Search - Caetano Veloso :: Joia

One of the Early Treasures

Juan Mobili | Valley Cottage, NY USA | 05/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one of Caetano's first albums, there were others before it, after he returned from exile in London. Veloso and Gilberto Gil had been briefly imprisoned by the military dictatorship in Brazil, and upon their release they had left the country and settle in the UK.
In that sense, this shows in its contrasting mood with the music he recorded while away from his land. Whereas "Transa" and "London London" -the latter known as "Caetano Veloso" in South America but this is way you'll find it in Amazon- were remarkable in their somber melancholy and poetic fierceness, obvious products of the mentioned turns in Caetano's life, "Joia" is luminous, simple -not simplistic!- and more mature.
The original cover -originally censored, portrays him nude with his wife and young son Moreno- for me, tells where Caetano is in his life: settled back in his country, building a life, with nothing to hide. This too could be said of the general spirit of this album, although experimenting and pushing musical boundaries will remain a constant artistic concern, "Joia" is more interested with honoring the rich musical tradition of his culture.
Great songs abound here to prove Caetano's craft as composer and singer. "Canto Do Povo de Um Lugar" is a beautiful chant in which he layers his voice as they join the melody and paint a picture of people who celebrate the simple miracle of a new day. "Lua, Lua, Lua, Lua," just as sparse of instrumentation, is imbued of a nocturnal warm mood in speaking of the moon. "Minha Mulher,"
"Pelos Olhos" and "Tudo Tudo Tudo" are gorgeous folk songs -think "folk as an universal tradition- each intimate, hushed, authentically tender.
The one tune that some may be questioned for its inclusion and potential disruption of its general tone it's Lennon & McCartney's "Help, yet in Caetano's voice and arrangement sounds at home in this album. Where The Beatles' version is an urgent message, Veloso turns it into an almost whispered Bossa Nova rendition, which needs not be excused as sympathetic experiment but ought to be considered a marvelous re-interpretation, his lyrics conveying a vulnerability and despair that can escape you on the famous original.
This is a quiet album, by and large, the work of a man young still yet possessing a deep sense of himself and of where and what he belongs to. A certain kind of peace exudes through this album, peace that hasn't been easy to earn, and that, we are so lucky, he already developed his capacity to capture in songs."

"Joia" - An hythm to Brasilian tradition

P.O. THIBAULT | Paris | 11/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"(nov. 1999) [Fr] "Joia" est l'un des deux meilleurs albums (à mon avis) de Caetano Veloso. L'autre est "Cores, Nomes", actuellement absent chez Amazon... nobody's perfect (mais quand même !). Un voyage quasi initiatique entre la tradition de la musique nordestine, avec la reprise de chants classiques brésiliens, et l'inspiration de Caetano, constante. Un must.[Eng] The "Joia" record is one among the two best albums (to my humble opinion...) of Caetano Veloso. The former is "Cores, Nomes", now missing at Amazon.com's... nobody's perfect (please do something !). An initiatic trip between traditional "Nordestina" music, including some of the most beautiful classical Brasilian folk songs, and Caetano's constant inspiration. Buy it, or steal it (though quite uneasy at Amazon anyway)."

Brazillian revolution

Jorge Velasco Cruz | Santiago, Chile | 03/13/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Aún hoy Jóia es una revolución para la música. Lo increíble es que lo hace aparentemente con tan poco: percusión, escasos instrumentos, melodías repetitivas y letras poco abundantes en cantidad. Pero la mezcla entre todo ello logra un album lleno de matices y estilos, que van desde la samba hasta Los Beatles. Vale la pena escucharlo y, por supuesto, ¡comprarlo!"