MPB-4 E A NOVA MÚSICA BRASILEIRA

The vocal group started out in the 60s and used their art to poke the military dictatorship through the 70s. But they got stuck between the BRock that spontaneously emerged in the 80s and the payola power of Brazilian tacky-country and the so-called axé music. This album promotes the meeting between the quartet and contemporary MPB composers. It is a curious option, for they could well have remained traditional, recording the music of, say, Guinga, Celso Viáfora or Mario Adnet. But apart from samba composer Dudu Nobre, MPB-4 decided to pick pop songwriters, including the BRock exponent Nando Reis - Onde você Mora, written with Marisa Monte, and Resposta, written with Skank's vocalist Samuel Rosa -, besides female songwriters like Adriana Calcanhotto (Mentiras) and Zélia Duncan (Não Vá Embora, written with Christiaan Oyens). Avoiding the ludicrous possibility to be turned into post-mature rockers, Ruy, Aquiles, Magro and Miltinho took it easy, generally choosing tunes over sambas.

To guide them into the unknown (for MPB-4) realm of pop, they invited the experienced modernist Jairzinho Oliveira, who produced, arranged, played guitars, keyboards and programmed beats. Not everyhting swings swell: Posso Até Me Apaixonar (Dudu Nobre) turned out a bit restrained, rhythmically. On the other hand, À Primeira Vista (Chico César), Lenha (Zeca Baleiro), Paciência (Lenine) and O Último Dia (Paulinho Moska) have come out fine. The 60-yish MPB-4 hits year 2001 with a certain 90s flavor. (Tárik de Souza)