Vinicius Cantuaria, Sol Na Cara (Gramavision) 9+
I suspect that if it weren't for Arto Lindsay's production assistance, this would be just another pleasant but generic sounding Brazillian samba album. Whoever is responsible, the songs on Sol Na Cara subtly restructure and reinvent the samba. The lyrics (which are beautifully translated in English in the booklet) stick to the traditional romantic obsessions of most Latin folk artists. Cantuaria has been compared to Joao Gilberto, whom I have not yet had the chance to hear. The best gauge to tell if this album is your cup of tea is to listen to Lindsay's cover of this album's "Este Seu Olhar," on his own Mundo Civilizado (review found in Uncle Fester's Lucky 13). If you don't like his strange, soft voice and almost techno arrangements, you might prefer the classic beauty of Cantuaria's original. Or you just might appreciate the exciting future that both of these artists are taking Brazillian music.
