Interview // With Minta

Francisca Cortesão is Minta is a very lovely singer-songwriter who got together with Mariana Ricardo (bass and ukulele), Manuel Dordio (guitars and lap steel) and Nuno Pessoa (drums) and together they've created Minta & The Brook Trout.

There's no way to distinguish one from another because they are deeply connected.

From Virginia Woolf to the connection to the US, passing through the Portuguese friends and her inspiration, this interview only shows how kind and lovely Minta is and how her personality is reflected in her songs.

Fuck Yeah Music Stories:  Hello! Your name is Francisca but your artistic name is Minta. Where did your inspiration for the name come from? Which name would you rather be recognized?
Francisca Cortesão - Minta:  Hey, there. I got it from Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse – there's a Minta Doyle in there, and I liked the name. Either name is fine for public recognition, as it were, but I only use Minta as a singer-songwriter.

FYMS:  Your new record – Olympia – that was recently released and it’s available as free download on Optimus Discos website. How did that happen?
F - M: Henrique Amaro, Optimus Discos’ artistic director, invited us to release an album through the label. We were lucky enough to come into the project just as they decided to start releasing full albums, besides EPs.

FYMS: You have been working with The Brook Trout. There is something that is a bit hard to explain to people, you are a band aren’t you? How did this close relationship started?
F - M: We are indeed a band, but, at least so far, I've been doing all the songwriting. I started working with Manuel Dordio (guitar) and Mariana Ricardo (bass, ukulele, vox) in the spring of 2009, shortly after I released Minta's debut EP. I was their fan and asked them if they were willing to try and play with me – gladly they went along with the idea, and we discovered we had wonderful chemistry from the beginning. The two of them recorded Minta & The Brook Trout (2009) with me, along with José Vilão on drums, as a guest. Nuno Pessoa (drums and vox) joined us to play live as soon as the record came out, in the fall on 2009, and has since been a committed Brook Trout.

FYMS: A few weeks, you made the first part for Old Jerusalem’s show in CCB. Which were your expectations? How did it go?
F - M: I've been a fan of Old Jerusalem's for years; it was an honor to open for his band and a pleasure to share the stage with all of them. We joined them to play Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend" at the end – it was a treat.

FYMS:  It’s usual to see you perform with different artists like You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown or Walter Benjamin. How did those collaborations happen?
F - M: Each one has a different story behind them, but they all come about out of friendship and pleasure to be a part of each other's music.

FYMS:  You are also part of David Fonseca’s tour band. Who did you find that opportunity? Is it easy to combine both things?
F - M: I basically responded to a job offer and was accepted! It's a pleasure to play with David and his band, and I've been learning a lot from it.

FYMS:  On your Olympia, music folk is really present and it’s almost possible to see some US culture inspiration as well. Were they part of the inspiration for the record?
F - M: Yes, for sure.

FYMS:  You toured the US with another project ‘They’re Heading West’. How did the experience go?
F - M: It was too good to put into words. We posted on our tumblr page while on tour, it tells a bit of the story: http://theyreheadingwest.tumblr.com/.

FYMS:  How has been the transition from Minta since the solo project until now, with your new record and The Brook Trout?
F - M: I think the best answer to that is in listening to the records, they're all available for full streaming on our bandcamp page: http://minta.bandcamp.com/.

FYMS: Why the name “Olympia” for this work? And which is the relation with the record’s design? F - M: Olympia is the capital of Washington State. It's a beautiful name, and it is a kind of homage to the North American West Coast, its landscapes and its music.

FYMS: As a singer-songwriter, what inspires you the most to compose your songs?
F - M: People, both real and fictional.

FYMS:  You and Mariana Ricardo have produced your previous record, but in Olympia you had the opportunity to work with Roger Siebel and Nelson Carvalho. How did they influenced/changed your record?
F - M: Nelson Carvalho is an absolute master; recording with him was as smooth as it comes. Roger Siebel, who mastered the album, we only worked with from a distance, but I really like the sound he came up with.

FYMS:  Do you feel more comfortable as a singer or as a songwriter?
F - M: Both – I love singing on other people's songs, and I also take great joy in singing and writing my own.

FYMS: What do you think of music made in Portugal, nowadays?
F - M: I can tell you a few Portuguese artists I love: Julie & The Carjackers, Márcia, You Can't Win Charlie Brown, Norberto Lobo, Old Jerusalem, Deolinda.

