Os Afro Sambas is a perfect record
Robert Keith | New York, NY USA | 02/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Os Afro Sambas is, in my opinion, the finest Brazilian album ever recorded. It sounds like nothing else that came before it or since.
I'm a fan of Tropicalia, Brazilian Nordeste and Forro. Os Afro Sambas doesn't fit neatly into any category. Vinicius and Baden both had roots in Bossa Nova, but this album was their intentional attempt to move beyond it. It's experimental with wonderful hooks, spontaneous lead vocals, haunting Gregorian female vocals, spare songs and loose, but perfect, production. It's not as hi-fi as the albums that would follow it, but it doesn't need to be.
Vontade is also included with Os Afro Sambas on this CD, but, as fine as it is, I find it distracting and out of place."