Search - Madeleine Peyroux :: Half the Perfect World

Cool delivery.

Esthero | 03/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second album for the eclectic, multi-lingual New York band that, despite its name, is largely male and definitely not from Brazil.

The Brazilian Girls return with another mix of upbeat electronica, organic rock, jazz and world music. This is nonstop erotic dance music for jet setters, with the proudly Euro-trash Sabina Sciubba riding the grooves like an old, charismatic pro.

What separates these non-Brazilians from the pack is that they are old school musicians with real ability and they've gelled together as an unbreakably tight unit.

Sabina has a voice clarified and honed by years of singing jazz that enchants the listener without overwhelming bandmates Didi Gutman, Aaron Johnston, and Jesse Murphy. The band's melodic and rhythmic synergy makes their music at once danceable and memorable, and worked to great effect on their eponymous debut. Melody dominated "Brazilian Girls", but their live performances and their remix of Blossom Dearie's "Just One of Those Things" on the third Verve Remixed compilation showcased an underlying yet relentlessly driving beat.

"Talk to La Bomb" is more effective than "Brazilian Girls" was at bringing this melodic but powerful energy to a studio album, perhaps because the new album's mood is darker and sharper.

Languages roll off Sabina's tongue with the same sexy insouciance that genres spring from her bandmates' fingers.

On "Jique," she mashes up Spanish, French, German, and oh yeah, English.

This New York-based band of vagabonds makes multicultural, cosmopolitan, intellectual dance music: Ibiza meets punk, dub goes tango, trance gets smart. And with her tongue-in-chic costumes and cool delivery, Sciubba could be the 21st century's first superstar-style siren."

Impressive

S. Kosloske | Milwaukee, WI USA | 06/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Had never heard of this group before, but got it as a recommendation from someone who had it recommended to him. Listen to the samples, if you like this style of music, get this and their other CD. Very well done."