FYMS: How is your relationship with your fans?
F - M: It's wonderful to have people listen to the music we put out there. I try to do my part as best as I can.

FYMS: Complete these sentences...
a) One Day...                      
F - M:  ... We'll get to record an album in the US.
b) The best thing people can say about me...                  
F - M: ... Let them come up with that one.

c) And the worst...
F - M: ...  and that one too.
d) In ten years...
F - M: ... We'll be in 2022. How weird is that?

FYMS: What would you tell to FYMS readers?
F - M: Go catch us live! Tour dates on our website: www.minta.me 

[Special thanks to Minta for her time and sweetness and to Raquel Lains for everything]

Walter Benjamin, Airports and Broken Hearts

Walter Benjamin is a "character" or songwriter, who lives somewhere between London and Lisbon, created by Luís Nunes that reflects Nunes' needs of making a project about songwriting.

Walter Benjamin writes about everything, with a whispered voice and a soul full of creativity and music.
His life is dedicated to music - he used to work on the label Merzbau, had bands like Jesus, The Misunderstood. He also produced albums for You Can't Win, Charlie Brown, Márcia, B Fachada, Noiserv and Julie & The Carjackers.

In 2008, he releases his debut album The National Crisis, after several EPs and collaborations.
Next April 9, 2012, he is going to release his new album The Imaginary Life of Rosemary and Me through the label Pataca Discos. Once he said on an interview that his sound is going to be different on each album and so he can't characterize his music.

This new album is very personal and sensitive, something like Nashville Skyline from Bob Dylan but along the way the idea changed, ending up to be a collaboration with several musicians like Jakob Bazora, Márcia, João Correia and Nuno Lucas (from Julie & The Carjackers) and Minta, keeping the organic and direct sound.

Airports and Broken Hearts is a song about planes, broken hearts and turning Heathrow's Airport in a tropical place. The song features Márcia and Francisca Cortesão (Minta), besides Julie & The Carjackers (João Correia and Nuno Lucas) and a beautiful drum machine giving this bossa-nova sound.

Discover more about Walter Benjamin on his Facebook or Soundcloud.

Interview // With You Can't Win, Charlie Brown

A few weeks ago Ana and I met some members of You Can't Win, Charlie Brown for a very interesting interview.

The band is really young, created in early 2009 and composed by Afonso Cabral, Salvador Menezes, João Gil, Luís Costa, Tomás Sousa and David Santos.

You can reach the band through their Official Site and Facebook.

Discover with this funny and relaxed interview how did everything started, their adventure to SXSW, what they think about music and much more.

Fuck Yeah Music Stories:  Hi! First of all, we would like to know what's the story behind the name?
You Can't Win, Charlie Brown - Salvador: Every band needs a name so people can identify them and since we were appearing on the album Novos Talentos FNAC, we needed one too. We used to rehearse in Afonso’s home rehearsal studio and there were several books. You can’t win, Charlie Brown was one of them. We looked at it and we thought it made perfect sense.

FYMS: We know it was Salvador and Afonso who actually started and then came up the opportunity to join other bands. How did it all happen?
YCWCB - S: Yes, sort of. Luís Costa asked Afonso about the idea of starting a project with him, since they were both writing songs on their own. Afonso knew I was doing the same and asked me about it. And then we met up to arrange the songs each one of us had. After that we decided to invite David to join the band and he said yes and the band was formed.
João and Tomás joined later but the truth is they were always present. Initially, our idea of the band was something where we could invite different people to participate. At the end it wasn't like that. We already knew them because Afonso and I had already formed a band with them. We have known each other for years. We needed people for the band and it is obvious that we invited those we know well and like working with.

FYMS: How did you get the opportunity of recording an EP with Optimus Discos?
YCWCB - S: It was an invitation from Henrique Amaro. It was a great way of advertising.

FYMS: Did he have any kind of influence during the process? Or did you already have everything planned before?
YCWCB - S: He didn’t have any influence. As a matter of fact, it was also Henrique who invited us to participate in the album Novos Talentos FNAC without even listening to any song. He had confidence in us. Apparently, he trusted the band and he just said, “Choose the song you want”. The same thing happened when we did the EP.

