“Maré“ by Rodrigo Amarante

"Maré" is, first and foremost, a treat and a blast to listen to. It's the lead single from a forthcoming album, Drama from LA-based Brazilian native Rodrigo Amarante. They say that you may know him from the theme song to the show Narcos on Netflix, or one of his tours opening for artists like Devendra Banhart, Kevin Morby and Neko Case. Or maybe from his project Little Joy with Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Enough of that - check this out:

 

 

 Amazing, huh? So many things come together to make this song memorable - the delicate acoustic guitar lines in the intro, all the percussion, piano and horns rocking and swinging, and the rhythm... the rhythm is the key. His vocals are terrific - before I knew he was in a side project with a member of the Strokes, the impression I had was of their vocals, the warm, raspy quality that creates an intimacy you usually only find in acoustic singer-songwriter tracks. I would also connect his singing to similar qualities in bands like the Allah-La's and Growlers. But this swings like crazy! I can't wait to hear more and am off to put his earlier album, Cavalo, on repeat. You should also go to his Bandcamp page, scroll down to the bottom, and read his biography. 

Rodrigo Amarante website 

Rodrigo Amarante Bandcamp