Though it's been 13 years since
Moreno Veloso
released his debut,
Maquina de Escrever
, he's hardly been idle. The guitarist and singer/songwriter recorded the former album with
+2
-- drummer
Domenico Lancellotti
and bassist
Alexandre Kassin
. In the interim, he's collaborated on their recordings to complete
's trilogy, contributed to albums by
Bebel Gilberto
,
Gal Costa
, and
Adriana Calcanhotto
, and produced three records by his father. Where
's trilogy was designed to explode pop's boundaries,
Veloso
's
Coisa Boa
is their antithesis: relaxed and simple (though progressive), its lightness creates a head (and heart) space for reverie. Most of these songs were inspired after
relocated to Salvador, Bahia. Much of the set was recorded there, as well as in Rio, Japan, and New York. His supporting cast includes
Lancellotti
and
Kassin
, guitarist/co-producer
Pedro Sa
Arto Lindsay
Takako Minekawa
Rodrigo Amarante
Melvin Gibbs
Davi Moraes
Daniel Jobim
, and many more. Rehearsals sometimes took place while
's children were sleeping, adding a quiet dynamic that wound its way into the recording process. The sense of time here is dilated, the production aesthetic is economic, open-ended. The first third of the record is more active and one readily detects
Sa
's influence. "La e Ca" showcases
's acoustic guitar framed by his co-producer's signature electric six-string, as quirky and breezy electronic effects waft through the mix as
Lindsay
's elliptical lap steel glides through the lyric. "Um Passo a Frente" commences as a largely acoustic samba, but in the refrain it meets skittering electric guitars and pronounced percussion that create something akin to carnival music in miniature. "Em Todo Lugar" cops the vamp from
the Beatles
' "The End," while using a jazzy wah-wah guitar and funky bassline to deeply sensual effect. The record takes a gentler, almost rural tone in the center, commencing with "Verso Simples." Its clip-clopping percussion, mandolin, guitars, and whistling create an informal, back-porch feel. The title track is an intimate nocturnal waltz with trippy guitar effects and sparse percussion. "Jacare Coruja," with mini steel drums, coconut shells, and bass and guitar interplay, is an innocent fairy tale. "Num Galho de Acacias" is a lullaby, where the singer's and
Minekawa
's voices are accompanied by sweet Old World-sounding Wurlitzer. Both songs are tributes to
's children, yet they also sound like the songwriter's wistful attempt to recapture, albeit momentarily, the dreamy innocence of childhood. The recording shifts mood again on "De Tentar Voltar." Illustrated by brushed drums, spidery electric guitar, and cello, it drips with sensuality. "Nao Acorde o Nenem" is a sprightly, sun-drenched, romantic choro. The brief closer, a duet with
on "Onaji Sora," is a melancholic yet committed love song, orchestrated only by acoustic guitar, bass, music box, and organic percussion. At only 35 minutes,
, with its focused musical simplicity, lyric intimacy, and spacious production, is as close to perfect as it gets. ~ Thom Jurek