FYMS: So, basically, you can say the EP was your launching pad.
YCWCB - S: It was more thanks to the Novos Talentos project by FNAC. It all started there. We were also asked by Fernando Alvim to participate in the Termómetro music festival and we got the third place.
YCWCB - João: All that happened with the original formation of the band.
YCWCB - S: By that time we were still experimenting. There was a violinist that didn't stay in the band and then when João and Tomás came we felt that we were complete. It was like reinventing the wheel.

FYMS: Which bands or artists influenced you while working on your album Chromatic?
YCWCB - J: We are six members who share the same tastes and at the same time we also like completely different things.
YCWCB - S: It is obvious that we have some in common, because if we didn’t then we wouldn’t be making music together, I think.
Each one of us has been influenced in different ways. Like João said, some are the same and some are completely different. That is why it is difficult to answer.

FYMS: Couldn’t you give us some names? Or a name?
YCWCB - J: I can tell you one we all love and it is Radiohead. I know it can be quite obvious. It must be 500 million people's favorite band too but it is one we have in common.
YCWCB - S: We can’t say a band or an artist. It is almost like saying we copied that band. It's not copying but, more and more, I believe we start being influenced the moment we start listening to music as children. As bad as those songs could be, they are experiences that stay with us forever and as our musical taste evolves, we realize whether they were good or bad.

FYMS: Why the name Chromatic?
YCWCB - S: The name came up because we thought Chromatic made sense, since it is an album that has different colors. We think each song of the album has its own atmosphere but as a whole they create an album that can be listened from beginning to end. And it was more because of that diversity that we decided to use that name. Finding a one-word name was one of the premises because the name of our band was already too long. So we had to find a word that was a synonym for the album and Chromatic was the one we came up with.

FYMS: While doing the album, we know you worked with Mário Feliciano from Real Combo Lisbonense. What could you tell us about that?
YCWCB - S: By that time we were already 6 members. Mário went to see us and apparently he liked the band a lot. He sent us an email saying he owned a recording studio with his brother, and that he would like to record our first album which we agreed. We did our first album and he did his first album production. The conditions were great and I think it was a good experience for both the band and the producer. And it was good working with him.
YCWCB - J: He has the most amazing recording studio in Portugal, I think. At least compared to the ones I have seen so far. They have a lot of old instruments. It’s a place where you feel good the moment you get there. There are studios that make you want to leave as soon as you arrive. That doesn’t happen in this one. It’s a place where we feel good. I think that also influences the recording process. Perhaps some songs took a different turn because of the instruments that were available.

FYMS: If you had the chance to work with a band or a Portuguese artist, who would you like to work with?
YCWCB - J: I think it's a good time to mention Paus.
YCWCB - S: Yes, now it makes sense to talk about them. They’re a band we all like very much and we will also be playing with this great Portuguese band on February 29th, at São Jorge Theater. Not exactly with Paus but with their Siamese drum set.They are a great band we are going to be working with now. There are several bands we like- some are good Portuguese bands that are coming up and some that already existed. We also have in Pataca publishing house two bands that we know very well, Julie and the Carjackers and Walter Benjamin. Even Márcia, who participated in the album.
YCWCB - J: I am thinking about some artists but it would be ungrateful to mention ones and not the others. They are so much that…
YCWCB - S: Our band is very open to new suggestions and if there is a chance, we'll always try to do something that can please both the bands and the people.



FYMS: But we read Blitz a lot, which is the most acknowledged Portuguese magazine. And besides the Optimus Discos fascicle, it doesn't have a big impact in Portuguese music.
YCWCB - S: We are a recent band that just released an album in 2011. I think a band is only taken seriously after releasing an album. And since we only have one and it is recent, we're not famous enough to make people talk about us.

FYMS: From my experience, I started discovering more bands through the blog. Someone told me YCWCB were very talented.
YCWCB - J: Nowadays, the Internet is the best way to reach people. It is faster to reach 10 thousand people through Facebook than appearing 10 seconds on TV.
YCWCB - S: And probably we wouldn't be reaching our target audience through TV.

FYMS: Following up the question about Portuguese artists. We wanted to know if there is any international band you would like to work with. Besides the obvious one.
YCWCB - Afonso: I think Paus is obvious! But speaking about international artists, I don’t know. I would like to work together with so many bands. I’m trying to remember bands I’ve been listening to but they’re all dead.

