{"product_id":"rubel-pearl","title":"Rubel - Pearl","description":"Self-released on YouTube in 2013, this album quietly became a huge hit in Brazil. \u003ci\u003ePearl\u003c\/i\u003e laid the foundations for Rubel's path to greatness -\na first glimpse into the brilliance of a modern- day troubadour and ever- evolving\nBrazilian artist who deftly mixes classic and contemporary influences. Fusing MPB,\nfolk, pop, and indie, it charts Rubel at his purest and most personal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe journey of \u003ci\u003ePearl\u003c\/i\u003e begins with Rubel in his early 20's studying film in Austin, Texas.\nImmersing himself in the city's vibrant DIY music scene and surrounded by countless\nmusicians who he shared a large house with, he set up a home studio with an\nassortment of rented gear and recorded the album without any expectations. It was\ninspired by an environment of youth, music and experimentation Rubel found himself\nwithin. The seven songs are an attempt to record and take with him a little of what he\nlived and learned whilst there. He uploaded the album to YouTube, didn't think much\nof it and continued to pursue a career in film in LA. Over the next few years, however, it\nbecame a viral hit in Brazil, with a subsequent Brazil-only vinyl and CD issue, drawing\nhim both back to Rio and a trajectory to musical stardom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe spirit of \u003ci\u003ePearl\u003c\/i\u003e has a timeless nostalgia; it feels familiar from the outset, and\nwhether a Portuguese speaker or not, the songs touch your soul. It's an unpretentious\nalbum, with Rubel putting himself, his musicianship and his songwriting upfront and\ncentre. The epic 'O Velho e o Mar' delicately layers acoustic guitar, banjo and vocal\nharmonies, as the track builds with a simmering intensity and an accordion drifts in\nacross its final stages. Elsewhere, title track '\u003ci\u003ePearl\u003c\/i\u003e' has a global singer- songwriter\naesthetic and could be Thom Yorke at his most acoustic. At nearly seven minutes,\n'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' is an unlikely breakthrough single, but its message\nreally resonated with the Brazilian \/ Portuguese-speaking audience. Anyone who has\nwitnessed Rubel live has felt the energy and interplay between musician and\naudience, with the crowd making this song as much their own as it is Rubel's. A true\nmodern-day classic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n'Ben' echoes and channels the Brazilian greats; Caetano Veloso comes to mind whilst\nlistening to this stripped-down tender ballad. The folk-leaning tones of the banjo make\na return on the closing 'Quadro Verde'. A cinematic and anthemic track that could\neasily be imagined soundtracking a Wes Anderson film.Now a global, Latin-Grammy\nnominated star, Rubel is one of those rare artists who can straddle both mainstream\npop success with the humbleness of an independent, underground recording artist.\nThose roots are on show here on \u003ci\u003ePearl\u003c\/i\u003e, embodying an authenticity and rawness that\nspoke to a generation.","brand":"Mr Bongo","offers":[{"title":"Green LP","offer_id":51496733180182,"sku":"RMX-70776","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":51496733344022,"sku":"RMX-70777","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":51496733376790,"sku":"RMX-70778","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0839\/7750\/2998\/files\/7eda8abb-7293-4609-b6ab-15712fa5dc26.jpg?v=1783078696","url":"https:\/\/resident-music-uk.myshopify.com\/products\/rubel-pearl","provider":"Resident Music UK","version":"1.0","type":"link"}