Milton Nascimento - Clube Da Esquina 2 (1978)

Second album from the Clube Da Esquina collective of musicians from Minas Gerais, Brazil, that had been established by Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges at the beginning of the 70s.  Following the success of their first album and Milton Nascimento's subsequent solo albums (see links below), the collective regrouped in 1978 for another double album.  If, as I initially did, you might assume the album cover above was another impromptu shot of Brazilian children, it can be surprising to learn it was taken by English photography pioneer Frank M. Sutcliffe, circa 1890.  That's just the first difference between this album and its predecessor.

Clube Da Esquina 2 was credited to Nascimento alone as the primary artist; while still involved as a musician, Lo Borges was more peripheral to this project rather than a partner, and only has three songwriting credits.  Milton takes most of the rest, shared with his usual songwriting partners of the time, and there's more songs by outside writers.  The result is an album with a much broader scope, and while the greater diversity has its own reward, it takes longer to digest (and not just in length - 15 minutes over its predecessor, despite having only two more tracks), running through a range of Brazilian folk themes and the various MPB styles of the time.

One other thing that made the first Clube De Esquina album such a joy in its accessibility was the Beatlesque sensibility that Nascimento and Borges brought to so many songs.  This time around, waiting for something with that poppy immediacy will take until the final quarter of the album (Maria Maria).  None of this should put anyone off approaching Clube Da Esquina 2 - live with it for a week or two, and it'll take just as strong a residency deep in your soul.  Nascimento's impassioned longings for unity and understanding; for lost loved ones; for all of Brazil's historical pain, and an urge to keep moving forward, is instilled in every one of his songs (and on key ones by others).  The highlights from the other group members and guests are many - more great guitar work from Beto Guedes, for instance, and the legendary Elis Regina as the first vocalist on O Que Foi Feito Deverá/De Vera, aka Vera Cruz.  More Elis Regina to come in the weeks ahead, and a different look at Vera Cruz coming on Monday.

Disc 1 link
Disc 2 link
pw: sgtg

Previously posted at SGTG:
Clube Da Esquina
Milagre Dos Peixes
Native Dancer
Minas/Geraes