Reviews (page 2 of 8)
naja. nicht schlecht, aber ist einfach nicht wirklich meine Musik. Zwei Sterne & damit ist dit Ding jud bezahlt!
i usually quite enjoy bossa nova but this album wasn't for me
"Every parade has the right to exist" – Curtis Sliwa
I think the right word to describe this album is "lovely." I wish it were "good."
chill maar niet heel bijzonder
hoeveel bossa nova moet ik nog aanhoren totdat het klaar is
Listened twice through. Would listen again. Potentially for a couple of hours. Hardly notice the loop but not upset when I do. Very pleasant music I will cook dinner in an apron with a glass of wine.
I wanted to like this, as I've liked the other samba albums on the list, but I just couldn't get into this one.
chill
55
Twee Latin nonsense. Lowest point is ‘A Banda’ in which we just list types of parades.
This was one of those entries that seems to be entirely out of place on this list - it’s fine, but it is hardly remarkable. More than once I felt like I was in an elevator. The duet with the little girl was odd. I’ll never listen to this again, but if was tolerable at least. And short.
70s twiddly instruments and wavery flat vocal nonsense. Parade (A Banda) is bonkers. Then she absolutely murdered one of my favourite Lovin Spoonful songs with her annoying child's accompaniment and my dislike crossed over into hatred. At least it's short. 1/5
Lovely voice, and points for singing in at least two languages (if not more). Thanks for confirming my Duo lessons weren’t wasted, as I understood more lyrics in Tu Mi Delirio than I anticipated. It’s good, but it’s still jazz.
Apologies to Ron Burgundy, but that was too much jazz flute.
etwas belanglos
Brazilian jazz is over represented in this list. Average album at best.
Love this bigass band! Love a woodwind
inoffensive, except for the way the woman on the cover is staring at me. I feel like if I don't give this at least a 4 star she'll commit mass acts of violence
This lobotomized me
Glorious summer sambas, perfect soundtrack for today's high of 36 in London
I enjoyed this album. Except for the whack ass parade song and the one with the kid singing for no reason. The other ones were a total vibe that I could definitely imagine myself listening to on the beach. 3 - 3.5/5
I assume this is a solid samba album. This the type of stuff my mother in law puts on while she cooks. Good, definitely not revisiting.
I really liked this one. Reminded me of Laufey
I would be incredulous if someone were to have strong negative feelings about it. I definitely feel like I should be in the deep shade next to a pool and practicing the local language while I'm listening to this. This was fun and cute, but not especially notable to me. Her smooth voice puts me at ease, which earns the album an extra star from me ⭐⭐⭐
Ugh. Harry Belafonte didn't make the list, but this did?!
low 3.5. Simples demais, e pra mim tem uma diferença gritante entre ouvir Astrud interpretando em inglês e em português. Provavelmente nos álbuns posteriores isso melhore, mas nesse parece que ela tem uma trava no inglês em algumas músicas.
Nice background music
Haha first Bossa Nova album ive enjoyed
A cool mellow album.
Not really my thing but nice enough 🤷♂️
Fun album, but not a must listen in my opinion.
Best bossa nova I've heard yet, full of energy and rhythm
This really won me over, it's sunny and catchy and it feels less detached than a lot of the other 60s bossa nova I've heard
Was very chill, this.
Mm. Okay I guess
I think we, as a society, have moved on from needing this kind of milquetoast, inoffensive type of album where someone sings pleasant background music with the du jour international stylings. We don't have to do this anymore. There's nothing wrong with this album, but there isn't much right, either. One thing that is right: 27 minutes. Thank you, Astrud, for losing interest as quickly as everyone else was going to.
It is a bit insipid and not really inspiring at all. Nothing really stood out and I cannot see myself wanting to listen to this again. ba ba ba ba ba dum ba dum, ba ba ba ba ba dum ba dum....2 stars
It’s no Girl From Ipanema… Bossa Nova is fine background music but it is so dated at this point that it is hard to listen to a full album of it as an enjoyable statement. She has a good voice and nothing was unpleasant, but that is where it stopped “pleasant.”
This album is raw and a bit repetitive. It’s not her best work, but it still has a certain charm. While listening I felt a mix of soft folk and happy love songs that try to show how beautiful life and love can be. The problem is that she does it in a very similar way across most of the record. The mood stays gentle and romantic the whole time, which makes the songs start to blend together after a while. The production is light and the atmosphere is pleasant, but it lacks variety. “The Face I Love” stood out for me as the strongest moment. Overall it’s a nice, soft album if you’re in the mood for classic bossa nova, but nothing particularly special.
Brazil
I'll stick with Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
560/1089 - Well here's a way for Marcos Valle to kinda be on the list with some guitar-work and one of his songs. I still wish a few Marcos Valle albums were on this list for both a 60s Bossa Nova album like O Compositor e o Cantor and his more Funky-Yacht Rock 70s and 80s stuff like Estrelar or Previsão Do Tempo (or my personal favorite Vontade de Rever Você). For this album, it sounds exactly like the title suggests. She has a very flat and consistent vocal delivery which allows the background parts to shine but doesn't work well when the songs are on the simpler side.
Elevator music but kind've in a good way?? I would be pleased to hear this in an elevator. Weird. Interesting. But again, what do the Portuguese have on these critics to be so insanely overrepresented?? Surely Portugal did not have that massive of an impact on the global music scene?? Or maybe they did who knows dude, who knows. This is nice. This is weird. It's just kinda unremarkable. Like it truly is background elevator music. Designed to be as mind numbing as possible. But kinda in a good way. What the fuck. I start to enjoy it then she just starts singing some bullshit dude. Favourite: Nao Bate O Coracao Least favourite: Parade
Sweet.
