Misia / Ritual
Album: Ritual   Collection:World
Artist:Misia   Added:Aug 2002
Label:Erato  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2002-11-18 Pull Date: 2003-01-20 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Jan 19 Jan 12 Dec 8 Dec 1 Nov 24
Airplays: 1 1 4 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Jan 14, 2003: At the Cafe Bohemian
Formiga
4. Dec 03, 2002: No Cover, No Minimum
Duas Luas
2. Jan 07, 2003: At the Cafe Bohemian
Duas Luas
5. Dec 02, 2002: This is What 15 Years of Radio Have Done to Me
Misterio Lunar, Cor De Lua
3. Dec 03, 2002: At the Cafe Bohemian
Formiga
6. Nov 26, 2002: At the Cafe Bohemian
Formiga

Album Review
Mirchi
Reviewed 2003-01-11
Artist name – Misia
Album name – Ritual
Label – Erato

Think the blues but sung in Portuguese - Fado in Portuguese means Fate and the music is lyrical, sentimental and almost a lament. Very simple melodies, Misia’s very strong (and mournful) voice is accompanied by bass, acoustic and Portuguese guitar (fado guitar). Even if the music (which includes Fado guitar) sounds upbeat in a couple of tracks, don’t be fooled! The lyrics are always sad (the insert has translations of all the song lyrics), always mournful. While performing fado music the singer - the fadista - stands dressed in black in front of the audience, and behind the fadista are the musicians (the bare minimum is one fado guitar and one 6 string). The music for this album was recorded the old-fashioned way live in the studio, with single takes (for each song) and no sound mixing, using an old-style microphone.

Track 2 –This is a tribute to one of the most famous Fado artists – Amalia Rodrigues. The lyrics are part of a poem written the day Amalia died and the music for this is composed by Carlos Gonsalves, who composed for Amalia in the later years.

Tracks 6,9 and 10 – These tracks are the best of the melancholy, yearning numbers on the album.

Track 3 and track 7 – Slightly upbeat and even jaunty. A nice change of pace from the rest of the tracks (till you read the translated lyrics).

Track 13: Only the piano accompanies Misia. Beautiful. Evocative of the way Amalia used to rehearse at the piano (see insert).


Track Listing
1. Nao Guardo Saudade a Vida   7. Formiga
2. Xaile De Silencio   8. O Verso Em Que Peco
3. Duas Luas   9. Lagrima
4. Desespero   10. Misterio Lunar
5. Decisao   11. Ainda Assim
6. Cor De Lua   12. A Beira Da Minha Rua
  13. Vivendo Sem Mim