Milton Nascimento’s two most intimate albums are reviewed in the special edition of Rolling Stone 80 years of Brazilian music
Hunter of Me (1981) is a contradictory work in the discography ofMilton Nascimento. At the same time that it is politicized, engaged with the social, it also sounds self-centered, nostalgic. Even if some arrangements refer to the usual experimentalism and complexity, other songs carry the typical timbres of popular hits.
Starting with the title track. Originally written for the 14 bis by the bassist Sergio Magrão with Luiz Carlos Sa (from the duo Sa and Guarabyra), “Hunter of Me” brings reflections of hard sincerity, with which milton identified himself immediately. Back in Minas Gerais and about to turn 40, he was looking for answers to his life choices, looking inside himself and drawing conclusions.
Entering the 1980s certainly inspired changes in the music of Milton. The typical sound of the time, taken by synthesizers and “radio-friendly” arrangements, contributed to a shift in the structures of the compositions, previously so dependent on acoustic instrumentation and organic sounds. if Sentinel (1980)was already favorable to new experiences, hunter of me marked the definitive entry into the new era.
The participation of New clothes as a support band contributed to such modernization. Offering a welcome pop accent to two tracks, the group (whose name was inspired by a song by Milton) delivers everything on the other hit on the record, the anthem “At the Balls of Life”. the lyrics of Fernando Brant – one of the very rare ones for which milton asked for modifications – describes the comings, goings and experiences of the fearless artist who was never shy about going where the people are. Irresistível, the song was the third most heard in Brazil at the end of 1981, giving milton a much-deserved radio hit.
On the other handHunter of Me also echoes the national zeitgeist, with the loosening of the military dictatorship that would consolidate the return of democracy in 1984. “Brazilian news” It is“Civil Heart” would risk censorship if released years earlier; this time, they passed. already the dense ones “Friend love” It is “Life”, supported by beautiful orchestral arrangements, reinforce that the complex and profound artist as always was intact. Are many miltons gifts in hunter of me,and they all seem to make sense. The hunter himself had found himself.
Angelus (1994)
For their twenty-fifth album, Milton Nascimento was willing to carry out a remarkable work worthy of the occasion. Among so many possibilities, the choice was for evoking the spirit of what is considered his most iconic project, the Clube da Esquina. But as the globalized artist he had become, Bituca he even had the privilege of “snubbing” old friends and summoning international partners for the new venture.
“Many people asked me to record an album called Clube da Esquina 3. I always answered that this album already exists and it is Angelus”, he told Rolling Stone Brasil, in 2011.
Really, the essence of the famous club is in the album, in the form of meetings between souls as different as they are talented, in the way that only milton can make it possible.
AND Bituca paint and embroider on angelus. He does jon andersono, do yessing with an accent in “starry”. Beside James Taylor, performs a bilingual duet on “Only a Dream in Rio”. invites Peter Gabriel to face Portuguese in “Anything to Do with Paradise”. brings Wayne Shorter for inspired soups in “Six o’clock in the afternoon” It is “In general”. And there’s still time to celebrate the eternal inspiration of Beatlesin a curious reading of “Hello, Goodbye”.
And there is no shortage of re-recordings, a typical feature of their discography. “Vera Cruz” is performed by an incomparable quartet: Pat Metheny (guitar), Ron Carter (low), Jack DeJohnette (battery) and Herbie Hancock (piano). The dream team formation is repeated in jazz “Novena”. Another return to origins is the presence of Marcio Borgeswhose lyrics illustrate four songs – one of them, the originally instrumental Clube da Esquina Nº2the first time milton dares to record it in the studio. The result is a very particular version of the most famous melody he composed with Lo Borges, the main member of the club.
“It’s an album that is total world music. It started to be recorded on a farm, in the countryside in Minas Gerais, and was finished in New York, with jazz musicians, pop musicians (…), which, for me, is a
‘corner club’”, joked miltonwho further explained the title of what he considers his favorite record:
“[Na fé católica,] angelus is the time I was born, six o’clock in the afternoon – which, by the way, is the name of the first song on the record”.
80 years of music
The reviews of Hunter of Me and Angelus are present in Special 80 Years of Music, an exclusive edition of Rolling Stone Brazil dedicated to 1942 generationwhich gathers essential names of MPB, such as Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Paulinho da Viola and the own Milton Nascimento, as well as a global overview of those born this year. The printed special is already on newsstands and digital newsstands. Click here to learn more.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
