Rubel - Pearl

Mr Bongo proudly presents a first-time worldwide vinyl and CD issue of
Rubel's debut album Pearl

Self-released on YouTube in 2013, the album quietly became a huge hit in Brazil with
the lead single and accompanying video for 'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' amassing
over 85 million views to date. Pearl laid the foundations for Rubel's path to greatness -
a first glimpse into the brilliance of a modern- day troubadour and ever- evolving
Brazilian artist who deftly mixes classic and contemporary influences. Fusing MPB,
folk, pop, and indie, it charts Rubel at his purest and most personal.

The journey of Pearl begins with Rubel in his early 20's studying film in Austin, Texas.
Immersing himself in the city's vibrant DIY music scene and surrounded by countless
musicians who he shared a large house with, he set up a home studio with an
assortment of rented gear and recorded the album without any expectations. It was
inspired by an environment of youth, music and experimentation Rubel found himself
within. The seven songs are an attempt to record and take with him a little of what he
lived and learned whilst there. He uploaded the album to YouTube, didn't think much
of it and continued to pursue a career in film in LA. Over the next few years however it
became a viral hit in Brazil, with a subsequent Brazil only vinyl and CD issue, drawing
him both back to Rio and a trajectory to musical stardom.

The spirit of Pearl has a timeless nostalgia; it feels familiar from the outset, and
whether a Portuguese speaker or not, the songs touch your soul. It's an unpretentious
album, with Rubel putting himself, his musicianship and his songwriting upfront and
centre. The epic 'O Velho e o Mar' delicately layers acoustic guitar, banjo and vocal
harmonies, as the track builds with a simmering intensity and an accordion drifts in
across its final stages. Elsewhere, title track 'Pearl' has a global singer- songwriter
aesthetic and could be Thom Yorke at his most acoustic. At nearly seven minutes,
'Quando Bate Aquela Saudade' is an unlikely breakthrough single, but its message
really resonated with the Brazilian / Portuguese-speaking audience. Anyone who has
witnessed Rubel live has felt the energy and interplay between musician and
audience, with the crowd making this song as much their own as it is Rubel's. A true
modern-day classic

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