Beleza Tropical 2: Novo! Mais! Melhor!, Compiled By David Byrne

Ten years after Beleza Tropical Volume 1 turned the world on to the popular music of Brazil (MPB), along comes volume 2 to bring us up to date. The first volume did a great job covering the 1960s and '70s; volume 2 does an equally impressive job in focusing on the late '80s and the '90s. The MPB scene is as vibrant as ever. Elder voices of the movement like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Sergio Mendes have recently put out some of the best work of their careers, and you'll find wonderful examples of that here. The new generation of MPB stars are also amply represented--Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, the late Chico Science, Moleque de Rua, Os Paralamas Do Successo, and others all contribute excellent work. The songs incorporate the technological changes of the past decade and meld elements of rock, jazz, funk, reggae, and African music with the rich traditions of Brazil. The result is music that is coherent, edgy, and creatively compelling. This compilation is very well sequenced, so that it doesn't sound like a hodgepodge of styles, but instead flows flawlessly from tune to tune. --Jeff Grubb