The Wake

If you’ve seen The Life Aquatic, you’re familiar with Seu Jorge. Remember the Brazilian guy singing David Bowie covers in Portuguese? That was him. And while his “Ziggy Stardust” interpretation is intriguing, it’s his latest CD Cru that convinced me of Jorge’s great talent.

From the opening track, “Tive Razao,” it is apparent that the album, available on Wrasse Records, will be an enjoyable listen. Accompanied on most tracks only by a classical guitar and a percussionist, Jorge doesn’t hide behind bombast or over-production. His music is simple and expressive. All but one of the songs are in Portuguese, and is nevertheless accessible. His rich, low, voice draws you in and his music, markedly influenced by the Brazilian styles of bossa nova and samba, keeps the pace of the album steady.

The album has its ballads, too, including a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Don’t,” which Jorge sings in English. This, along with his contributions to the Life Aquatic soundtrack, suggests an influence of American and British pop culture in his music. Nevertheless, his music holds something different than what we’re used to hearing, something which traverses language. Even if a listener doesn’t speak Portuguese, they can pick up on emotive clues in his inflection, and share the intimacy that the songs on Cru provide. Seu Jorge, with catchy music and a great voice, is an accessible glimpse into a pop culture different from our own.