The Good: A girl from Ipanema!! The Bad: No Ipanema here… The Ugly: Astrud… really??? A couple of days ago I had her daughter show up… it was not an enjoyable experience. I had hoped this would’ve been what I’d like to listen to, which is BosaNova being sung in it’s native language.. cahrioca! This album… the same… The other day I saw an interview with Billy Joel, in which he mentioned that, it seems, his lyrics are chewy. He explains that it isn’t the meaning of the word that is important, it is the sound… I agree, and this is why I hate it when “world music” gets an anglo saxon make-over. It’s like a French chansonier (however I should spell that) having his song translated so that some current pop-star can get a million likes on instagram… Anyway, this album was not fun to listen to… I wish I could’ve had a “samba” album sung in localeze… 2*
I really like her voice and this kind if music. It can get repetitive but so can a great steak.
Samba en el la playa si senor muchshchos
Meh
Yes!
This was very good, but Parade and You Don't Have to Be So Nice kind of dragged this down for me. 3.0/5.0: Good
it was an enjoyable listen. though she has a beautiful voice most of this album passed over me and didnt leave much of an impression
Great album! Honestly, I didn't quite expect it to sound like that, but it was a nice surprise! It is influenced by a lot of jazz. Overall it's a pretty good album!
Its' a vibey one for sure. Don't think it's any close to the Gilberto and Getz record, but I could put this on any day and have a good time. Low 4
Chill and easy album!
Delightful and inoffensive
I liked Astrud's feature on Getz/Gilberto so I was excited to hear her solo album. Upon seeing that the album was called 'Beach Samba', I knew it was going to be a vibe. I really enjoyed this. It has such a lightness to it and she has a lovely voice. Funnily, this album really reminded me of this song from the Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated: https://youtu.be/Aj_ZAbwoO_s?si=XltiqXzsykBd-znr [It's a great show btw - probably the coolest iteration of Scooby Doo]
Such a vibe
The Parade song almost made me want to give this a 3. But Astruds voice to me is just so soothing. If I smoked cigarettes, this is what Id smoke em to. I guess a jazz cigarette will have to do (as I sit here on my front doorstep with a J, listening to the first song for the 2nd time today at 10:55 (really trying to set the scene here)). This album hits harder as the J becomes shorter honestly. Subtle yet sophisticated backing instrumentation that also adds a lot, really secures and holds down that 60s feel that this album bleeds. Really interesting that Im starting to really notice particular sounds and traits that attach themselves to each different decade, and how certain artists bend those traits and do things way outside the box. Astrud doesn't do this.. but artists like the Stone Roses or Queen come to mind. Im a sucker for samba...
Weird. But cool? Felt like a Wes Anderson movie or lobby of a tropical resort.
All the samba/bossa nova albums really bleed together in this list. This one stands out for a couple particularly repetitive songs ("Parade") and not much else.
Simplemente 11/10
Soothing and comfortable, mostly straightforward in its style but still a good way for one's ears to spend their time
I have never heard of anyone liking parades this much!
Very vibey, and would never mind having on in the summer.
Album #149: Astrud Gilberto – Beach Samba ⭐⭐ Like Peter Pan playing in a lounge bar. I knew we were in trouble with the title. I’m not a big fan of beaches, I’m not a big fan of samba, or Bossa Nova or Latin-adjacent music in general, as I’ve really discovered while going through this list. (However, Palo Congo by Sabu Martinez is a five-star album for me, and one of the most underrated discoveries I’ve made from the generator.) I’d never heard of Astrud Gilberto, and I’d never heard this album before, so it was a completely new discovery for me, which is always a positive. But I didn’t enjoy it. It’s just not for me. I do think there are some lovely passages of music throughout, as opposed to songs. There’s some beautiful orchestration, lots of swelling strings, and I think the drums sound great. For those little moments alone, this album is complete sample gold. If it hasn’t already been sampled by sample-based artists, it really should be, because there’s so much material here. I loved all those little moments. But is it just me, or is her singing style really monotonous? She has a nice voice for this style of music, don’t get me wrong, but every vocal melody feels the same. Every verse seems to have the same phrasing, the same number of syllables, and after a while it all just melts into monotony. I listened to the original 27-minute version listed on Wikipedia rather than the Spotify version, and honestly, that shorter running time suited me down to the ground. This is completely subjective, admittedly, because this just isn’t my type of music, and I’m here to broaden my horizons. But I do think it’s funny that this is presented as an album you need to hear before you die when it’s essentially an easy listening record. It’s just a funny argument to make. You need to hear this easy listening album before you die? It struck me as an odd inclusion because, to me, easy listening is background music that’s hardly ever going to change your life. Lyrically, every song seems to be about flowers, diamonds and hippie bullshit. I just found it completely unrelatable. If you do find it relatable, fair play to you. I’d genuinely love to hear your opinion on it. Just not for me. Two stars.
Enjoyable as background music. It has that vacation chic sound which is great for a certain vibe. It was a fun time but nothing amazing by any means. Top Songs: Stay, Bossa Na Praia (Beach Samba), My Foolish Heart
This is "fine". It doesn't suck, it doesn't stand out very much. Quite frankly, like a lot of critic's choice records, I'm a little bewildered it's on the list of "1001 records you must hear before you die"... it certainly isn't vital listening... it just sounds like a million other records like it. Pop standards sung well enough but not GOOD enough to stand out in a sea of a million other records.
I would normally think that this music is cheesy, but Astrud's voice was so beautiful and pure, she could read the phone book and make it sound interesting. Ron Carter on bass was special too, along with the arrangements and production.
Местами нежно и приятно, а местами какие-то марши, пусть и цирковые. Сейчас как-то не до маршей.
Very pleasant. She had such a great voice.
musikita tranqui piola piola, lo escucharia en una mudanza con el fletero
Elevator music, but I'm trapped in the elevator and it's on fire, thankfully dying after a relatively brief 27 minutes of torture.
