Alcione epitomizes the best of the post-bossa nova samba-pop. I haven't heard her more recent stuff, but pretty much everything I've heard of hers from the 1970s and '80s has been uniformly sexy and awesome.
Alcione "A Voz Do Samba" (Philips, 1975)
A stunning debut, featuring new samba songs by Candeia and others, as well as sleek samba-flavored pop recorded under the artistic direction of Roberto Menescal. Alcione's voice is gorgeous, and the musical backup is uniformly delightful. A flawless, wonderful record.
Alcione "Morte De Um Poeta" (Philips, 1976)
Alcione "Pra Que Chorar" (Philips, 1977)
Alcione "Alerta Geral" (Philips, 1978)
Alcione "Gostoso Veneno" (Philips, 1979)
Alcione "E Vamos A Luia" (Philips, 1980)
Alcione "Alcione" (Philips, 1981)
Alcione "Vamos Arrepiar" (RCA-Victor, 1982)
Ouch! What a schmaltzy album. Way too glitzy and Vegas-ed out, with big horn sections and intrusive electric keyboards... It's nice in places, but several songs sound more like Charo than proper old-school pagode... And her husky, lusty voice is better used in rhythmic contexts, as opposed to show-tuney pop. Oh, well. I guess even Alcione has to go overboard and lay an egg now and then. About half of this album is okay, while the other half is kind of dubious.
Alcione "Almas E Coracoes" (RCA-Victor, 1983)
Alcione "Da Cor Do Brasil" (RCA-Victor, 1984)
Alcione "Fogo Da Vida" (RCA-Victor, 1985)
Alcione "Fruto E Raiz" (RCA-Victor, 1986)
Alcione "Nosso Nome: Resistencia" (BMG-Ariola, 1987)
Alcione "Ouro E Cobre" (BMG-Ariola, 1988)
This disc alternates pretty evenly between decent-sounding classic samba-pagode and dreadful, brega ballads with vast, swooping vocals. I think she's better when she keeps things simple and more traditional-sounding. No info on the back-up band, but when the chorus and percussion get going, they definitely rock. Iffy album, but worthwhile if you skip the overproduced numbers.
Alcione "Emocoes Reias" (BMG-Ariola, 1990)
Alcione "Promessa" (BMG-Ariola, 1991)
Alcione "Pulsa Coracao" (BMG-Ariola, 1992)
Alcione "Brasil De Oliveira Da Silva Do Samba" (BMG-Ariola, 1994)
Alcione "Profissao Cantora" (BMG-Ariola, 1995)
Alcione "Tempo De Guarnice" (BMG, 1996)
Her voice is a little huskier, the material is a little smoother and syrupy, but still this is a pretty solid effort. She hasn't abandoned her earlier samba style, though she's added on some reggae-flavored axe stylings and the ballads have gotten sappier and more synth-laden.
Alcione "Valeu" (PolyGram, 1998)
Slushy, synthy arrangements and a markedly thicker voice make this a less-than-electrifying release as far as fans of Alcione's older work are concerned. At least, it doesn't do much for me.
Alcione "Celebracao" (1998)
Alcione "Claridade - Uma Homanagem A Clara Nunes" (Globo-Universal, 1999)
Alcione "Brasil De Oliveira Da Silva Do Samba" (BMG, 1999)
Alcione "Nos Bares Da Vida" (Universal, 2000)
A live album.
Alcione "Paixao Sem Memoria" (Universal, 2001)
Alcione "A Arte De Alcione" (Philips)
Her entry into this series of classic mid-'70s Phillips best-ofs is a sure-fire all-killer, no-filler collection. The original 2-LP set has a few more tracks than the CD reissue.
Alcione "10 Anos Depois" (Philips, 1985)
Alcione "Nao Deixe O Samba Morrer" (Globo/Polydor)
Has a few too many droopy ballads, with those plinky-plinky Whitney Houston-style keyboards. But the straight samba stuff is -- of course -- awesome, and fortunately it far outweighs the soul-tinged pop. Includes several of her best songs.
Alcione "Garoto Maroto" (Musica Latino, 1999)
Alcione "Serie Sem Limite" (Philips, 2001)
Philips had all the best Alcione stuff, her earliest, grooviest, hottest '70s samba... So this spiffy, budget-priced 2-CD set gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Highly recommended.
Other Brazilian Artists
Main Brazil Index
