Lush sophistication
R. D. Waters | Newton, NC United States | 06/13/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When this CD arrived at my door last night, I threw open the deck doors, poured a glass of wine, and put on this CD. I was stunned. I was totally unprepared for the subtle, sophisticated arrangements and heartfelt performances of so many great Beatles songs. This is not your average tribute album. This is a true labor of love.Every song is beautifully crafted. The arrangement for 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' was almost shocking in its originality. The thump-thump of drums leading into the chorus in the Beatles' version is replaced by a unique change in beat and Rita's voice works the familiar melody of the chorus into something new. The results are marvelous. Who says you have to stick to the original formula? Rita and the talented band certainly do not and with good results. They have made these well-known songs (recorded by dozens of others) their own.Her versions of 'All My Loving' and 'She Loves You' are among the best I've ever heard. The band lays down a soft Brazilian beat or an up-tempo pop rhythm equally as well. Rita's voice goes from a sexy whisper to a soaring swell. She is right there with the band in every way.Beatles fans, Brazilian music fans, and just plain ol' music fans alike will find something to like about this splendid recording. I cannot wait to play this for my friends visiting this weekend. They also love good music!"
Rita does it again!
S. Sittig | Washington, D.C. | 05/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of Rita Lee's since I was 6 years old. As an American growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Rita's raucous, fun and often very touching music was always a part of my childhood. And now I have a new Rita album to enjoy as an adult!Rita understands the Beatles, she did nothing but eat, breathe, drink and sleep them from 63-70, according to her liner notes. And it shows on this beautiful CD where she does highly imaginative and incredibly successful covers of some of the Fab Fours most famous tunes.She takes "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and brilliantly sets it to a Forró beat (Brazil's Northeastern musical style which relies heavily on an Accordion), and does Bossa Nova takes on "She Loves You" and "If I Fell". Wonderful! Another highlight is her 1/2 English/1/2 Portuguese version of "Here, There and Everywhere"..quirky lyrics in Portuguese that tie in beautifully with the English original and remind us of Lee's wonderful sense of humor!And then there's a complete Portuguese version of "Can't Buy Me Love" taken at a slower pace ("Tudo Por Amor"), and a nice Os Mutantes style (Rita's psychedelic band from the late 60s) take on "It's Been A Hard Day's Night". The cover of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is also one of the most original I've ever heard. I highly recommend it if you like to hear a highly talented and original artist cover the Beatles. Her ex-husband, Roberto de Carvalho, is the producer and he does wonders with Lee as always."
Brazilian Beatles fan pays magnificent tribute to Fab 4
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/31/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rita Lee has had a long and successful career in Brazil, and has been a Beatles fan since the sixties, so it is entirely appropriate that she should record this tribute album. Clearly a talented singer, she sings most of these songs in fluent English, with the remainder in her native Portugese. Actually, three of the four songs recorded in Portugese are also here in English versions, but it doesn't matter - it's a great album anyway.Rita's style is very soft and sexy, almost whispery at times, making her covers of these songs very distinctive, even before you take account of the Brazilian influences. Inevitably (given her style), many of the songs are taken at a slower tempo than the Beatles did them, but the one song I might have expected her to slow right down (I want to hold your hand, which has been slowed down by others, most notably Petula), she actually sings quite briskly, though not as energetically as the Beatles.Having heard many Beatles tributes, I know which songs to expect most frequently. Rita has shown some imagination in her selection, by omittining Yesterday (a song I love, but it has been covered by hundreds of others). Instead, Rita covered She loves you, All my loving and Lucy in the sky with diamonds, all of which have been covered before, but not too often.As this is my first Brazilian album, I can't compare it to other Brazilian music, but it has certainly aroused my interest and I will explore further in due course.What I can say is that this is a stunning Beatles tribute album, well worth listening to."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1