Sergio Mendes TIMELESS: Comments and poll

What is your favorite song on TIMELESS?

  • Mas Que Nada (Mah-sh Keh Nah-da)

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • That Heat

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Berimbau/Consolacao (Beh-rim-bao/Con-soh-lah-soun)

    Votes: 10 41.7%
  • The Frog

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • Let Me

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Bananeira (Bah-nah-nay-rah) (Banana Tree)

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • Surfboard

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Please Baby Don't

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • Samba Da Bencao (Samba Of The Blessing)

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • Timeless

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • Loose Ends

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fo’-Hop (Por Tras de Bras de Pina)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lamento (No Morro)

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • E Menina (Hey Girl)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, Yes Y'All

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    24
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That's the highest number I'ver heard of. I saw it at #44 once.

Also - Sergio is at #65 in next week's Billboard.
 
A DJ friend of mine has the "Advanced Copy" of Timeless, and it was not censored.

"Loose Ends" does have a swear word in it. (the one that starts with an "F")

It really doesn't matter to me, but it is interesting that someone "out there" thought it should be censored.

Any guesses?
 
If I was to venture a guess, I would guess that the Starbucks people didn't want to sell a CD with a "PARENTAL ADVISORY" sticker on it. And Sergio agreed with them.
 
I haven't been around here in a LONG time, but since I just sampled Sergio's new disc at Border's I just HAD to come back and let it fly. THIS THING IS HORRIBLE!!! That will.i.am guy $#!^s all over every song on here it seems. This was a bad experiment. The only thing with ANY redeeming value is the John Legend song, which is awesome and the most "Sergio" thing on here. What a disgrace to Bossa Nova, these idiots with their wack raps. People think you toss some dude rapping over something other than a drum loop and it's groundbreaking. Bah! What will we get next, Eminem doing a collab with Bebel Gilberto and stinking up her beautiful music??? I really wanted to love this too. I even like some Black Eyed Peas tunes, but there is barely anything here I can take. There's not much of any collaboration on here either. How could there be? Bossa Rap blows. Hell, you can bust a mic over a metronome if you had to.
 
Dude... If you think the John Legend song is the most Sergio-ish thing on the disk, then you clearly have NOT listened to the whole thing or even every track. Go to amazon.com and sample the song "Berimbau/Consolacao." That's for starters. If you listen to the WHOLE disk you'll find more to like... if you listen to the whole disk.

Before you think I'm defending this album unabashedly -- is it a favorite of mine? Not by a longshot. But, some songs have wormed their way into my mental beat-box and won't get out. Songs I didn't necessarily like at first. If I'd dismissed this album after one listen or a cursory skip-a-round, I would have missed out on some excellent hooks. (Same thing with Herb A.'s REWHIPPED album.)

We are very tolerant of people not liking the music but you have to be fair. Skipping around the disk at a store isn't exactly fair to the music.

(That will.i.am guy only raps on about half of the songs.)
 
Despite the Will.I.Am-Overkill (Yes, I think some of the tracks could've just been done by just their respective artists, but the Black-Eyed Peas guy was really just acting as "co-producer"...) I even think this is a good effort... It was well-worth whatever went into this and despite Sergio and will.i.am prominately both photographed on the back, there is a lot of the other "guest artists" heard as well...

I hope if there is ever a follow-up, though it will be more like the "old-stuff", but a "Volume 2" LIKE this one, done the way this one is done wouldn't be bad, either; It might actually be improved...!

**** 1/2 for the "Kiddie-Set",

**** for the "Old-Timers", like me! :goofygrin:


Dave
 
Cotton66 said:

I just sampled Sergio's new disc at Border's I just HAD to come back and let it fly. THIS THING IS HORRIBLE!!!

I feel that you should really give this CD a second listen. Go back to Border's and listen to Track 3 (Berimbau / Consolacao). Go listen to E Menina and/or Timeless. There are some true gems on this CD!
 
I will take all your advice and give it another shot. But, usually with me, I'll know I'll dig something within the first few notes. That's how it was the first time I heard my first Brasil 66 song Pretty World on a crappy am radio. Also, the same with Bebel, Moorcheba, and many others.
 
Is there a plan to formally release any singles from it?

I know that there is a 12" promo that has "That Heat" on one side and "The Frog" on the other. There's also a "Yes, Yes, Y'All" CD promo single, too... But really no singles to buy...

I guess my question is also: Are singles obsolete with all the downloads that are available today?
 
Are singles obsolete with all the downloads that are available today?
Not quite, but almost. You can still buy a lot of singles, but they are in such limited release and barely stocked by stores anymore, and their sales are only a small part of the picture provided by the Billboard charts.
 