Overproduced. The arrangements felt… plastic. I wanted to like it more than I did. I've got a soft spot for the 60s samba craze. This just didn't do it for mu. ––– The story of Astrud Gilberto is kind of a sad one. The Girl From Ipanema sold 5 million copies, unintentionally making the 22-year-old an overnight superstar. What should have been a story of an extraordinary singer’s success turns out that her naivete and the male-dominated music industry left her broken and exploited. Renowned audio engineer Phil Ramone was at the helm during the recording. “Astrud was in the control room when Norm [Gimbel] came in with the English lyrics,” Ramone told JazzWax in 2010. “Producer Creed Taylor said he wanted to get the song done right away and looked around the room. Astrud volunteered, saying she could sing in English. Creed said, ‘Great.’ Astrud wasn’t a professional singer, but she was the only victim sitting there that night.” The track was an instant hit, but Astrud received no credit on the original vinyl. The album went on to be on the Billboard charts for 90+ weeks and won 4 Grammys that year including Album of the Year. And it was a success greatly because of her vocals, but she was hardly paid a cent. In fact, Getz attempted not to pay her at all. In the end, João was paid about $23,000 for his work on the album. Astrud was only paid what the American Musicians’ Syndicate paid for a night of session work: $120. Getz walked away with an estimated million dollars and, of course, claimed it was his idea to have Astrud on the track to begin with. And it didn’t stop there. It was during the following tour for the album when João and Astrud’s marriage fell apart due to João’s infidelity. Then there was Stan Getz taking advantage of the situation and having an affair with Astrud. The press, being full of men, ate it up with one review that said she “evoked every straight man’s daydream of an exotic, submissive woman in a bikini”. Unfortunately, this kind of treatment followed her throughout her entire career. Objectification and bad contracts followed her throughout. She always maintained that she did not receive credit or recompense for her production work. She would often find that her music had been repackaged and sold in new compilation forms; when she appeared on the radio show Fresh Air in 1978, host Terry Gross presented her with one of these Best Of albums and Gilberto said, “What’s that? I have never seen that before.” Over her career, she released sixteen studio albums, two live albums, and several compilations. She received the Latin Jazz USA Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992 and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Apparently, in her retirement, she lived in isolation due to her damaged psyche and mistrust of people. All reports say her voice was as beautiful as ever, but her spirits broken. She passed away this year on June 5th in her home at age 83. She deserves to be honored as a singer who brought joy to the world with her beautiful voice in song.
nice background office music
Filler Astrud for fans of the slow dreamy sound in general, and maybe for people who appreciate the appropriation of Brazilian genres. It took me a couple of listens to understand what's going on here. There's a yearning for it, and the record companies are understanding their public wants this idealized tropical sound, but they also want to feel like they understand it. We bring in Deodato, who plays a lot with popular rock-based genres, and Don Sebesky to give it the similarly exotic but more recognized winds. This record was meant to sell for a particular but broad audience. They're all talented here, but they're not searching for the depths of their potential, they're looking to please Verve and make a decent living. As a fan, this was great, but not among the best. Hard for me to believe this is on a list of must-listens when it's decent filler for something that's already niche. Then again, it's also hard for me to believe Deodato had a hand in this. I personally appreciate giving this one a spin, but it'll be a difficult project to recommend. I'd buy it for the art. Now, for some reason Spotify has united that album with the prior, truly iconic album with the Walter Wanderley Trio. I could see this combo working well on a double CD box set or something, but the energy doesn't really mesh together in a fluid digital listen. Regardless, I'd give the Wanderley project something like a 3.9, maybe. Beach Samba itself might seem better on paper, but it ends up: 3.3/5
Library music if the library was in a favela. 5/5
First track gave big stereolab vibes and I was excited. Generally like the music, but there are a couple tracks that unfortunately are straight up filler, and filler in a 27 minute album is rough, even for the era. Liked it, but gotta give it a three for the shortcomings.
Beach vibes and hardcore minds
It's easy to think of 1967 as a time when everyone was listening to Sgt Pepper and living in a 'Purple haze' but there would have been a perfectly even section of the populace who were still listening to crooners and 'easy listneing' (to coin a rough term) and the Brazilian samba rhythms had been slowly permeating the mainstream since Astrud worked with Stan Getz. This album, short but very sweet, contains some delights: covers, some lyric-less vocalisations and the odd 'novelty' (including an out of tune duet with a child). At times her voice appears pure and unaffected which is part of its original charm, and at times it lacks vibrato when it could assist. Never unpleasant, occasionally naff, nicely arranged and influential on George Michael's mid 90s work.
Astrud Gilberto today. Wife: "who" Me "You know, 'Girl From Ipanema'. Bah, be dah." Wife: oh yeah. Me, it's the title track next, most popular track on the album, 'beach samba' but I don't know it. Beach samba, starts. 'Bah, be de dah, be dah, be dah.' Mostly harmless, but I could've died happy without it.
Love Astrud Gilberto
Heard Before? Several songs, not the whole album. Verdict: Life without samba is unthinkable, and I could listen to Astrud Gilberto any day, but this album, as an album, is completely inessential. Listen Again? I would be better served by a Gilberto compilation, or a samba playlist.
the bossanova vibes........
Really liked the actual samba/bossa nova/jazzy stuff. the other songs that didn't really fit that as well were kinda weird tho
Not too exciting but a lovely lksten
Samba chill
Très bien au réveil
Très sympa, j'adore les ambiances un peu bossa nova
The parade song felt like some sick joke
Smooth and pleasant, if a tad boring. Samba and bossanova have never really done much for me. Kind of sounds like grocery store muzak.
7/6/26. Nice samba and relaxing vibe, Astrid’s vocals are on point in this. Pretty short album, but works since many of the songs are similar.
A little disappointed by this. Generally I love the vibe, but didn't feel there were any great tracks, and some of them like You Didn't Have to Be So Nice were pretty corny. 2.9/5
This album is exactly what the label says! Light and breeze, like a warm sunny day. It sounds like something you'd hear on an episode of Mad Man. It's cool, and timeless.
yo this i fire started calm and then a lil more deep and honestly was an amazing listen 8.5/10
eh
I do not want to 'make sex with music'. At least not *this* music. It's awful. So overly saccharine I need to go to the dentist and get checked for cavities after one play through. The best two tracks on the album have no lyrics at all, just "doo bee bop doo ba da ba da". The worst track is a list of parades. This is the music you play for a toddler. If you wanted to highlight bossa nova, this is not the way.