FYMS: If you could bring someone back to life who would it be?
YCWCB - A: I think it would be Nick Drake. I would work with him and then he could go back.

FYMS: What do you think about music made in Portugal?
YCWCB - A: I think it’s going through a great period right now, excellent. These last years, especially on 2010 and 2011, a lot of new things have appeared. I don't remember a year with so many album releases. Good albums. We already talked about Paus and also Julie (and the Carjackers) album, that was released some months ago. Still related to Pataca, there is also Márcia’s album that was very good. B Fachada’s album too.

FYMS: How was it to work with an artist such as Márcia?
YCWCB - S: It was very easy. We already knew her and she also knew the studio where we recorded. She went a couple times so we invited her and immediately she said yes. It was quite easy, it was just a matter of scheduling a time to meet.

FYMS: So, she didn’t participate in the songwriting process.
YCWCB - A: No, the song already existed.
YCWCB - S: We just thought it made sense to have a feminine voice in that song. We were lacking that kind of voice and we thought Márcia was the obvious solution.
YCWCB - A: Mainly because of her voice and the music she does. And besides it was also because it was easy to record at the same publishing house and at the same studio so it was like family.

FYMS: How was it to play at English stages?
YCWCB - S: It was amazing. We never expected much. Well, I speak for myself. I always think there will be a few guys and our manager. But 90% of the times – we had a very small audience at a concert once – they exceed our expectations.
YCWCB - J: Even the smallest ended up to be an interesting concert. At least I have good memories from that night.
YCWCB - S: Apparently artists like Amy Winehouse and Blur had already performed at that place.
In a place where concerts happen every day, it’s normal to have an off day once in a while.
YCWCB - A: It was awesome. We arrived there thinking it would be empty. Or that maybe people aren't there to see us but the truth is, most of the times people stay at the end and they’re entertained. People were singing Over The Sun/Under The Water at the last concert we did. We were absolutely surprised.
YCWCB - S: We had a full house at The Great Escape music festival in Brighton. Even more than the main artists had.

FYMS: Is the English audience different than the Portuguese? When international artists arrive, they say Portuguese audience is unique. What's the difference?
YCWCB - J: I had the feeling they were more attentive. I couldn't hear the chatting. At Music Box, for instance – which is one of the places where I like to play the most because I’m right next to the people – there is always noise. At Lock Tavern (London), the first place we played, I had the feeling people didn't talk. When we were playing people were just listening. When we stopped, they started talking and then when we started again, they were silent. That doesn’t mean it’s better.

FYMS: Perhaps the place was also a bit different…
YCWCB - S: Exactly. Like you said, maybe Music Box isn’t the best example. At São Luís theater, people were quiet. It always has to do with the place. David Byrne has a video on TED where he talks about that, how architecture influences music. I think it all has to do with the place your playing and who you’re playing for. Perhaps in each place you’ll have a different audience.
YCWCB - A: What I found curious about the audience was that there were a lot more people talking with us after the shows than here. We noticed that people there thought we were something different.

(Afonso, Salvador and João)

FYMS: Is there any song you think, “I wish I had written this”?
YCWCB - A: It happens every day. It never happened to me with a whole song, but small things, certain ideas or certain ways to arrange songs…
YCWCB - J: I’ve had some difficult times in my life because of that. Being upset thinking why didn’t I do this. This is so simple, so pretty and I never thought of that.
YCWCB - S: I have a problem with that because I can’t think like that. If something like that crosses my mind I immediately think I wouldn’t be capable of writing that. I think each person has its own way of writing which ends up being characteristic of that person. And you’ll never have that idea in your life. That’s why this thought could eventually cross my mind but the truth is I know I couldn’t have written that.

FYMS: So, music is personal, from each one…
YCWCB - S: Always.

FYMS: Because there are artists that sing songs that were written by others.
YCWCB - A: That also happens. Perhaps it is more personal to the person who wrote it than to the person who sings it. These are completely different things. When we say music is personal, at least for me, it has to do more with the songwriter than with the singer, most of the time. Just because it’s personal it doesn’t mean it biographical. It only means that it comes from than person and it could only be that way.

