That which no longer embraces you.

Only now, amidst the rush of my dystopian daily life, have I stopped to listen more attentively to two albums whose themes resonate strongly with each other, and which are two of the greatest recent contributions to our music. The first is Almério and Martins – Live at the park (2022), composed of 19 songs. A beautiful album, which stands out for the strong and sweet voices of the two artists, as well as for the excellence of their compositions, as observed in the wonderful “Antes de você chegar” (Before You Arrive): “There’s a night arriving at the window/Why don’t you leave everything and come see me?...”. And “Me dê” (Give Me): “If you have one to spare to subvert me, my dear, give it to me, give it to me/I, who have never been so sure, pose as someone who doesn’t read you/But I do read you, I just don’t know if you want to...”. What is this, if not Pernambuco singing to the world? 

Martins' second album, a solo work, is called Interesting and obscene. (2023). And the reason for the delay in listening to both works, almost three years after their release, is that I have a habit of saving books, films, and records to read, watch, and listen to when they're no longer being talked about much, when other things have emerged to take their place in the media. I've been doing this for quite some time now and I don't regret it, because I've learned that this gap in appreciating a work of art between its release and the moment I listen to it, in the case of records, allows me a silent "tasting," far from any form of pressure or the risks of a hasty judgment. ]

the disk Interesting and obscene.The album, produced by Rafael Ramos, consists of 12 songs written by Martins and also in partnership with other composers. These include: “Tua voz” (Your Voice), “Não duvido” (I Don't Doubt It), “Tá tudo bem” (It's All Right), “Deixe” (Let It Be), “Interessante e obsceno” (Interesting and Obscene), “Eu e você sempre” (You and Me Always), “Tem problema não” (No Problem), “Deixa rolar” (Let it Roll), “Arrepia” (Goosebumps), “Nu” (Naked), “Céu da boca” (Roof of the Mouth), and “Voltar pra si” (Come Back to Yourself). Martins' compositions balance lightness and weight, which best characterizes the making of a great song, encompassing themes ranging from the banal to the complex, revealed in the smoothness of the artist's unique voice. The poetic richness of Martins' songs is no surprise, because someone from Pernambuco, as stated in “Tua voz”, carries a river within their heart. The title track had already been presented a year earlier on the album... Almério and Martins – Live at the parkAs mentioned in the first paragraph of this text, of all the songs on the album, I dare say that "Interessante e obsceno" is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful ever to emerge in Brazilian Popular Music. I can't stop listening to it. And if that's the case, it doesn't matter if it was heard when it was released or if it will be heard in the next 50 years, timeless as it is. The videos available on the Internet of the shows performed by the duo are a beauty in themselves. By watching them, we have the chance to see the synergy between the two artists, the connection with the other musicians in the band, the stage design, the lighting, and the audience participation.

“Interesting and Obscene” is powerful and accurate when it tells us that we shouldn't expect from love what makes us small, because when love no longer exists and the beloved has turned their back on you, shrugged, and left, it's important, as the song says, not to sabotage yourself or exchange glances for mere nods. May desires never settle! On the contrary, may they be interesting and obscene. And if there's nothing more to be said, because there's no one to say it to, it's time to move on and let go of what no longer embraces you.