Customer Reviews

Stillness

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I first heard this album over 25 years ago. I owned it
at least three times, but I kept giving it away because
I thought it was so special. Alas, I couldn't find it
any longer, and made do with a poor taped copy until
I finally lost it as well. Hearing this again in CD
format, without the scratches, is truly a delight. All
the songs are as good as I remember, and listening to
it brings me back to a simpler time, when anything
was possible. Now I'm motivated to pick up several
other CD's by them. Where to begin...

Stillness marks the last cd under the Brazil '66 title. It also marks the end of Lani Hall's association with the group. She goes out by singing exquisitely, especially on a lovely cover of
Sometimes In Winter. Gracinha Leporace contributes a fine vocal performance on Lost In Paradise, and Mendes himself takes a rare solo on Cancao Do Nosso Amor. Let's hope that the folks at A&M will re-release all of Lani Hall's solo albums in the near future.

Somebody as to give this album the honor it deserves.On
'Stillness' Sergio Mendes's Brazil 66 weave a lovely,melodic
musical tapastry that's very sunny and stripped down.A deeply
funky version of Buffolo Springfield's hit "For What It's Worth" is easily the highlight of this disk but the title cut is very genuine and quiet and makes a wonderful musical point.
If one is inclined towards liking that kind of music most of
the rest of this album is cut in a similar vein by likening
1960's folk-rock with Brazillian pop-in my opinion a wonderful
conbination of styles.A bouncy,jazzy version of Joni Michell's
"Chelsea Morning"will get anyone moving and I can't say
anything bad about this album!Really,can you?

OK, here's the deal: you've already conquered America, Europe and Japan with your genre-busting sound; you've had 4 years of constant touring and airplay, including 3 monster singles and several more that made the Top 100; and you are arguably the biggest music star your country has ever exported. So what to do next? Sergio Mendes was always a subtle innovator from his earliest recordings. He became more blatant as his success grew, especially around the time of "Fool on the Hill" and "Crystal Illusions." Then, some would say, success got the better of him, and he cooled his creative jets a bit with "Ye Me Le." But "Stillness" was definitely something new, even for such a unique sound as Brasil '66. From the opening bass flute and guitar of "Stillness," you know you're in for something very unusual, and maybe something that you're not going to love right away. Take it from this lifelong Brasil '66 fan, who admits he (albeit as a kid) had a little trouble adjusting to the sound of "Stillness", there's a classic album here that I for one believe has never been fully appreciated. Sergio knew he was saying goodbye to longtime vocalist Lani Hall with this release (despite what a reviewer wrote below, she is indeed on this album, in abundant full force and sounding great), and she shines exquisitely throughout, as does Karen Philipp. The two "hits" off the album (minor on the pop charts, pretty big on adult contemporary), "Chelsea Morning" and "For What It's Worth," show how much power and artistry Brasil '66 was still conjuring at this late date in its pop music superstar shelf-life. Add to that tremendous reworkings of Caetano Veloso's "Lost in Paradise" and Blood, Sweat and Tears' "Sometimes in Winter" (easily one of the most gorgeous arrangements Mendes has recorded in his entire career) and you have the ingredients for a very special listening experience. The album was released in the winter and it has a certain spare bleakness to it, but if you're in a receptive frame of mind, it can be very appealing. It's not the froth of the first three Brasil '66 albums, but, it might be argued, it's a more nourishing brew that is concocted on this album.

By the time this LP was released, Sergio had lost Janis Hansen and replaced her with Karen Philipp. This also was Lani Hall's last album with the group. So what you have here is a transitional album, with Lani Hall and Karen Philipp doing things together ("Chelsea Morning", "Righteous Life"), Lani doing solo on "Stillness", Grancinha Laporace singing in a very thick accent her verion of "Lost in Paradise", and Karen Philipp doing "For What its Worth". Karen and Lani sound very much alike so the differnce is subtle there. Sergio brought in Gracinha as Lani left, and also married her. (Lani marrried Herb Alpert). Gracinha had come from the group Bossa Rio who used to open for the Brazil '66 concerts. While Gracinha has a vocal style all her own, she could not replace Lani and Karen in concert with the earlier hits such as "Look of Love", and hearing her on those songs 'live' in concerts, TV etc. was disappointing. However, I am a true fan and was able to get through this transition and the others that followed. All that being said, I am still entertained by this album. "Sometimes in Winter" is gorgeous as is Sergio's vocal on "Cancao do mosso amor".

I know everyone expects something else from Sergio, after all he has been so many things to so many over the years. Yet, to hear this stunningly beautiful sound again, after so many years is heartwarming and to know this release has stood the test of time. The girls voices as usual are spine-tingling. I know everyone has an opinion and all I am giving you is mine. The last time I listened to this I was in my teens in the seventies and it had such an effect on me and not really to my surprise it does the same to me now all these years later. Yes you can probably buy better overall cds of the group but I will guarantee there will be a song on this Stillness cd that will strike you at your very core. I understand that the words (lyrics) are somewhat confusing but these voices could sing the label off a milk carton and make it sound luscious.Great, great music and songs.

Just for information, Stillness this has been Lani's last record with Sergio Mendes even though, different from what is written in other review she sang all songs leaving for Gracinha Leporace Caetano's Lost in Paradise and some backing vocals.
Lani is in her best - in Stillness, For what is worth, Sometime in winter!!!!
After Stillness, Sergio Mendes tried to replace Lani Hall by adapting Gracinha's voice to sound as Lani and it didin't work. Gracinha is very good singer you can check in Lapinha on Fool on the Hill album, Lost in Paradise on Stillness and Morro Velho the following record but never to replace Lani.

This is the only one of the Brasil 66 records that was not on CD. "Sometimes in Winter" is one of their most haunting songs. This album has always been under appreciated and I am glad to see it on CD at last!!

In my mind this album is one Sergio Mendes' best works. It is moody, happy, light and airy. It's rhythm changes keep the listener interested. After all these years it is still fresh sound and moves me as much as the first time I heard it...It's oh so nice to listen to in the car or at home... I'm joyful it is now available on CD.....

I am very pleased at the quality of this CD-I have had this album on reel to reel and phono, and have been unable to find it on CD until recently. I am amazed at the fact that this wonderful album is so overlooked, especially in view of the abundance of material out there that is not worth owning. Great that this came along. Give it a try.