Search - Caetano Veloso :: Ce

Stripped Down, Raw, and Among Caetano's Absolute Best

wm | ...onward....thru the fog! | 12/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
I heard Cê for the first time at about 40,000 feet over the Atlantic. The sound quality of the airline provided headphones left a lot to be desired, but what stuck with me most was the hushed drum and Beatles feel of "Minhas lagrimas".



I liked what I'd heard enough to buy it upon returning to the US. Now that I've had a chance to hear it with proper sound quality, after just a few spins, it's quickly emerging as Caetano's best. At last count, I think I have about 15 of his records, so to say this is among his best is to say a lot.



The opening track begins with an oblique avant garde feel that finishes with an incredible guitar wail from Pedro Sa, who co-produced the record. Sa's guitar playing, at times slow, and at other times fast and furious, dominates the entire album. Sa lays down angular ripping rock guitar leads which sometimes recall Nirvana, and at other times is slow yet powerful.



On Cê, Caeatano brings back the feel of the records he made while exiled in London during the late 60s and early 70s, yet with the maturity of a composer who is now 40 years older. His inimitable tenor goes from what many consider his classic, plaintive and contemplative persona to floating above Bowiesque "subconscious" counter harmonies. The record flows beautifully from mood to mood, often with gorgeous Beatles/John Lennon Plastic Ono Band influences shining through.



Sa's playing gives the impression that he's just barely under control, adding trippy effects at several points. Along with a super tight rhythm section, Caetano's voice, and little else, somehow the songs flow together.



Lyrically over the years, Caetano has often been quite spiritual. On Cê, much of the subject matter deals with raw, animalistic sex, for the most part devoid of emotion, with the possible exception of anger. His early sound abounds throughout this powerful album. It finishes off with "O heroi", which sounds more like Tom Ze than Caetano Veloso. And that's great.

"

See Him Live Then Buy The Record

Jan Edward Vogels | Long Beach, CA USA | 11/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Saw Caetano live in LA last night where he covered many of the selections on this album. Marvelous stuff. The most compacted, nasty treatments of his songs yet. And yet it's all still Caetano. His superb melodies are still there, insinuating themselves underneath all the fantastic new arrangement goodies. Lean and mean. You'll love it!

"

Terrific

danny teardrop | Toronto | 11/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Caetano in Toronto not having heard this album, and not really sure what to expect. I'm a fan of his 60's and early 70's output, but the rest of his catalogue is a bit (ok - a lot) too slick or adult contemporary for my tastes. I was blown away by the show and by this new material - this is definitely the best stuff he's done since his classic 'tropicalia' period. His new young band has definitely absorbed a lot of 'non-Brazilian' music (garage, new wave, prog, post-punk) and the only thing really 'Brazilian' about this album is Caetano's vocals. If you're a fan of Caetano's more adventurous work this is an album that is absolutely worth checking out. If you're into his more laid-back, orchestral/acoustic material, this may not be for you."