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None of them are Brazillian and only one is a girl, but if this NYC electronic-jazz band’s moniker intends to suggest sex, it’s wholly appropriate, as a listen to their new self-titled album on Verve will attest. If the sexy house beats and lazy, loungey exotica don’t put you in the mood for love or something a fair bit more primal, then seductive and sultry singer Sabina Sciubba’s beautiful breathy voice, on lyrics like “Don’t stop now, just keep on going, until I come” surely will.
Though their sound is electronic, recalling jazz flavored artists such as Amon Tobin, Tosca and Peace Orchestra, Brazilian Girls is in fact a live band made up of some respected NYC jazz session players; something of a super-group, individual members have scored films and one of the members has won a Grammy. Sciubba was born in Rome but sings in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
The album opens with the mellow and sophisticated Homme – filtered beats reminiscent of Tosca, sexy violins and Sciubba’s voice cascading over a tango-like beat.
The energy picks up with the aforementioned Don’t Stop, a perfect summer hit and the album’s best track. Throbbing house beats and Sabina’s heavy breathing give way to a an extremely catchy chorus. “You never had it better, than when I was with you baby.” I believe her!
The album continues through an exotic variety of styles: Lazy Lover evokes ocean waves and Astrud Gilberto; I didn’t think it possible, but La Sirenes de La Fete manages to make rapping in French work; Corner Store is an album highlight, a funk workout with an intense, crawling rhythm and fast, tight drum fills. On songs like this it becomes clear that Brazillian Girls benefit strongly from the live rhythm section; “Pussy, pussy, pussy, marijuana” Sabina jokes on the chorus of Jamaican-flavored Pussy – this band has a sense of humor; The album could be titled around the world in 12 songs – we go directly from Jamaica to Germany with Die Gedanken Sind Frei and continue with Dance Til The Morning, another of the album’s strongest moments, and end on a relaxed note with Ships In The Night.
Highly recommended!
Gordon B. Isnor
Events
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Sun, 08 Feb 2009
The 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards
:
Coldplay, Radiohead, Moby, Madonna, Daft Punk, AC/DC, Maroon 5, The Who, Rihanna, Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Kylie Minogue, Pink, Gnarls Barkley, Mariah Carey, Neil Young, Hot Chip, Usher, Jason Mraz, Rob Zombie, M.I.A., Céline Dion, Cyndi Lauper, Nas, Judas Priest, The Raconteurs, Paul McCartney, Ludacris, Chris Brown, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Duffy, Mary J. Blige, Leona Lewis, My Morning Jacket, Katy Perry, DragonForce, Erykah Badu, Mötley Crüe, T.I., James Taylor, Lupe Fiasco, Lil' Wayne, B.B. King, Robyn, Shaggy, Sara Bareilles, Adele, Ministry, Kid Rock, Joan Baez, Eddie Vedder, Estelle, Brazilian Girls, Cassandra Wilson, Young Jeezy, Burning Spear, Jonas Brothers, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Lady GaGa, Taylor Swift, Sam Sparro, Keyshia Cole, Solomon Burke, Taj Mahal, Flo Rida, One Republic, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Jaguares, Irma Thomas, Wisin y Yandel, Locos Por Juana, Jazmine Sullivan, Kathy Mattea, Voltio, Lady Antebellum, Akwid, Tom Paxton, Ximena Sarinana
at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA United States
