Uma Geral (ST2 Music 50036)
Acid X started life as a Beatles cover band in Rio clubs. And they continue their love affair with British music in their new incarnation by drawing inspiration from the Acid Jazz style that spawned bands like Jamiroquai and the Brand New Heavies.
The music here is not as overtly jazz-funky as ‘Emergency on Planet Earth’ or ‘Dream on Dreamer’. Most of these are straightforward pop songs garnished with a sprinkle of jazzy trumpet or violin and delivered by Helena Cutter’s sensual and quintessentially Rio de Janeiro voice, which floats effortlessly through the catchy verses and choruses and over the staccato rhythms.
The title track is typical – opening with rhythm guitar and keyboards reminiscent of Los Amigos Invisibles before drifting into a predictable but pleasant round of verses and choruses over a danceable backdrop. Tracks like ‘Na Estrada’ are written to the same formula, whilst ‘Angel y Demonio’ and ‘Ouvindo Orixas’ are sung in Spanish and with their homages to DLG style salsa rap and trip hop are presumably aimed at the Latin club scene.
This is the band’s first release. Although it is largely a pot pourri of the cool and sellable, tracks like ‘Dicionário’ and ‘Schultznietsin is Down’ suggest that Acid X have the potential to develop into an exciting band; perhaps the first to fuse tight jazz funk with the smooth contemporary Rio sound typified by Marisa Monte. Even if they fail to do so they deserve to bebought in large quantities.
Author: AlexRobinson
