singing I've heard in a long, long time. Ana Moura uses her rich voice in subtle, powerful ways to make song after song on this CD a compelling emotional experience.

It is tempting to try to describe fado through endless strings of extravagant paradox: passionate and world-weary, hopeful but beyond hope, bitter yet at peace. Comparisons are also convenient but inadequate: musically I was reminded of the haunting soundtrack of Carol Reed's classic film noir The Third Man, and poetically of Jacques Brel's songbook. Enough! Every comparison diminishes the glowing reality of this music!

Moura is supported (another inadequate word) by guitarists Custodio Castelo and Jorge Fernando and bass guitarist Filipe Larsen. On a couple of tracks she is joined by singer Patxi Andion and saxophonist Tim Ries. These gentlemen also composed and/or arranged material for the album. The texture created by the guitars is bewitching and seems utterly in sync with the poetry and the singer. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. It is good to have the poems translated, because you will want to refer to them over time -- although it's hardly necessary to understand the Portuguese while listening. Moura's soulful delivery gives you all you really needed to know.

The songs seem to be arranged so that the more traditional fado comes at the beginning, while the last few songs have a more contemporary feeling. The addition of Ries's tenor sax on the last cut gives a very urban flavor to the street scenes depicted in the lyrics.

Ana Moura is superb throughout. Or have I made that clear already? Enough! Get this. You won't be able to remove it from your CD player. Seriously! Strongest possible recommendation.