Not exactly a review, but here's the description of TIMELESS from our friends at Dusty Groove:

A new record by the legendary Sergio Mendes -- bursting into the 21st century on a catchy wave of Will I Am production -- reworking gems from the Brazilian songbook and more with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, India Arie, Black Thought, Chali 2Na, Marcelo D2, John Legend and others! Will I Am has been annoying hip hop purists for years thanks to the relentless candy-coated pop gloss of recent Black Eyed Peas records -- but he brings an intelligent, reverent and educated approach to the Brazilian keys legend Sergio Mendes -- whose familiar grooves are a lovely accomplice to the sparkling hip hop/pop background. The guest stars seem to be here out of genuine love of the music -- and provide far more graceful appearances than we would have expected! A very sweet surprise with bright, warm, and lovely moments -- almost good enough for us to forgive Will I Am for "My Humps"! Tracks include "Mas Que Nada" feat Black Eyed Peas, "Berimbau/Consolacao" feat Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace, "That Heat" feat Erykah Badu & Will I Am, "Let Me" feat Jill Scott & Will I Am, "Please Baby Don't" feat John Legend, "Samba Da Bencao" feat Marcelo D2, "Yes, Yes, Y'All" feat Black Thought, Chali 2Na & others and much more!

Harry
 
Just got my hands on it: it came out on Monday, but I was hill-walking in a part of the UK not famed for cutting edge record shops. Will this be a cutting-edge CD? These are my realtime/first listening thoughts. Here we go:

Mas Que Nada: Gracinha's vocals are nice, but not as yeasty as I'd like. Piano strangely underplayed. Quite nice, though. Thank God it wasn't a more straight-forward rehash of the blessed original.

That Heat: I wonder what this would sound like to someone who wasn't au fait with the 1966 original? Nice, mellow, but the rapping is beginning to get on my titties, and this is only track 2! Never thought Lani could sound sexier, but in isolation she's on fire!

Berimbau/Consolacao: Quite a winner. The piano track just always sounds so urgent. There are little flicks of 70's organ that put me in mind of "If I Ever Get to Heaven". I swoon when Gracinha sings "La la lahia", but SWonder might have stayed at home for the intrusive melody-faithful harmonica. Anyone coulda done that. Isn't his wandering harmonica minstrel act getting to be a bit of a joke?

The Frog: Again, nice 70's organ, but the orchestral original wins hands down. I like QTip chiming in on the naturalistic chant, but he can save the rapping any day as far as I'm concerned. Some of these tracks just cut out too pertly for my liking.

Let Me: This reminds me I'd rather hear more of Sergio's virtuoso keyboards more to the fore in the mix. Unsure about JillScott's vocals. Had Lani been on board I'd only be moaning that there wasn't enough of her, so I (or Sergio) -- my fault -- can't really win. I love the cosy electric piano doodlings: memories of the Bell years, especially "Don't Let Me Be Lonesome Tonight". OY! Those were the days.

Bananeira: I dreaded this track, but it's not the "fat English girls on holiday in Majorca dancing to the Macarena" I feared. Still, passed me largely by.

Surfboard: Oh, I LOVE this: it's got a lovely, clipped "For Me" piano vibe, and I even approve (lol) of the chanting. Meanwhile, I'd invite william to shut up, already! Nice horns.

Please Baby Don't: Exactly! Don't! Bar band arrangement, unwelcome smoky vocals and hokey lyrics.

Samba da Bencao: Pleasant enough but nothing you wouldn't piece together from Suba's cutting room floor.

Timeless: Pele-ish intro. Cute. Ooh, I love India Arie's voice (maybe the first time I've ever heard her? Is she the stately dame with the turbans)? This is a grower, but if innovation was the key driving force here, its loveliness is based, for me, on citations from past Mendes.

Loose Ends: It's nothing to do with the fact that I fancy JTimberlake, but this has lots going for it: scatty vocals, So Many Stars orchestrations and Mendes' timeless/retro keyboard meanderings. I LOVE this song!

Fo'Hop: Wouldn't sound out of place on Brailiero, and thank God they held back on the goddamn whistle-blowing which has a very delicate place in Samba. Thankfully, not here.

Lamento: I love when Sergio counts in in Portuguese. I think this is the first time since Where Is The Love. There's lots of Agua de Beber in the guitar solo, but this just wanders away over a hill somewhere. I wonder what it was supposed to be? Still, Gracinha's providing some very nice La La laia's...

E Meninha: You see, I'm getting worried now, because I think, if you're going to inject something all-new, you'd better be consistent. This could come from Allegria. Fair enough, but ...

