Reviews: Rodrigo Amarante – Cavalo

The feel of this album is enchanting and ethereal. Portrayed through several songs being sung in Portuguese, it is also present in the richness and vibrancy of Amarante’s songwriting. “Hourglass” is dynamic with a maraca beat and reverb vocals in a Beck style, while “Cavalo” seeps with somber piano and sparse, spoken lyrics. Amarante was recently featured on a La Blogothèque “Take Away Show,” in which he sings and strums his guitar walking along the street, a cigarette hanging delicately out of his mouth. Through this acoustic medium, you can watch the vulnerability and honesty that makes his music so gratifying. –Kia McGinnis