📣 News Sergio Mendes - In The Key Of Joy - Japan Advance Release

I'm more excited for the documentary than the album.... the last Sergio album I really listened to over and over was "Encanto." But, this will be one to check out for sure - it's cool to see him writing more of the songs.

In news articles, why are new albums now "dropped?" I liked when they were "released" better.

Although a lot of current music is more like droppings.
 
I think the word "dropped" developed in the digital age when an artist would simply "drop" a new title onto their website unannounced as a surprise to their followers. I'm not much of a fan of the terminology either.
 
Yeah, "dropped" needs to go. Only dog turds get "dropped."
 
The US version is coming February 28, 2020, available in vinyl, CD and download versions. Details:

Album Overview
In The Key Of Joy is the first new album from Sergio Mendes in 5 years. It features an array of guests artists that join him in creating an album with the forward leaning sound that has come to define his music. Guest artists include Common, Cali y El Dandee, Buddy, Hermeto Pascoal, Roge, Guinga, Sheléa, Sugar Joans, Gracinha Leporace and Joe Pizzulo.

The album accompanies the documentary by the same name, which is a joyful cinematic celebration of this singular musical artist who remains as vital and relevant today as when he exploded on the scene with his group, Brasil ’66. The documentary is set to premiere in Spring 2020.

The deluxe edition of the album features some of his greatest hits and serves as the official soundtrack to the documentary. It features classic songs by Sergio Mendes such as Mas Que Nada, Never Gonna Let You Go, Fanfarra - Cabua-Le-Le and many more.

TRACK LIST:
Track Listing (Disc 1/Standard Edition)
  1. Sabor Do Rio ft. Common (4:12)
  2. Bora Lá ft. Rogê and Gracinha Leporace (3:21)
  3. La Noche Entera ft. Cali y El Dandee (2:54)
  4. Samba In Heaven ft. Sugar Joans (3:56)
  5. Muganga ft. Gracinha Leporace (4:13)
  6. In The Key Of Joy ft. Buddy (3:14)
  7. Love Came Between Us ft. Joe Pizzulo (4:16)
  8. Catch The Wave ft. Sheléa (3:12)
  9. Romance In Copacabana (2:57)
  10. This Is It (É Isso) ft. Hermeto Pascoal and Gracinha Leporace (2:56)
  11. Times Goes By ft. Sheléa (4:27)
  12. Tangara ft. Gracinha Leporace and Guinga (3:59)
Official Soundtrack (Disc 2/Deluxe Edition)
  1. Mas Que Nada (2:39)
  2. Agua De Beber ft. will.i.am (4:03)
  3. Primitivo (3:57)
  4. Lamento (No Morro) ft. Maogani Quartet (3:21)
  5. Pais Tropical (3:13)
  6. Reza (4:52)
  7. Consolacao (3:18)
  8. Going Out Of My Head (3:04)
  9. The Frog (2:46)
  10. Morro Velho (4:35)
  11. The Look of Love (2:46)
  12. Constant Rain (3:16)
  13. So Many Stars (4:31)
  14. Tonga (A Tonga Da Mironga Do Kabulete) (3:26)
  15. Never Gonna Let You Go (4:16)
  16. Fanfarra – Cabua-Le-Le (4:01)
 
It all sounds very intriguing. I don't know most of the guest artists.
Disc #2 is not the usual compilation and has some nice some offbeat choices.
 
Disc #2 is not the usual compilation and has some nice some offbeat choices.
I am wondering if these are the original recordings, or which versions they may end up being. If it's from a documentary, I would suspect it is original versions if nothing else is noted. Although I would have hoped to get a sample or two of his earliest tracks (my favorite Mendes era) in the documentary, but licensing could have been an issue.
 
I received mine yesterday. I am being a goober and waiting until Christmas to open it. I thought more people would have listened to it by now. I did see that "In the Key of Joy" song is available on itunes right now.
 
I almost never listen to "advance singles." I prefer to play the whole album. I pre-ordered mine from the "Sergio store" in order to get a signed copy (since the chance of meeting him in person is about zilch) so I'll just wait to hear it until it arrives.
 
I could not resist and took a preview listen of "The Key of Joy" single.
Alas, it's obnoxious rap over a lovely melody. 😖
 
A lot of the songs on the new album are "happy", which makes sense I guess for an album "in the key of joy". Like his recent past albums, there are a number of guest artists taking the leads. Joe Pizzulo even gets a track here.
 
My main problem with the album is that many of the songs have a dull sameness to them: "Sabor Do Rio" and "In the Key of Joy" with the by-now-inevitable and generic rap (both feature similar "we're in Brazil and this is where the party at" blather) are almost interchangeable, ditto "Samba in Heaven" and "Catch the Wave" with sound-alike vocalists Sugar Jones and Shelea. I'm stunned by how little Gracinha has to do, supplying just wordless vocalise to "This Is It" and "Tangara" (which sounds just like something else from an earlier Sergio album but I can't place it) a bright, too-brief vocal break in "Sabor Do Rio", and only gets a lead on "Muganga" (unsurprisingly, it's the album one bright spot with as nifty quote from "Nana"). Joes ballad comes as something as a relief, but its no "Never Gonna Let You Go" or "Alabis". The instrumental "Romance in Copacabana" and Shelea's "Time Goes By" are strictly filler. The contrast with a selection of classic mostly A&M cuts* on the 'Deluxe' edition only emphasize how forgettable most of "In The Key of Joy" is. I was hoping for another "Encanto" or "Bom Tempo", but for me "The Key of Joy" is the most disappointing Sergio album since "Timeless".