FYMS: You will be playing at South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. How did that opportunity arise?
YCWCB - A: You have to apply to go and then they say which bands were selected. We were chosen in the second round. We sent the application form and never thought about that anymore. Then we knew we had been selected and got really excited.
YCWCB - S: As a matter of fact, I have a curious story about my boss. Last year, I started working with him and when things with the band started developing he told me, “Next year you’ll be playing in Texas” and we both started laughing. At a certain point I ended up telling him I was actually going to play in Texas. It was curious that he said that as a joke and it ended up happening. No one was expecting it.

FYMS: Despite that, we heard there were some obstacles. How are you planning to overcome them?
YCWCB - A: I said we got very excited. That lasted 5 minutes. Now we have to turn this into reality. We’ve been looking for support since then and we're still looking in different places.
YCWCB - S: We are 6. Each ticket to Texas costs more than a thousand Euros if we buy them now. If we buy them later they will be even more expensive. So that’s already 6 or 7 thousand Euros. And then there is also the work visa, renting the equipment and all that stuff. At the end, it costs a lot of money. We all gathered and agreed to find a solution, because things are complicated and finding support nowadays isn’t easy. We came up with this crowdfunding idea that is working pretty well. And I hope it keeps going until the day comes.

FYMS: And you have a concert scheduled at São Jorge Theater.
YCWCB - A: Yes, it’s all part of the same. But we didn't want to ask people to help us with money. I don’t like using the expression “ask for” because we’re not properly asking. We are asking for help, yes, but there are “rewards”. It's hard for us to pay the trip to Texas, but things are difficult for the rest of the people too. That’s why we are giving a concert and we will give tickets according to people’s donations. We also recorded some songs for an EP and some posters. We have several things to offer according to what people give us.

FYMS: I remember last year there was an international band that cancelled their tour in Europe because they didn’t have the money to travel.
YCWCB - A: There are specific websites for that. We did it by our own means. It isn't exactly an innovative idea. I don’t remember anyone doing anything like that in Portugal.
YCWCB - S: I think it has been done before. But I can’t remember who did it.
YCWCB - A: It’s not exactly the same thing but They’re Heading West are a band formed by Francisca Cortesão, João Correia, from Julie and the Carjackers, Mariana Ricardo and Sérgio Nascimento. They also give some concerts at Teatro da Barraca, always inviting a band, and we were one of them. The money from those concerts was used to pay trips to the US, to give concerts. So, it’s more or less the same idea but it's used differently. That's the reason for the concert, the songs, the posters, the videoclip... We know we have a small window of opportunity.

FYMS: Now complete these sentences...
a) One Day...
YCWCB - A: I won’t have a desire for a cigarette.
b) The best thing people can say about me...
YCWCB - S: Good things. These guys are very handsome and they all have a very nice beard.
YCWCB - A:“Afonso, you can smoke, it won’t do you no harm.” Or That they (people) would like to have the same beards.
c) And the worst...
YCWCB - S: Bad things.
YCWCB - J: Shave that beard and mustache, you ugly.
YCWCB - S: I think we would stop having an audience if we get on stage one day without drooling.
d) In ten years...
YCWCB - J: Chromatic will be the worst of our ten albums.

FYMS: What would you tell to FYMS readers?
YCWCB - A: Hi! How are you?
YCWCB - S: If you made it and read the whole interview, Congratulations!
YCWCB - A: If you held on until the end, congratulations and show up at São Jorge theater.

Special thanks to You Can't Win, Charlie Brown, to Afonso, Salvador and João who got the time to meet us, Raquel Lains, Diana Pereira for assisting on the Translating process and all the artists above.

Ana'lex - 2011: Music Retrospection

Before reading this post you must know that I haven’t even heard 10% of the music released this year - I'm aware of this fact - but even knowing that I think I've discovered several albums and songs that are worth to give a little time and talk about them. But time is short and I will stick to the most important and the ones in some way influenced my state of mind or way of seeing things.

Following is my TOP of 2011 according to several topics.

Albums released this year:


Within Temptation - The Unforgiving: Besides the excellent vocals and instrumental part that I'm already use to hear form this band what surprised me the most in the album was the concept: it was released simultaneously a comic book written by Steven O'Connell and illustrated by Romano Molenaar (X-Men). The characters and stories are thus portrayed in three ways: by the artists in the comic book, by the band in the music (album), and by the actors in the films.


