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Another amazing update of the bossa nova sound
Brazilian-born, New York-based bossa nova pioneer Arto Lindsay is a marvel. This is his fourth full album of amazing "novo bossa nova" updates of the classic sound created in the late '50s by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto -- Lindsay adds a New Yorker's sense of irony, dread and sexuality to the mix, as well as heavy doses of funk, soul and electronica, bubbling under the surface. This disc has some mildly jagged touches, like the dreamy/noisy guitar fill on "Ex-Preguica", which sounds like something straight off a Roy Montgomery album. I still have no idea what his lyrics are about -- I'm always too lulled by the music, and too lazy to read the lyric sheet -- but it really doesn't matter. The music is delicious. For me, the only sour note on here was on the art-rap on "Pode Ficar," which wasn't icky, just a bit boring. Otherwise, this album is ace bunny killer -- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Arto good, fire friend!
Arto's pop-self comes as a surprise to those who witnessed his no-wave beginnings or even his later stuff in the earliest Golden Palomino's projects. The closest comparison here might be Caetano Veloso (who has repeatedly worked with Arto, most notably on '89's Estrangeiro ), but Arto's a much more limited vocalist, he uses his wispy-soulful song/talk really beautifully. Intoning, insinuating, suggesting, erotic or just dreamy-descriptive, his voice is the perfect instrument for these songs. Arto's craft is a subtle, shifting mix of Brazilian avant-pop, trip-hop, funk, hallucinatory folk-jazz, and soul balladry, all put together around a feeling of remarkable ease, as seductive as this is, it feels like the goal has already been reached, repeatedly, even exhaustively. Post-coital sex pop in a moody sci-fi rhythmic cultural mutation mode. His signing to Ani Difranco's label has me dreaming of a collaboration between the two of them, maybe an album of erotic duets, or just some remixing. Anyway Arto's pop work has been consistently excellent since his 80's work in the Ambitious Lovers.Also highly recommended are; O Corpo Sutil/The Subtle Body ('96), Mundo Civilizado ('97), Noon Chill ('98) all on Bar/None.

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simply enchanting...
i've been a big fan of arto lindsay for a while, mainly familiar with his work in DNA and the fabulous Arto Lindsay Trio record, "Aggregates 1-26." (i guess i'm the hopeless romantic sonic youth/glenn branca fan a previous reviewer mentioned.) i had been wary of his more recent work however, surmising from the reviews i had read and the odd song i heard on the radio that he had moved away from the noise-skronk guitar of his younger days that appealed to me so much. however, i saw this in a store when it came out last year, and on a whim, i picked it up. from the first listen i was completely amazed...

this album is rooted in two worlds, the brazilian tropicalia music of the '60s (and Arto's youth) and the New York underground of the past two decades. the music is a wonderful synthesis of these influences; it is passionate and sensual, but with a subtly powerful backbone that is incredibly affecting. in many places the music almost sounds like electronica, except that it's played by real musicians with real instruments, and not by a computer, which lends it a wholly organic feel. the mostly supple mood is only strengthened in the moments when the noisey undercurrent threatens to break through, most notably in "the prize" and "prefeelings." while i've always been fascinated by arto's guitar playing, which is wholly otherworldly, but fleetingly glimpsed on this album, i would be remiss if i didn't also mention his equally superior talents as a singer, lyricist and songwriter. the vocals complement the music perfectly, and the abstract poeticism of the lyrics manage to simultaneously sound intelligently self-concious and emotionally arresting. every track on this album is a stunning. as an added bonus, the last song, the beautiful "e ai esueco," features the talents of members of blonde redhead, firmly cementing this albums place in my heart as not only one of the top ten albums of '99, but all time as well.