Samba cantado em inglês? É… ruim não é. Talvez pra época tivesse sido algo maravilhoso, mas acredito que tenha envelhecido mal.
Nothing memorable.
I found it so bad it was a novelty. Like listening to elevator music after one caipirinha too many. "Would you like a purple sea or a sky with candy stripes, or a watermelon tree ... I can get those things for you". Wait, what?
I thought "You didn't have to be so nice" was especially pleasant.
adorable musique d'ascenseur, vibe de voiture en été direction le paradis. même chanteuse que "the girl from Ipanema" which makes so much sense. Aussi le genre de musique que je mettrais en lendemain de soirée sous le soleil avec le j du matin
Fun. Just fun music. Makes me happy but it could be playing on a beach radio. I won't recognize the songs, but I'll enjoy the time.
Lovely album, represents a lot of Brazilian Bossa Nova vibe.
Sitting on the back patio while drinking my morning smoothie, Astrud belting out the Samba and Bossa Nova tunes with the birds chirping along. Pretty nice way to start a Monday. Parade is a bit of a skip track, it just doesn't fit in. But the rest of the album and the bonus tracks are a groove.
*Beach Somba* Every time I hear Bossa Nova music, i get taken back to 1965. The sights the smell, the memories come back vividly, I wasn't even born til four years later. I can't say I don't enjoy this music . In fact I'd like it quite a bit, especially the tone of her voice. It just reminds me of nostalgia. It reminds me of the days of I Dream of Jeannie. I guess it really only takes me so far, but I like it. One good thing about it is that the album is actually less than 30 minutes so I didn't get bored by it. But my favorite song from the project "Tu Mi Delirio", which was a bonus track, it's less bossy and more Jazzy. (6.9) ★★★
Her voice is great, but the song selection is lacking. 3 stars
After the first few tracks, I thought this was gonna be a nice breezy Bossa Nova album. But then it got kinda weird. And not good weird. Questionable decisions weird. Parade is the first kinda WTF moment that derails the album. And just when you think it might get back on track, some stupid kid starts singing. 2.5 stars.
3.5
Because of the alluring cover and sumptuous first few tracks I thought this was going to be a straightforwardly delish, breezy bossa nova album. But then Parade happens. Now, I like Colonel Hathi’s March as much as the next man. You could even say I love it. In fact, I often interrupt my album listening sessions with multiple repeats of Colonel Hathi’s March. Kinda wish those elephants were marching in right now. But this Parade that’s on here is shockingly terrible. Really detonates the mood of the album. Even after that abomination the quality control remains dicy. Lovin’ Spoonful’s You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice is just a weird choice of cover for a beach samba context. I wasn’t exactly paying 100% attention and I thought Salad Fingers had made a surprise appearance on the record but it’s actually her 7 year old son sharing vocals.
Good voice, good songs, great production
very chill, good little album to have in the background!
album #82 it's inoffensive! but bossa nova is simply not often my thing. ꩜ album rating: ★★☆☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,007 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 38 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 16 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 66
Justement j'aime bossa.
perfect for a hot summers day. then the delight of CORNED BEEF
Nice vibe Will I listen to again: 30%
too old
Again, solid bossa nova. Some songs though aren't as strong as the others, like Parade (A Banda) which feels a little too novelty to me. You Didn't Have to Be So Nice also, cute that her son sang on it, but just not that great. Some great tracks though, like the title track. Just good vibes. Can't really say anything I haven't said for other bossa nova albums. They're music for soundtracks and resort vibes to me, unfortunately. Not particularly for sitting down and listening.
2 notes out of Astrid & I'm off to dreamland but this album does not hold the same magic and I think it's bc she's singing in English! Parade and you didn't have to be so nice with the kid (that track is awful) should be abolished, but the rest is lovelyl - all teeny tiny 2min tracks - Beach samba is the longest at 2:48
Her voice is like a fine mist hanging in the air. It affects how the temperature feels, exaggerating the chill or warmth. It surrounds you. Sticks to you. Changes your chemistry.
Fun. So fun. Then - like a dream - the fun ends. Who's to say if it was even real.
Not my bag, nice bit of whimsy in there though.
I accidentally listened to Bebel Gilberto instead of this first, because I'm an incompetent. That was a shame because I rather enjoyed the blending of bossa nova and electronica, and when I went back to this it sounded a bit flat by comparison. Still a pleasant record to have playing in the background and I still have the younger Gilberto to look forward to in the future.
Sure
Bosa nova normally brings forth images of chilling on a beach and warm sunny days - but unfortunately not this album: it just leaves me cold Inoffensive and mostly well done but nothing of interest - but then “parade” comes on and it turns in to novelty album - enough to drag it down to 2 stars. Oba oba does not help But as the album goes (drags?) on I’m more inclined to a 1 star review but only her voice and the quality of the playing raises it to a 2 . “You did not have to be so nice “ is 0 stars all day long. A Fucking “grandad we love you “ but from the 60s . The album has a long way to go to drag itself to a respectable 2 stars.
It was good, nice vibe. Probably wouldn’t seek it out.
It was fun, but it didn't really capture me like some of the other world music on the list.
It’s interesting. At this point - nearly 700 albums for me - these just kind of feel like, “hey, here’s an album for you to listen to.” Which is fine. I’ve stopped trying to figure out what the ultimate criteria for these might be. I don’t think a ton of thought has gone into the selection process. Which again is fine. So anyway. Enjoyed the album. 3.5/5
Astrud tiene mejores albumes 3
Not for me
How a Stepford wife would party. Creepy
nice 3.5
Very chill but a bit dull
Haven't I already had this album like five times already? I like Astrud Gilberto's voice now and then, but all these albums with her end up sounding entirely the same, and I don't like her voice *that* much.
This is some Nico, singing off key shit.
Quizás una de las más grandes referentes del bossanova Melodías muy tenues y se sienten como un abrazo Foolish Heart fue mi favorita, segunda fue Stay Bossanova es un género sumamente noble, Astrud le da más sentido a este concepto Recomendado de principio a fin Curioso que usan melodías así como de canciones infantiles para algunas de las piezas
Really relaxing
Really enjoyable but I prefer her singing in Brazilian Portuguese, strangely enough. Also, that song about parades was a little too John Philip Sousa for me.