*I confess I did not know the version of "Reza" on the deluxe disc (It's not the Brasil '65 version with Wanda de Sah).
 
Sorry, guys - I''ve given it multiple listens, and tried to warm to it....but "The Key of Joy" is the most disappointing Sergio album since "Timeless".
Sadly I feel the same about anything past the original Brasil '66 albums...I've heard some of them for decades and just can't warm to them. I used to like Brasil '86 quite a bit but even that one, today, I can't listen to for more than two tracks and I have to turn it off. It's not that it's bad music--it's just that they are not my style. My favorites are still the pre-Brasil '66 records along with the first three Brasil '66. I really enjoy his jazz/Bossa Nova side, and that is something he left behind back in the mid 60s. Speaking of Brasil '65, that is probably the album I have played the most over the past several years. It's near perfection.
 
I made a Sergio compilation a few years ago which consisted of tracks from most of his albums starting with Brasileiro up through Encanto. I like listening to it better than any of those albums.

My favorite Sergio era is from Fool on the Hill through Primal Roots. My second-favorite era is the first three A&M albums. I've only heard a few of his earlier LPs but none of what I've heard grabs me like his A&M output did.

The first album of his I heard was Stillness, and I worked forward and backward from there. My overall favorite is Stillness, but for me there is something to love in every one of his A&M albums. I seem remember him saying in at least one interview that he might make another album like Primal Roots someday... I would love to see that album.

I do wish he would get off the "dance music" kick and go back to what he does best. But, he's been stuck in the same groove for about five albums now. I never have gotten completely through Magic without going to something else.

I used to like Brasil '86 quite a bit but even that one, today, I can't listen to for more than two tracks and I have to turn it off. It's not that it's bad music--it's just that they are not my style.

I feel the same. I like the tracks that sound "Brasilian" but the ones that sound like standard '80s pop (such as anything with Joe Pizzulo on vocals) are the most forgettable. The one Pizzulo exception is his song "Real Life," I really like that track even though it sounds nothing like I expect a Sergio Mendes record to sound!
 
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I feel the same. I like the tracks that sound "Brasilian" but the ones that sound like standard '80s pop (such as anything with Joe Pizzulo on vocals) are the most forgettable.
I have many notable exceptions, but lately I am more into acoustic music with minimal synthesizers, or no synths at all. The synths really date an album, as certain synthesizer brands, models and sounds were popular during different eras. The best of the synth bands actually don't sound very dated even decades later, but for too many it's like "flavor of the year" and it instantly pins a song to its decade.

I know it's not a popular album, and Sarah Vaughn's voice is pretty much shot by this point, but her album Brazilian Romance produced by Sergio really doesn't sound dated to me either, and that one has been a favorite of mine for the production and the arrangements. Sergio plays on the tracks and his synth sound is more like a singular instrument (at times, it sounds similar to a Rhodes) as opposed to the screaming wall of synths on the opening tune "Daylight" from Brasil '86.

Even though it's not my type of music, I do give Sergio tons of credit for still making music, and getting out there and having a blast doing it. He's found his muse in recent decades, and still enjoys making the music, so more power to him!
 
 
Info : Brazilian Romance /Sara Vaughan produced by Sergio Mendes Above mentioned track listing info is in the Dutch Language. Sergio didn’t played keyboards on this album. Dori Caymmi arrangerend the strings. So many stars ( by Sergio Mendes with Marilyn and Alan Bergmann) is one of the the highlights of the album
 
I was hoping for another "Encanto" or "Bom Tempo", but for me "The Key of Joy" is the most disappointing Sergio album since "Timeless".
I heard about 30 seconds of the pre-release single for the US release--so forgettable I can't even remember the name of it. Did absolutely nothing for me--just not my cuppa tea, I'm afraid. Hard pass on this one.
 
Re: Brazilian Romance. Sassy and Sergio evidently butted heads during the recording, from what I've read.
 
Re: Brazilian Romance. Sassy and Sergio evidently butted heads during the recording, from what I've read.
Same here. A shame, too, since it was a nice little album, despite Vaughan's failing voice.
 
I heard about 30 seconds of the pre-release single for the US release--so forgettable I can't even remember the name of it. Did absolutely nothing for me--just not my cuppa tea, I'm afraid. Hard pass on this one.
Admittedly I'm way more excited for the documentary than I am about this album. (also the Herb doc.)
 
I see no information on the web as to where or when this documentary will play. The album is supposed to be out as of yesterday in the States. I've had it since last year and have played it through a couple of times. I don't dislike it as much as some of you seem to. As I states earlier, it's a happy-sounding album. Nothing wrong with that. I like "happy".
 
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