Description
Mr Bongo proudly presents a first-time worldwide vinyl and CD issue of Rubel's debut album Pearl. Self-released on YouTube in 2013, the album quietly became a huge hit in Brazil with the lead single and accompanying video for 'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' amassing over 85 million views to date. Pearl laid the foundations for Rubel's path to greatness - a first glimpse into the brilliance of a modern-day troubadour and ever-evolving Brazilian artist who deftly mixes classic and contemporary influences. Fusing MPB, folk, pop, and indie, it charts Rubel at his purest and most personal.
The journey of Pearl begins with Rubel in his early 20's studying film in Austin, Texas. Immersing himself in the city's vibrant DIY music scene and surrounded by countless musicians who he shared a large house with, he set up a home studio with an assortment of rented gear and recorded the album without any expectations. It was inspired by an environment of youth, music and experimentation Rubel found himself within. The seven songs are an attempt to record and take with him a little of what he lived and learned whilst there. He uploaded the album to YouTube, didn't think much of it and continued to pursue a career in film in LA. Over the next few years however it became a viral hit in Brazil, with a subsequent Brazil only vinyl and CD issue, drawing him both back to Rio and a trajectory to musical stardom.
The spirit of Pearl has a timeless nostalgia; it feels familiar from the outset, and whether a Portuguese speaker or not, the songs touch your soul. It's an unpretentious album, with Rubel putting himself, his musicianship and his songwriting upfront and centre. The epic 'O Velho e o Mar' delicately layers acoustic guitar, banjo and vocal harmonies, as the track builds with a simmering intensity and an accordion drifts in across its final stages. Elsewhere, title track 'Pearl' has a global singer-songwriter aesthetic and could be Thom Yorke at his most acoustic. At nearly seven minutes, 'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' is an unlikely breakthrough single, but its message really resonated with the Brazilian / Portuguese-speaking audience. Anyone who has witnessed Rubel live has felt the energy and interplay between musician and audience, with the crowd making this song as much their own as it is Rubel's. A true modern-day classic.
'Ben' echoes and channels the Brazilian greats; Caetano Veloso comes to mind whilst listening to this stripped-down tender ballad. The folk-leaning tones of the banjo make a return on the closing 'Quadro Verde'. A cinematic and anthemic track that could easily be imagined soundtracking a Wes Anderson film.Now a global, Latin-Grammy nominated star, Rubel is one of those rare artists who can straddle both mainstream pop success with the humbleness of an independent, underground recording artist. Those roots are on show here on Pearl, embodying an authenticity and rawness that spoke to a generation. We are proud to be able to give a worldwide release to this authentic and unpretentious first chapter in Rubel's story.
