barrio flores

From the All Music Guide:

While many of the performers during the heyday of tropicalia and the rise of MPB (musica popular brasileira) opted for a more radical stance in their challenge Brazil's political and cultural authorities, artist like Jorge Ben took a more understated approach. Rather than use overly theatrical performance to shock the audience or write songs loaded with political content, Ben became known as one of the country's great musical alchemists, a furiously eclectic songwriter who combined elements of indigenous Brazilian music with a groove from the west coast of Africa. Never a controversial figure in the manner of the tropicalistas like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben became one of the most respected and resilient figures in Brazilian pop.

From Bandoppler Magazine:

Former Marzuki leader, co-owner of Asthmatic Kitty Records, educator, and creator of the three best contemporary records you probably — to your own shame — have not heard yet, Brooklyn, NY’s Sufjan Stevens is prolific to say the least. He is also an artistic genius — and I try very hard not to use that word gratuitously. His heartbreaking and charismatic solo debut, A Sun Came, seamlessly fuses traditional and pop folk. Enjoy Your Rabbit, experimental noise pop, is one of the most listenable violent attacks on melody I’ve heard. And now Greetings from Michigan, an actual and intentional ode to his birth state — it should have been novelty, but is so vibrant, warm, compelling, and vulnerable that all “cuteness” is remaindered strictly to the cover art. And he plans to do the same for 49 more states.