Chill little album. Interesting to see her Philadelphia ties.
Listened Before? N Man... I bet if you like Samba this is one of your favorite albums (and artists). She's got the sound down, and the production is off the charts. To me, it was fine. Sounds like the 60s, looks like the 60s... I feel like I should be chillin' in an airport with shag carpet and ashtrays everywhere. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: The Face I Love
lovely.
She’s got a smash voice and the songs are just the things for summering the beach
I thought I would like this more. Fun name! Boring album. Top track: "Beach Samba"
BORRRRRRINNGGGGGG still would.
ahhhh this is the medicine after suffering through Jamiroquai. The sounds of Astrud mean sunny skies, cool breezes and a beer on the beach. Just sway your hips to the music. I love to float on that gentle 60s samba sound. Some oddball choices (Parade, You Didn't Have to Be So Nice) do not detract from a sweet, languid album.
This was nice and chill. I didn't want to like it, but it was just nice simple and easy music. It was a great listen while working. 6/15/26
Launched as the voice on The Girl From Ipanema this album is mainly her voice put to pop recordings with a very 60's set of arrangement making it pretty average with a couple of bad choices (Parade and You Didn't Have To Be So Nice). She has a much nicer bossanova vocal than presented here.
1,8/5
Relaxing Saturday morning with a cup of coffee. Enjoyed
Not heard this before. Very enjoyable at the correct part of the day.
There are some cool jazz parts, cool beach vibe parts and then some cheesy carnival parts. Astrud has a cool singing style, not overpowering just cool and on point. Overall I like the vibe of this album, could cut a couple tracks and it would have been a bit higher rated for me. Not going out to buy this but I will had a few songs to my beach playlist.
3 sterne
Not my normal listen so I don’t know exactly how to judge this but I did like it! Her voice was smooth with the guitar and flute, and I think there may have been an oboe in there at one point. The entire transcendent production placed me in a Costa Rica plaza drinking a cup of coffee and wearing a Panama hat while watching the dancers in the mid afternoon. My favorite musical track was Nao Bate o Corocoa, which made me want to get up from the coffee and dance in the streets with my hallucinations, though vocal favorite was her bouncy The Face I Love. Fun album.
Random thoughts: * This was pleasant enough and nice to have Astrud Gilberto on this list separate of the Getz/Gilberto "Girl From Impanema". * However, is this a must listen? Not really. 1001 bloat is real. * Banda/Parade was an interesting song. Also, the kid singing on "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" was also ear catching. * The rest was Brazil/samba smooth. Nice but not necessary.
Nothing special?
Although I am a fan of world music, this type is just too middle of the road for me. Too sweet.
Booooo - urns 2/5
Should have been better
Yeah okay. It was nice and everything but bossa nova just doesn't do it for me, turns out. Unless "it" is "makes me really want to rewatch Mad Men".
Pretty smooth, soft, samba. Nothing extraordinary, but it's pleasant enough.
Not for me
Without reading any reviews here, I know there will be a lot of very dismissive reviews from people who can't be bothered with Samba & Bossa Nova music. That's fine, you do you. Bossa Nova scratches my brain just right, especially after a long busy day. There's nothing better for a pre-dinner cocktail hour on a Saturday evening, or to help transition from work to home mode. Especially if you can play it on a vintage turntable. Bossa Nova, and Astrud's voice in particular, overwhelm me with nostalgia for an era I missed by a generation or two. Astrud sang on the Getz/Gilberto version of "Girl from Ipanema" which, I would argue, made her the enduring voice of Bossa Nova music forever; if you need to explain the genre to someone with one song, I think you play THAT version of THAT song for them. Or you could play "Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)", also from Getz/Gilberto, and also sung by Astrud. Either way, hers is the voice they must hear to fully appreciate the genre. None of the songs here quite rise to that same level, but it's a lovely record made just as Bossa Nova was at peak popularity in America. If you enjoy the lightheartedness of "Parade (A Banda)" on this record, you should dig into Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (who, sadly, aren't on this list). Worth finding an original vinyl copy. Also worth finding a dry Manhattan and an Eames chair.
Love her!
A dated style for sure. This pales in comparison to the best of late-60s psychedelia and hard rock. But then, samba is pretty underrepresented on the list. And it's no worse or more internally repetitive than, say, reggae or 90s-electronic, both of which are heavily favoured over samba by Dimery. But man, albums like Beach Samba are still repetitive as heck. Why make an varied, sonically novel artistic statement when you can just release 44 minutes of (essentially) an extended song within a single genre? At times, it's a little hard to stay engaged. There are very few memorable melodies or hooks to speak of, no moments or developed themes (every song is 2-3 minutes, so no time is provided to allow a theme to develop/vary anyway). Though Stay is a decent opener, the fun really begins with the sophomore track, Misty Roses. Lovely jazzy, vibraphone-filled texture. The hook melody reminds me of something Ella Fitzgerald would've concocted (or, for that matter, covered). Canoeiro also stands out quickly for its oddly rushed, almost frantic flurry of drums and vocals. Honestly, I kind of love it. Though you start to notice around this point that the production (in all songs) is poor. Nao Bate O Corocao somewhat makes up for all previous sins with an excellent piano part. It's over after just 98 seconds. Why can't the whole album be piano jams? Preferably experimental ones? A man can dream. Parade (A Banda)... clearly listeners of Astrud Gilberto actively avoid relistening to this song, given its very low number of streams despite being only the 4th track (of 17) on the album. And it makes sense. The track contains nothing worth listening to, unless you're a fan of tubas, whistles, and 20th Century Fox-style drum intros. Later, You Didn't Have To Be So Nice... I guess having (what sounds like) a mother-child singalong is sweet enough – it certainly grabs your attention – but it also sounds kind of bad. At least pick a kid who can sing in tune. 3/5 Key tracks: Misty Roses, Canoeiro, Nao Bate O Corocao
thought this was just gonna be a chill vibe and then it got actively annoying. why is there a parade in there. why is she singing in english. why does this feel like a 60s ad for a sofa. don draper's second wife had this album.
