Though not as internationally well known as some of his peers, like
Antonio Carlos Jobim and
João Gilberto, guitarist/vocalist/composer
Carlos Lyra was also a major figure of the early bossa nova movement. This extremely value-priced, 33-track, 79-minute, single-CD compilation presents the entirety of his first two albums (1959's
Bossa Nova and 1961's
Carlos Lyra) in sequence, adding seven bonus tracks of interpretations of his compositions by other artists recorded between 1956 and 1960. If you like the work of
Jobim and
Gilberto, it's a good bet you'll like
Lyra too, though he's not quite as distinctive. The music has a similar easygoing swing, with gentle, insistent guitar strumming (aided on
Bossa Nova by second guitarist
Baden Powell, a notable bossa nova artist in his own right), smooth crooned vocals, mellifluous jazzy backing, ornate orchestration that verges on easy listening, and those trademark bossa nova beats. From the first album, "Maria Ninguém" is a standout, with a melody highly reminiscent in spots of "Perfidia." The second album is pretty similar to the debut, if lighter on the pop orchestration. The bonus tracks of covers of songs
Lyra wrote or co-wrote include performances by
Sylvia Telles,
Os Cariocas,
Alaide Costa,
João Gilberto, and
Mariza, and are actually among the more interesting selections on the CD. Especially via the presence of some female leads and (from
Os Cariocas) group singing, they provide some welcome variety.