For her second studio album, Bebel Gilberto largely forgoes the electronic tinges of TANTO TIEMPO, in favor of a more straight-ahead bossa nova sound that often evokes the music of her father, the legendary vocalist/guitarist Joao Gilberto. On the breezy opener, "Baby," Gilberto lovingly adopts some of the vocal mannerisms of the song's writer, the renowned Brazilian troubadour Caetano Veloso, while gentle acoustic guitar guides the tune along. The majority of these songs, however, are penned (at least in part) by Gilberto herself. "Simplesmente" casts a dreamy keyboard-laden spell, while "O Caminho" is a melancholy, piano-driven number. Throughout the album, the focus remains on Gilberto's gorgeously smooth voice as she sings in both Portugese and English. BEBEL GILBERTO finds the vocalist easing even more comfortably into her family's musical heritage, and the result is a relaxed, confident set of songs.