I bet Wes Anderson loves this shit It’s fine. She’s got a nice voice and some of the songs have cool arrangements, but Parade was weird and the song with the kid was annoying. I don’t have much more to say about this.
175. nice
наличие марша в альбоме очень удивило а так музыка местами как из лифта или как из советского кино
boring
Very easy to listen to early Bossa album by one of the pioneers of the genre.Harmonically rich and creative, suprisingly good recording quality considering how long ago it was recorded.
I wish I would have been in a better mode to enjoy this.
samba
Did not like. Quintessential 60s bossa nova. Incredibly boring, exactly what you think it sounds like. LOWLIGHTS: Parada and Oba Oba.
Ok. Kinda sounded like Christmas music, without the Christmas theme.
OK, not really my thing
I love Astrud voice so much. This is a good record. 3,7
I’m not sure what to make of it… perhaps a paper boat.
I would not use this album to samba on the beach
She’s only transcendent at a bossa nova tempo for me but I like her enough to 4 the record where she does marching band music and duets with a small child too I guess
Really enjoyed this. There’s a lot of variety and probably the nicest song with a child singing on it I’ve heard (which isn’t saying that much tbh)
This was ok. Easy listening that was a bit weird.
Probably a great one to have wafting over a swimming pool on a hot day.. nice enough but not that interesting to me
I had low expectations for this album…this failed to meet even them.
I have no real point of comparison, but actually really enjoyed this. Beautiful vocals and super fun. Plus the “songs like this” included The Bloop Bleep song which is a jam.
Iconic
Like her voice sm and that song with the kid was wholesome icl. High 3
Fun and cute
Nice record. Flat, wooden vocals with an other-wordly accent, as was fashionable at the time. Um beijo.
One of those ones I always knew I was gonna get in the back of my mind. Did NOT expect it to be so early though. The big problem with this album is that it’s easy listening. When “Doopee Time” by Doopees did easy listening it was awesome because it had depth. It had influences that made it apparent that it wasn’t marketable and wasn’t meant to be listened to in an easy listening context. This is incredibly well written frankly, but it is completely straightforward in its genre, and that is a problem to me. Take “Misty Roses,” which is very pretty, but the instrumentation is annoying, plainly so. Or “Parade,” which uses marching band aesthetics to make a song, and I just don’t like it. Or the song she does with her kid, which just simply does not work in my opinion. There’s some bad, some good, but not enough stands out sadly. 6.4/10
Woof. This is dated 1967 but I would have believed 1947. The vocals are pretty good, but otherwise this did not age well. This was a long 27 minutes. 1.8
Perfect for easy mornings
This was smooth, easy listening all the way through. I had just listened to Bruno Mars’ new album for about the billionth time before putting this on, so his take on bolero and Latin jazz ended up being a pretty nice segue into this. The whole album has that same kind of relaxed, breezy feel, just a lot softer and more understated. I also thought it was sweet that she had her son sing with her on “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice,” especially since I’m already a Lovin’ Spoonful fan. This isn’t something I’d rate super high, but it was an enjoyable listen
Mwa, even leuk dan houdt het op
What a delightful album. It’s not groundbreaking, it’s not edgy or weird, it’s something that would be laying at your cool aunts house while she makes a pitcher of gin and tonic and tells you about that time she lived in a nudist colony.
I mean, it's fine. It's lounge music, she certainly has a good voice. 0.1% of the music you MUST hear before you die? I don't think so.
Beautiful evocative music and vocals. Not really a style of music I would choose to listen to but I enjoyed this (apart from the duet with the child!).
Inoffensive nice music.
Love Astrud, but in spite of the title this isn’t her beachiest best. A bit orchestrated heavy and samba-literally, but still a solid outing.
delightful.
Nice, but ventures too much into novelty to be anything essential 2.5*
That was a nice and relaxing one. Not much to note there other than I liked it and even though it's not phenomenal it hits the spot.
Very fun and whimsical
This album was such a great find. This album is why I'm here. I love her voice and am so glad to have another album to enjoy. I listened to this 3 times yesterday. I will definitely buy the vinyl.
really baffling inclusion in this list that seemingly robert dimery is only aware of the gilberto family and thinks that encompasses the entire musical history of brazil. this is incredibly forgettable. normally i try to avoid looking at ana's reviews before i write mine but she took the words out of my mouth because this just feels like background music. her voice is lovely and tracks like "misty roses" work well, but most of this feels derivative or are wildly subpar. "parade" is atrocious. i don't understand what's going with this album. this is an album that doesn't even hit 28 minutes and i have honestly forgotten all of it already. how is that even possible!?
I love Astrud Gilberto's singing on Girl from Ipanema so I had somewhat high expectations of this, and honestly it was unfortunately less then I expected. I still love that kinda fragile singing Astrud brings to the songs here, but god this felt like the stereotype of Samba as background music. The lyrics were mostly floating between inane and bafflingly boring. This almost reminds me of the music of when Dick Debenedictis is told to score a lounge scene in an 70s tv show. it's never bad per say, but its entirely meant to melt into the background and not intrude on anything else. It feels like it was made for an era aware of the influence Samba had in America and, rather than trying to be its own cultural touchstone, was meant to appeal to American audiences as a result. The result of this is the most milquetoast samba album on the entire list. It also makes me worry that the reason the only Samba on here bares the Gilberto family name is due to them being percieved as bringing the music "over" to the anglosphere rather than the music standing on its own. Katie posts these to her bluesky so I do have a call to action for once: What other Samba albums should I be listening to to broaden my taste of the genre besides that from the Gilbertos? I really want to know because I've been loving this genre so far.
Vert chill album
Música relajante, me encantó, una voz espectacular
This is too sappy even for me- the sappiest sap that ever sapped. Nice and short though. Too much ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba.
4/10
No entendí. Samba en inglés, tampoco que me interese el genero, pero muy raro todo. Primer albúm que realmente me molestó escuchar, quizá por el día sí, pero bueno.
