Qualquer

On Qualquer, Arnaldo Antunes drifts even further away from the rock and pop sound that made him famous as the frontman of Titas during the 1980s. Qualquer has a calm, simple, and down-to-earth sound that soothingly floats along in the boundaries between bossa nova and singer/songwriter-styled folk music. No percussion is used on the album, as Antunes is backed by the musical quintet of Cezar Mendes and Chico Salem (both on acoustic guitar), Edgard Scandurra (electric guitar), Dadi Carvalho (bass), and Daniel Jobim (piano). The opening track, "Para La," written by Antunes together with Adriana Calcanhotto, sets the tone of the album and is also one of its highlights. There are also collaborations with Carlinhos Brown (on "Lua Vermelha" and "Sem Voce") and Marisa Monte (on "O Que Voce Quer Saber de Verdade" and "Contato Imediato"). For the first time Antunes also presents versions of "Nao Sou da Sua Rua" and "As Coisas," two of his own compositions that were recorded in the early '90s by Marisa Monte and Gilberto Gil, respectively. "Acabou Chorare" is an elegant cover of an old song by Moraes Moreira and Galvao. Antunes singing is very low-voiced, almost timid sounding, and his characteristically unorthodox and humming voice lends the music an unstudied and ingenuous air. ~ Philip Jandovsky