SISTEMA SOLAR

Originally released through Musea Records in 2015, and now reissued digitally by Progshine, this is the second solo album from Brazilian composer and musician G'rson Werlang. Werlang is probably more well-known for being a member of Po'os & Nuvens, who have released half a dozen albums to date, as his only other solo album was back in 2008. Musically this is quite a pleasant album, with a good combination of electric and acoustic, and he is a fine guitarist. It feels incredibly relaxed, with seeming swathes of keyboards layered to provide a backdrop for either his guitar or vocals to be put against. It is the vocals that really let the album down in many ways. I generally don't have any problems with lyrics not being in English, but here the vocals are often pushed to the front and they really aren't very strong. With them also being in a foreign language I found them quite a distraction, so much so that I soon found myself wondering what an album of his would sound like if he decided to release one that was purely instrumental. He has loads of ideas, and the use of accordion combined with electric guitar and striking piano on a tango is inspired, as it fills the mind full of streetwalk cafes and feels incredibly genuine. But, for me the vocals are a real issue, and I just couldn't give this the attention that the music really deserves.