The story is about people who have done bad things. Not because they are bad, but because they made bad decisions. - Sharon den Adel

Florence and The Machine - Ceremonials: Florence released an album with no much surprises comparing to the last album, I think she stuck to it which is not a bad thing because it was very good. I’m looking forward to see them live next year.

James Blake – James Blake: he made a piece of art. His sound is something I wasn’t used to hear at all. He seems a little boy but in fact he is a great man that did an awesome album!

Adele - 21: she became one of my favourite artists with ‘21’. The melody, the voice, the lyrics it all made a spectacular album from an amazing singer. Unfortunately, the end of the year wasn’t as good as we expected but she is now recovering and in one year she will with no doubts back!

Pj Harvey - Let England Shake: she is a veteran but her 2011 album was the one I’ve ever heard mainly because she was at the top of many magazines and website as the best album of this year. It’s a great album indeed, I recommend it.

Luísa Sobral - The Cherry On My Cake - and Márcia – Dá -, gained this year recognition and some time in the Portuguese radio stations. Their albums are absolutely great. Very calm melodies and simple lyrics. They are definitely artists to follow.

Mafalda Veiga – Zoom: she released this album as a result of the remaking of new and old songs. She also released a new song called “Largar Mais” – it basically speaks about (no) letting that “someone” go.

The Eleanors - Back to lies and tv shows: I’ve told you that they are going to work with the producer of Coldplay’s albums. Their album is very good, unfortunately I wouldn’t ever say it’s a Portuguese band because it’s not every day that we have the opportunity to hear this quality from a Portuguese Band.

The Gift - Explode: has it was reviewed in this blog their album released this year, is nothing but fantastic. Although they are reckoned all over the world they are slowly starting their international career. I like them since their AM-FM album and they are just getting better and better.


Songs released this year:


Besides the music referred above there are some songs released this year that I think are very good. I'm not good at this, I may be forgetting a lot of songs.

Paramore – In the morning: it’s one of 4 songs released by this band this year. It has a sweety melody.

Lady Gaga – The Edge of Glory: “There ain’t no reason” to not like this song. My favorite from her new album – Born this way. There is no particular reason but I think it’s one of those songs where you can see the potential of Gaga.

Train - Hey Soul Sister: I couldn't relate more with this song. And that's enough.

David Guetta ft Usher – Without you: I would give emphasis to this song due to one simple reason: I don’t like Guetta’s and Usher’s type of music. So what do I like about this song? When I don’t like the artist and I like the music it’s very often the same reason: The lyrics. I think they are very good, the team that wrote it were inspired that day. But other reason is the moment I heard it. I was at the disco and I would never think of hearing a music at a club with such inspiring lyrics, well done guys!

Gigs I went and loved:

Skunk Anansie (Coliseu dos Recreios) – Skin’s energy is unforgettable. I TOUCHED HER HAND! :D (at 1:00)

Bon Jovi (Bela Vista) – Well it is Jon and Richie. And it’s all I needed for Bon Jovi’s concert to become one of the best..ever. See you guys next tour!

Paramore (Optimus Alive) – Hayley live is as good as she is on studio. Despite that the band – even if it was just half of it – was really connected and full of energy. I loved it and hope for a soon comeback.

Within Temptation (Coliseu dos Recreios) - Well it's all said here: http://fuckyeahmusicstories.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-within-temptation-in-lisbon.html

Musical Discovery:

Feist: while hearing this song it’s just that feeling you get when you go with the flow. It’s different and great. If the money was enough for everything I would go to their concert next year, in Portugal. But we will see.

Kings of Convenience: the voice of these two guys feet so well together and their lyrics seem a bit intellectual but are at the same time very cool.

Albums That I’m waiting to be released:


Adam Lambert -Trespassing: I’ve known him since he participated on American Idol but his first album didn’t attracted me despite two songs: Aftermath and What ya want from me. I expect this album to see if can see not the pop and commercial Adam Lambert from his first album, but the sentimental, deep and different Adam I discovered on that contest. One thing I know he has a great voice!

Missy Higgins’s: I know her album The Sound Of White very well and I expect another album so easy to hear but at the same time with feelings described that I can relate and think about.

