This is a review of Leo Cavalcanti’s Religar album for the April edition of Time Out Sao Paulo.

Leo Cavalcanti – Religar

If you are a fan of the hugely-popular Uruguayan singer Jorge Drexler you will more than likely enjoy the debut album from Sao Paulo’s Leo Cavalcanti. The flowing melodies, percussive drive and Spanish-style guitar all bear similarity, as does the desire to change rhythms and instrumentation throughout. This makes Religar an absorbing listen which changes pace drastically at times from the melodic pop of “Sem (Des)esperar” and “A Tal da Paciencia” to the more experimental “Ouvidos ao Mistério” and “Dentro,” reflecting some kind of kinship with the futuristic pop of Cibelle. What lets the songs down at times are the lyrics which can be so personal as to be prohibitive, as well as a tendency to over-use what is a terrific instrument, Cavalcanti’s voice. These are minor complaints though, as this is a promising start from an artist with an ear for melody and the drive to explore some interesting musical terrains.

This article may differ slightly from the version published in Time Out Sao Paulo.