Yes, Yes, Y'all: Again, saved by the electric piano. Who'd have thought this 70's sound would have stuck with Sergio over the purer 60's acoustic keyboard. Hmm...

Well, overidingly quite disappointing on first listening, but then what did I want? Brasil 66 with a more pronounced electronic beat? I'm unashamedly pining for Lani and big orchestras, which is unfair on Sergio: LOVED the keyboards (have to forage around to hear them, though) and Gracinha's solos. HATED the rap-yammering. I actually like rap, and Luniz' "I've Got 5 On It" and Bones Thigs and Harmonies' "Crosroads" are among my Desert Island Disks. But it doesn't work for me here, if only for total volume (as in quantity).

Maybe next time I listen (probably in about 2 minutes) I'll focus on the bits I love most! Or maybe I'll essay a listening which embraces the album as a homogenous whole. Whatever.

Particularly disappointing are Berimbau and the Frog: a) because the originals are so precious to me; b) because they were singled out for rave reviews by so many fans.

5/10
 
I retract: I'm looking fopr big Claudio Slon drums, hard percussion, female duo vocals, Oscar's gee-tar, loads of up-front piano licks and Sebastiao on bass. That's me! Living in a bubble! But I want Sergio to have a combo again, and I'm deeply mistrustful of male vocals (Sergio's alone will do, though: we've learned to live through those tracks!) Ay!
 
I think the reason so many people like Berimbau (myself included) is it evokes the classic Sergio sound which we all love, the best.

I do agree with you that Stevie Wonder's harmonica is a bit much, but I still like it.

Gracinha's vocals are nice, but not as yeasty as I'd like.
What the heck is "yeasty?"
 
Ya know? Like, erm, yeast! :laugh:
After various further listenings, this is definitely a 7/10. Just too much rap, not enough singin'...
 
"Yeasty", eh?! I sure almost got an "infection" looking for the Post where the comment came from...! :blinkeye: :laugh:


Dave
 
Like, erm, yeast!
So, like, what? Rising? Fermenting? Bubbling? Dough-y? Powdery? Contained in a little paper bag?

I've heard Herb A.'s voice described as "reedy" and "thin," and Burt Bacharach's as "rumbling" or "gravelly" or "rumpled" and those all fit, but "yeasty" is just uhhhh.....
 
God, I LOVE this album. What a grower... must be the yeast! :laugh:
I think, chronologically, it's my fave Sergio output since "The New Brasil 77"! I'm inspird to get out the handful of albums by other albums I've sidelined since a disappointing first run-through. "Timeless" throws out more and more fragrant details I'd missed every time!
I wonder whether it might have been a good idea to include, as a bonus, originals of covers/sampled stuff at the end of this album: Slow Hot Wind, So Many Stars, The Frog, Berimbau for any new comers who might want to delve into the back catalogue. It's just a minor recurring nightmare, but the thought of someone who is discovering Sergio for the first time heading down to the record store and coming out with "Magic Lady"!!
 
You're a braver man that I, Chris.

I tried very, very hard to like it, and listened to it repeatedly for several weeks.

But my initial feelings about it are the ones that kept coming back to me: Too much rap. Too much Will.I.Am. Not nearly enough Gracinha. And India and Jill Scott are weak sisters next to the fierce Sergio Divas we all know and love.

I folded "Berimbau" into a downloaded mix of classic "Sergio n' Friends" on my PC and put TIMELESS on the shelf. And that's where it's been, undisturbed, for the past month.

I support Sergio in everything he does, but I gotta admit - TIMELESS is a mammoth dissapointment to someone that has waited nearly ten years for a new Sergio album. I was hoping for another HORIZONTE ABERTO. Maybe I'd be more indulgent if I knew that new album would be available "same time, next year". But geez, given Sergio's lack of interest in getting back to the recording studio coupled with the fact that this album (intended to be a Santana-like cross over hit) pretty much bombed on the charts --- well, who the hayll knows when we'll see a NEW Sergio CD?
 
It'll be interesting to see if the NPR interview last Friday generates any chart activity.
 
I folded "Berimbau" into a downloaded mix of classic "Sergio n' Friends" on my PC
That's sort of what I did. I put that song + "That Heat" onto a compilation I made of various Brazilian music I have. Pretty nice disk. I haven't listened to TIMELESS in its entirety since. I probably will someday, but it's just not what I'm wanting to hear right now.

this album (intended to be a Santana-like cross over hit) pretty much bombed on the charts

It made the top 50, so it's not really a bomb per se. Many people more "popular" than Sergio have released new albums and haven't made the big chart at all. (Herb Alpert comes to mind!)
 
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