Tudo

Co-composing music and writing lyrics in English and Portuguese as well as singing, Bebel Gilberto introduces in her latest album further examples of her popular Brazilian style. She also covers one tune each by Neil Young (Harvest Moon), Tony Jobim (Vivo Sonhando), and Luiz Bonfá & De Toleda Sharmont (Saudade Vem Correndo). One track is in French (Ansiere, Ba & Hospital's Tout Est Bleu). Her supporting musicians assisted in the music and arrangements, notably Masa Shimzu, Cézar Mendez, and Gabriel Moura, acoustic guitars; Seu Jorge guitar and voice; Pedro Baby, guitar and beat box; Eddie Ruscharp and Mario Caldato,Jr., album producer, drum programming and synthesizers. Although her wildly successful debut album included axé, bossa nova, and electro-dance tunes, her albums since then have increasingly focused on mellow acoustic ballads. Even the Young song was remarkably transformed into a Cariocan romance. Lyrics are included in the package notes. Some tracks bring in viola and violins. Through the wonders of digital electronics and mixing, the album was recorded in part in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Portland, Oregon, and Rio de Janeiro. Bebel continues the soft, melodic stylistic path of her father João Gilberto, albeit with contemporary instrumentation, as synthesizers and FX. No track stands out, but this is good because despite differences in tempo and arrangements, all are similar in tone and craft. The up-tempo light sambas of Jorge, Moura, Gilberto, Novas Ideias, and the Bonfá tune are highlights. Atmospheric electronics shape the final track. The album is very pleasant listening, and I regard this album as her sweetist and most romantic to date. 12 short tracks totaling 42 short minutes. ****1/2

I had the privilege of seeing Bebel perform many of the tracks off this album before it released, at a concert she performed in Prospect Park in Brooklyn New York. She had such a wonderful spirit onstage and the songs were so dreamy and hypnotic drifting on the night air at her show that I was excited to grab the new CD. I first heard Bebel's voice more than 15 years ago, when she sang a song called "Preciso Dizer Que Te Amo" with Cazuza on a Red Hot and Rio album I owned many moons ago. Since then I have followed her music. Her vocals are always so effortless and serene and many of her songs have a transporting quality that can make you feel like you are somewhere else. Whether you are a fan of her voice or of the various Brazilian musical styling trends, Tudo does not disappoint.

Bebel Gilberto has released yet another beautiful album of electro-bossanova grooves. The songs are well-written, expertly-performed, and blend seamlessly from one into the next: employing many modern musical elements but always staying true to her distinctive South American sound. Gilberto's voice is as beautiful as always, and will serenade your ears while relaxing your mind. Coincidentally, this album is hitting #1 on Billboard's "World Albums" chart just as I write this review! And it wholly deserves to be #1. I highly recommend it!

I love Bebel. I just saw her in Washington DC a few weeks ago. The performance was spectacular, not only her music but how she connected with the audience. This is a great album and you will enjoy Bebel's soft and sexy vocals. I believe she is one of Brazil's premier vocal artist. Unfortunately I must say I have given Tudo several listens now and this one is not quite as good as her other albums. It's been hard for me to put my finger on the difference between this album and her others. I think there is slightly less excitement compared to her previous work. Should you buy it? Yes! It's still a great album.

I really wanted to give this album five stars. I really did. I love Bebel Gilberto, her previous albums are all phenomenal. Where this one falls short are in the first two tracks: "Somewhere Else" and "Nada Não". They both really leave a bad taste in my mouth. I don't mean to nitpick or be overly critical out of spite since, as a native of Brazil, English was not her first language. With that being said, the lyrics to "Somewhere Else" are puerile and leave much to be desired. Does she not have record executives or other handlers in her inner circle to gently tell her that "Follow your dreams/just be careful not to lose your dreams/'cause then you might trip, flop, drop, so then you can go somewhere else (somewhere else, somewhere else)/ Follow your heart/listen to the birds/look at the moon/meanwhile they take a long long while so then you can fly somewhere else (somewhere else, somewhere else)" (Chorus) Somewhere else (x7)" are *NOT* good lyrics, period, not even for a non-native speaker of English? Miley Cyrus's cringe-worthy "Wrecking Ball" has more lyrical depth than this. The second verse of the song is sung in Portuguese, and as such it makes me think that if the entire song had been recorded in Portuguese, it might have been salvageable. But alas, that was not the case. Don't get me wrong, the actual music itself is ethereal and enchanting, but the lyrics are so bad that I don't think I'll ever learn to like this song no matter how many times I listen to it. This is the case for the second song, "Nada Não", as well. Though sung entirely in Portuguese, it is her repetitive chanting of "Nada Não" midway through the song that make it feel like the musical equivalent of Chinese water torture. The first few tracks invariably set the mood for the remainder of any album. So it's just a shame that the first two tracks are such duds. I feel like "Somewhere Else" and "Nada Não" are poorly conceived musical experiments that, while not without potential, in their current form are not ready for prime time and thus should have either been reworked or left on the cutting room floor. The rest of the album though is amazing, it's the Bebel Gilberto we all know and love. If you do get this album (and you should), make a playlist on your iPod and leave the first two songs off it. Trust me.

The Work of a Mature Artist While Tudo does not quite scale the heights of Tanto Tempo or Bebel Gilberto, the quality of the songs are more consistent and there is a greater variety of musical styles. She does a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Neil Young's Harvest moon along with more traditional Brazilian songs like the lively Nada Nao. The irresistable Tout est blu which Bebel sings in French is an example of electronic version of Samba stylings which she made famous on Tanto Tempo. This is an album that gets better with each subsequent listening.

Bebel is definitely one great singer. Her sound is so relaxing and pleasing. This is the third album of hers I have purchased and not disappointed in any way.

For those fans who have matured with Bebel, a delightful expression of her talent and a mastery of her art emerge with every listening... Her luxurious voice coupled with beautiful arrangements. Tudo delivers!

Bebel ist die perfekte Symbiose, körperlich wie seelisch, ihrer Eltern, die in den 60er Jahr schon die Musik Brasiliens hervorragend repräsentierten! Ich besitze alle Ihre CDs! Sie übertrifft ihre Eltern, indem ihre Interpretation mehr als nur einfach "richtig" ist: sie ist wahr. Bebel ist einer der Engeln auf Erden, den man zuhören sollte!

Earlier recording but still excellent production.

un album delicieux, musiques douces, raffinées, pleines de mélodie.... Rien à dire sue la voix de Bebel. Album à avoir pour les gens qui aiment la bossa nova .

アストラッドはもちろん、ジョアン・ジルベルトに『声とギター』って、そのまんまのアルバムがありましたが、それだけでもいーものはいー！ベベウも、声を聴くだけでその日の疲れも、いやなことも、夏の暑さもみな吹っ飛ぶんです。ボサノヴァってすごい。

Bebel is back! In my opinion her best album since Bebel Gilberto. All tracks are superbly sung in that soothing (sexy!)voice of hers but the title track Tudo stands out as does her excellent cover of Neil Young's Harvest Moon