Sonhos E Memorias 1941-1972 (Vinyl)

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

*** Résumé en anglais seulement ***Deluxe vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. Digitally remastered edition of this 1972 album from the veteran Brazilian singer/songwriter. Sonhos E Memórias 1941-1972 is truly singular within Brazilian pop fusing rock, soul, jazz and singer/songwriter styles. It's simultaneously rootsy, funky, modern and nostalgic. The lyrics are highly personal, searching for deeper meaning with lots of flower power imagery and language, while the music is tight, highly rhythmic, melodic and restrained in it's delivery and effortless groove. Built around the future fusion trio Azymuth with keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami, drummer Ivan Conti aka Mamão and bassist Alex Malheiros, a majority of the album's tunes make excellent use of this trio's telepathic tightness, subtle funkiness, and melodic mastery. The album dabbles with a few different styles and rhythms, all telling Erasmo's musical story be it Bossa Nova, Roots Rock, Hard Rock, ballads, and soulful grooves, but a certain sonic frequency or tempo alongside the autobiographical elements unite this masterwork. Erasmo Carlos has no counterpart in the universe of Anglophone pop music that could begin to hint at his relevance, popularity and his complex relationship with the only Brazilian pop star more universally recognized than himself, Roberto Carlos. He may be a beloved pop star and household name in Brazil, but hardly because of the music found on this album. While in retrospect it can be appreciated as one of his most creative, consistent and personal albums, it was also one of the least commercially successful and underappreciated of his long career, at least until recently. Embracing the artistic freedom of the global counterculture of the late '60s and early '70s, over the course of his three albums released between 1970 and 1972, Erasmo evolved from his bubblegum beginnings into a sophisticated singer/songwriter.