Nice type of music, relaxing
Decent listen
60s Brazilian pop jazz....that is a form of torture.
The Girl From Ipanema isn't even on this? Why do I have to listen to it then?
this is fun. very 60s by the pool vibe. liked it more than I thought I would.
I felt a little bit cooler after listening to this. Very chill.
Well, what a pretty much completely random selection this is for one of the 1001 albums I must listen to before I die!! Gilberto's voice is lovely, and her performance on "The Girl from Ipanema" (NOT included on THIS album) is certainly one of the iconic musical moments of the 1960s. The songs here range from wistful to whimsical. But I wouldn't necessarily classify them as overly memorable. If you're trying to make sure you include something with that samba sound of the sixties, I guess this checks that box.
Calling this elevator music feels dismissive and harsh, even though I wasn't a fan of this. This is inoffensive bossa nova music that I couldn't imagine anyone hating too passionately. The two tracks that stuck out to me are 'Parade (A Banda)' and 'You Didn't Have To Be So Nice'. I don't mean that they stick out as a compliment. The first track I mentioned is an uncharacteristically busy song with childish lyrics which has Gilberto naming different times of parades. The latter track is Gilberto doing a duet with a literal child. It is just a bit weird. The arrangement of strings and flutes on this record are pleasant and Gilberto has a cute voice, but this doesn't do all that much for me.
This sounds like the music that was played in a department store fragrance section to the women shopping there wearing their in season dresses and beehive hairdos. Somewhere in the sporting section a small black and white tv is playing a news story about riots.
A bit of an odd choice of album to showcase Astrud, whose airy bossa nova helped lead the wave of this extraordinarily popular movement in the 60’s for me her debut from a couple of years earlier is much more significant, followed by Look to this Rainbow in 1966. But Beach Samba is still representative of the sound, though La La some of the peppy arrangements of the debut, and the songs are simply not as good. Bossa Nova can divide a room, some “get” its existential sadness and mellow reflection, others hear elevator music and run screaming. I’m of the former, but do understand the latter. On this record, particularly. On the plus side, Stay and Canoiero and the title track capture some Bossa magic, whereas much of the rest of it is a bit, um, bland. Not her best and well worth going back to her self titled debut to understand why the music was so popular in its day.
Ooh I'm super excited to hear this one. Holy shit this album was sooooo good!! I really loved that cute little duet You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. Made me tear up a bit! What a beautiful album. I will be revisiting this one for sure! 5 big stars here.
No. 179 43 minutes of relaxing, well crafted bossa nova. I can’t imagine being mad about having to listen to this.
Naw, this was cool. Soothing, easy listening.
I enjoy Bossa Nova quite a bit and this was an enjoyable early morning listen with nice relaxing vibes. Favorite Track - Stay Least Favorite Track - Parade (A Banda) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nice chilled album, love the Bossa nova beat. One or two tracks that sound a bit “immature “ but overall a good summer vibe
I've nothing bad to say about this album really, in fact I rather quite liked it. However it's just so easy to listen to, it sort of blends into the background.
Soft Latin ish
Brazilian lounge vocals / jazz
Elevater music, not my type of sound. The album cover looks photoshopped - even for this day and age.
Didn't mind this as background music to work to
not my style, but a vibe
This was pretty chill - enjoyed the vibe on this one.
I like bossa nova, wanted to like this. I mean she’s the girl from…. It’s on verve, the 60s cheese cover… But she is such a limited voice that it’s a hard listen, a really hard listen. Didn’t even help being on holiday in the Med. It’s not a good record. 2 star
langweilig
Light and breezy. Fine and non-offensive. I am not sure when I would listen to it again. Maybe if I am on a beach and just needing some background music. I want to write a longer review but a lot of what is here depends on the setting. If I am pretending it is the 1960's and/or just hanging out in the 1960's through use of a time machine, I really think I would enjoy this enough to give it a "5."
I think every member of this family has a record on this list. If there is one thing that this author loves more than horrible British music, it’s Gilberto-core. Literally 3 of them at this point with repeats? You cannot honestly say that each of these are one of the thousand most important albums ever. Art will forever be subjective, but I do feel that you can be slightly more objective with citing influence and importance to music. No? Here’s another Badlydrawnboy record! Some Manchester garage/house/front garden! Whatever. Bring on Blur’s 72 minute Samba record. I don’t care anymore. More like uhh ASS trud. One platinum dog to go please. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: If I call me myself ChooChoo Gilberto, can I finally release my one man jug band record? It’s 5 hours in length and completely unedited. I await your reply.
While pleasant at times, I don’t think I love parades as much as she does
Det finns ett par spår där det hålls lite mer sparsmakat, dom är helt okej. Men den där orkestreringen med storband av alla andra spår gör det outhärdligt
Min grundinställning är att bossan måste förbjudas. Men jag är beredd att göra ett undantag för Astrud Gilberto (och Lill Lindfors). När det blir lite mer easy listening pop än bossanova funkar det. Så som i The face I love, I had the craziest dream och Dia das Rosas.
På ett mingelparty sent 60-tal i en lyxig modernistisk funkisvilla. Då funkar nog Astrud rätt bra. Nu uppfyller mina lyssningsomständigheter inga av dess förutsättningar.
Samba är ju per definition svalt. Och det blir lätt för svalt. Ett enstaka spår går an. Öppningsspåret är fint, med jazzig flöjt. Marschmusik och duetter med barn kan jag vara utan.
Pleasant enough, but not particularly memorable.
Enjoyed
I went in expecting to enjoy this as much as I have Joao Gilberto albums, which I have loved so far. This was also a nice collection of Bossa Nova, but was definitely more on the cheesy side (the march, the songs sung by children). The singing was nice though and the songs good enough.
Fun Bossa Nova album, not a lot stands out but this style has its place
Wanted to like this more than I did. But it was ok. Chill. Relaxing. 3
I’ve heard this before, but it’s been many years. She’s doing some of the bossanova she does so well, and some loungey stuff (good in fact) and a saccharine pop song (not so good in fact) and a sousa march (kinda ok in fact). It’s an extremely chill album for having a cocktail to.
muy suave, pero igual no fue horrible de escuchar solo no me gustó
A very chill, easy-going listening experience. Nothing particularly exciting about it, but it is nice overall.