Keane's: there is only one album of them that I don’t like. Their sound may be considered a bit commercial – because it’s so easy to hear the majority of their songs - but they are very good in what they do. Tom’s voice is different from what we are used to heard in this type of bands.

Paramore's: they released 4 songs (Singles Club) this year and in my opinion they are all a bit different from each other. Due to this and because they are one of my favorite bands, I’m expecting their album with relative optimism.

The Gift's: I just read (http://www.facebook.com/The.Gift.Official) that they are going to release a new album next month and I'm really happy to know that. I hope next year I have the opportunity to see them live.

Finally, hopefully, a P!nk’s album for ALL the obvious reasons.

Artists that start to get international recognition in 2011 and I’m waiting to see more in 2012:

Beside the obvious choices such as Adele, James Blake, Márcia, Luísa Sobral and The Eleanors, I want to follow Jessie J. She has an incredible voice. Her first album – Who You are – is very good but according to her live performances I think we can expect much more of her in the next years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Márcia, A Pele Que Há Em Mim

Márcia Santos, or just Márcia, is a Portuguese artist from Lisbon.
Inspired by her older brother, she always tried to imitate him starting to play organ and later discovering the guitar, receiving her first guitar - around her 13 years after convincing her father to give her one - that she describes as "(...) terrible. It was so bad that I had to play with my ear neat the guitar box to hear the sound."

She has a graduation in Painting, taken in the Lisbon's Fine Arts University, probably due to her father's profession - he was also a painter.
Márcia is usually compared to female artists like Carla Bruni or Adriana Calcanhotto because just like them, she goes to stage only with her voice and her guitar, being very uncommon in Portugal - not only for being a woman but for doing it solo.

She started to write in Portuguese, during her Erasmus trip in France where she felt alone and discovered how unique her mother language was, until then she only wrote in English.

Dá is released in 2010, a year after Márcia's self-titled EP release through Optimus Discos and mentioned as Fnac's "New Talent 2009".
This record is incredibly easy to listen. She plays a lot with the words and the arrangements have touches of acoustic and soft-rock.
From Dá we can recognize Cabra Cega, Pra Quem Quer or A Pele Que Há Em Mim

This record is going to be released this year, counting with a version of A Pele Que Há Em Mim with the Portuguese artist JP Simões.

"E a calma a aguardar lugar em mim
O desejo a contar segundo o fim.
Foi num ar que te deu
E o teu canto mudou
E o teu corpo do meu"

Márcia - Cabra Cega

Li pela primeira vez um artigo sobre a Márcia num daqueles jornais diários gratuitos que distribuem nos transportes públicos de Lisboa. Lembro-me de ler que é uma artista do "faça você mesmo" que escreve, compõe e canta e fiquei com o bichinho. Bichinho esse que matei ao ouvir as primeiras músicas.

Muitos poderão conhece-la como membro da banda Real Combo Lisbonense, sou sincera não sei nada sobre eles. Da Márcia apenas conheço o seu primeiro e único album chamado Dá - 'tá genial mas já lá vamos.

Porquê escrever agora sobre ela?! Não sei mas no outro dia qual não foi o meu espanto quando ouvi a minha música favorita dela - Cabra-Cega - na rádio. Fiquei literalmente de boca aberta, porque até então só tinha lido mais sobre ela na revista Blitz. Agora que acabei as frequência mais facilmente posso publicar - ignorando o factor de que o meu computador morreu.

Como diz a Blitz Dá é "daqueles discos de que é fácil gostar". É simples, nada de muito arrojado mas com uma sonoridade diferente, harmoniosa, alegre mas agradável. É banda sonora de um estudo ou de um passeio à beira-mar.

Começou à uns dias a digressão que vai dar a conhecer pelo país fora o seu talento. Perdi o concerto de abertura em Lisboa, mas não perco o próximo.

Eu sei que é fácil de montar o aparato da menina que é esperta
Mas também, fugir pra ti faz parte de investir na pessoa certa
E olha quem vem agora pra ficar é que eu ao menos não deixei aberta
a minha porta a ver quanto tempo sobra pra quem vem
a minha porta a ver quanto tempo sobra
Eu sei que é fácil de montar o aparato da menina que é culta

Sorrir sai mais barato que cuspir pensamentos à solta.

A.