Bebel Gilberto: Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto's father João is credited with co-inventing bossa nova, so it's no surprise that she tried to experiment with the form on her debut, 2000's Tanto Tempo. The album's 11 tracks—now reissued—trade off between traditional bossa nova tunes and electronica-influenced cuts. As a collection, it's a mixed bag: The opener "Samba da Benção" is an ethereal masterpiece, "So Nice (Summer Samba)" is a three-minute vacation, and the title track melds creamy background vocals, light percussion, and quiet piano to create a fully formed Brazilian bossa nova dream. Other tunes fare less well in attempting to update a classic sound. "August Day Song" is more droning than smooth; it sounds like Sting trying to sound like Antonio Carlos Jobim. The mellow techno "Alguém" features too much echo, too-poppy synthesizers, and a beat that could have been produced by Vince Clarke on Quaaludes. The best tracks, such as "Samba E Amor," are the simplest, featuring only a guitar and Gilberto's beautiful voice, with minimal production and no overdubs.