Beach Samba... de amigo?? I've seen samba referenced a few times recently so I'm glad I'm listening to a classic. It's, you know, fine? Not what I'd want to listen to but very interesting as a historical document. I guess. "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" was a jump scare with a kid singing! (the real joy was Apple Music's samba/bossa nova/jazz mix it played afterward!)
Solid background working music, dead on three stars, don't know enough to know why it's here over similar albums.
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It was fun
Inoffensive, I like Bossa Nova so this is a 3/5.
60s latin jazz. Sang "The Girl from Ipanema”. Chill and vibey pool jazz.
Overall I quite enjoyed this. A little eclectic and I’d probably have preferred something a little more based around bossa nova and samba throughout. Good to see a little Portuguese in here though. Enjoyable, but I’m unlikely to listen again.
This is nice. 3 stars. I would like to hear a detailed explanation as to why this needs to be on a list of albums you must listen to before you die. As stated above this is nice and that's about as far as it needs to go.
Her voice is sweet and floaty like a gentle swirl of cotton candy. And like cotton candy, ephemeral: the entire album is under 30 minutes.
Ok but no song that caught my ear.
Gilberto has been a proper find for me on this. Weirdly enjoy it !
Listenable but not my thing.
Imitating an ambulance siren into parade marching music is a crazy transition. But to be fair that siren imitation is probably her strongest vocal performance on the album. Yep, she is unironically being singmogged by a child.
I love love love Bossa nova and this album has great bones. But some of the accents turn more big band and swing at times. Which takes me out of it a bit. What appeals to me about Bossa nova and Astrud's lovely vocals is the low energy, light, acoustic guitar. And this album has too much horns and high energy segments that to me in a sense dull the Bossa and turn up the swing. Which is fine if thats your thing. But I like mine more muted and simple.
Is this what 1960s businessmen listened to while they were cheating on their wives
Nice album to chill to (not my genre btw, so 3 stars)
Relaxing and beautiful! Parade is a little out of place musically, but i get why it’s there. My standouts are Misty Roses, the face i love, my foolish heart and ESPECIALLY you didn’t have to be so nice, what a special track.
A delight to listen to but nothing remarkable like fluff.
not the strongest Gilberto album - def seem to prefer Joao.
That parade song was out of place and terrible. The rest was pretty chill though.
After a really rough week, I needed something gentle and whimsical. This is the sort of album that takes you away from your life for a few minutes. Lovely arrangements, subdued vocals, like the soundtrack to some old technicolor movie.
Just the mood I wanted today. A mellow but fun ride.
creo que gran parte de lo que hace a este un relativamente buen album es la voz hermosa que tiene ella, pero algunas canciones están flojisimas en la base y otras ella simplemente ni las puede salvar (parade). Por lo demas, hay algunas canciones que son muy lindas 7/10
Good but probs a one time only listen
Soothing but kinda meh…
Very soothing
Just your standard 'world music' entry. Nice music, but not gonna hit the right spots no matter what
This was a fun album. It sounded more like a soundtrack than just a pure album, for some reason, but with a little bit of sunlight to accompany it it was delightful.
Passer meget godt til navnet, det må jeg give den
Lød helt fint, men også endnu et åbenlyst eksempel på en World Music™ plade rettet mod et vestligt publikum
Sounds like a nice Saturday afternoon at a fancy wine bar with a view to the water.
Oof. Was excited for this one, but it really fell short. The duet with the 7 year old also took off a full star. Not my thing.
This was a good short listen. A bit repetitive in spots but something I’d happily put on for a dinner party. 3/5
As much as I love bossa nova and Astrud Gilberto’s voice, this album feels bland. Like a tamed, Americanised version of the original. You feel like you know what she’s capable of and it’s not here. There are some gems still, Beach Samba, I think of you and Nao Bate o Corocao, these three raise the overall rating from a 2 to a 3-
Exotic and classic
More
De loin pas son meilleur album 2/5
Pensé que me iba a gustar más. Hay una canción donde canta con un niño (asumo que es su hijo) y es muy tierna.
chill vibes, not bad, some terrible songs tho
Vibey. Good background music
Ik kan me in veel dingen vinden in de review van onze landgenoot, maar ik blijf een zwak hebben voor dromerige Bossa Nova. Maar alles van dat, het dromerige, en het Bosa Nova gedeelte, is memorabeler op een aantal andere albums van d'r. Dit is pover, op z'n zachtst gezegd. 5,5/10
Bossanova is een vibe. Zo ook dit album. Dit per track beoordelen is dan ook niet te doen, vind ik. De nummers slepen je één voor één in een gemoed en zijn daarmee meer geheel dan losse stukjes. Het album kan niet tippen aan de samenwerking met Stan Getz, maar is best lekker als ochtendmuziekje. 6/10
Pleasant. Not bad for doing work. Low 4.
Some weird stuff that doesn't really work but otherwise just inoffensive
Never heard of Astrid Gilberto Never heard Beach Samba Never heard of he singles No idea what to expect and was presently surprised. Her voice is looking mited in range, but it's got character. The parade song should have been chopped.
Good chill vacation vibe. Nothing distinguishing but easy to chill to if ur in a summer mood
It was good, just came up for me at a very non-beachy time in ohio
3.5 It’s the lady from “Girl from Ipanema,” and the whole album kinda has the vibe of that song. Does that sound good to you? If so, you’ll enjoy this. It’s very listenable, but a little shallow.
Astrud Gilberto's voice is beautiful and clear. I am surprised I have never heard of her. I enjoyed this album.
I echo with many others perform may have already said: Ms. Gilberto's voice is beautiful and while the soft rock and samba vibe of this album is kind of chill, the parade, music, and the weird kid song definitely kick it down a notch. There's nothing on this album that makes me want to save it or return to it or play it again so...
Nice easy enjoyable listening.