Review of A Dama Indigna by Cida Moreira for Time Out Sao Paulo May 2011.

Album Review (180 words)

Cida Moreira – A Dama Indigna

3 stars

Cida Moreira is an interpreter of songs, here laying down 12 covers of Brazilian and international songs that make up A Dama Indigna. Accompanied throughout by just piano, this album is all about Moreira’s voice; a poweful thing halfway between the theatrics of Ney Matogrosso and the bombast of Roberto Goyeneche (tango’s great voice).

As well as covering some of Brazil’s finest songwriters (Buarque, Veloso, Gonzaguinha) she makes a couple of leftfield choices. David Bowie’s “Soul Love” is inspired, a gliding ballad that makes you wonder why it’s never been done before. “Back in Black,” originally performed by Amy Winehouse, is not quite as successful. Moreira’s over-egged, vampish delivery takes the soul out of the song and it falls flat. This is one of the few low-points on the album, which has a good blend of ballads and up-tempo tracks throughout.

This is a jazz album with a strong pop and tango influence, as on “Mae” and “Maior Que O Meu Amor” respectively, and will appeal to anyone interested in Brazil’s female voice from Elis Regina to the present day.