Acústico MTV
Jorge Ben Jor
2002
Why This Album Matters
Acústico MTV represents a milestone in Titãs' trajectory, by proposing a radical shift in their sound and artistic approach. Known for their punk rock essence, the band reinvented itself by embracing orchestral arrangements and an unplugged format, moving away from conventional rock to explore a completely different musical path. This boldness demonstrated the group's versatility and its ability to transcend expectations, redefining its sonic identity. The album was conceived as a creative challenge for Titãs, who sought to prove their adaptability without compromising the quality of their work. Far from being merely a commercial ploy, the initiative allowed the band to broaden its audience, recapture radio airplay, and celebrate its fifteen-year career with an innovative proposal. The result is a work that demonstrates Titãs' artistic maturity, capable of transforming themselves and remaining relevant in the music scene.
Context
Prior to the release of Acústico MTV, Titãs were facing a period of crisis and had even resisted adhering to the 'unplugged' format for years. The band was persuaded by the record label and MTV, who highlighted the project's international success, but imposed the condition that the performance be put together in their own way. The label's president, André Midani, expressed scepticism, doubting the group's ability, with its 'essence of a punk rock band', to perform a style closer to 'bossa nova'. This album also marked the return of Titãs' partnership with producer Liminha, who had worked with them until Õ Blésq Blom, and with whom they had already reconnected during the recording of the single 'Pela Paz'. The then vocalist and bassist Nando Reis believes that Titãs' project initiated the trend of special guests at shows in the Acústico MTV series.
Recording
The album Acústico MTV was recorded live on 6 and 7 March 1997, at Teatro João Caetano, in Rio de Janeiro. The performance was broadcast by MTV Brasil on 22 May of the same year, resulting in the production of a CD and a VHS, with the DVD being released later in 2002. For the conception of the brass and wind arrangements, the group collaborated with Jaques Morelenbaum. For rehearsals, the septet rented a house in Granja Viana, where guitarist Marcelo Fromer resided, demonstrating the band's commitment to adapting its repertoire for the acoustic format.
Songs
The repertoire of Acústico MTV encompassed tracks from all the band's previous albums, with the notable exception of Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora and Domingo. The album also innovated by including four unreleased songs: 'Os Cegos do Castelo', 'Nem 5 Minutos Guardados', 'A Melhor Forma', and 'Não Vou Lutar', each performed by one of the four vocalists from the line-up at the time. The latter three were already old compositions, resurrected for the project. The album featured significant special guest appearances, such as the Argentine Fito Páez, Marisa Monte, the Jamaican Jimmy Cliff, and former member Arnaldo Antunes. On the CD version of 'Televisão', Rita Lee and Roberto de Carvalho made an appearance, while the video version featured Fito Páez. Marina Lima recorded a musical vignette for 'Cabeça Dinossauro', and singer Maria Bethânia was even invited for 'Miséria', but cancelled her participation. Lyrical particularities also stand out, such as in 'Go Back', which features a Spanish version with verses by Pablo Neruda added by Sérgio Britto, and 'Homem Primata', with Britto inserting verses by Bob Marley. The track 'Pra Dizer Adeus' was chosen for radio promotion. Interestingly, 'Os Cegos do Castelo' was meant to be the third single, but the song 'Nem 5 Minutos Guardados' spontaneously gained radio airplay before its official release.
Legacy
Acústico MTV generated a polarised critical reception. While Luiz Antônio Ryff, from Folha de S.Paulo, considered the work 'excellent' and praised the energy preserved on the CD, others, such as Pedro Alexandre Sanches, labelled it a 'commercial ploy' and criticised the 'tackiness of the strings'. Álvaro Pereira Júnior, in turn, was even more scathing, classifying it as 'the worst of 1997' and accusing Titãs of being a 'fake band'. However, a poll with Folha readers elected the album, the show, and the band as the best of the year, and 'Pra Dizer Adeus' as the best song. Despite this, in 2018, journalist Lucas Brêda from Vice magazine, in a list featuring 31 of the project's 33 albums, chose Titãs' Acústico as the worst Acústico MTV. Commercially, the album was a resounding success, selling 180,000 copies in less than a month, reaching 700,000 by August 1997, becoming the best-selling album of Titãs' career at the time. By October of the same year, the one-million mark was surpassed, culminating in a diamond certification with over 1.7 million sales. This achievement positioned it as the second best-selling album in the Acústico MTV series, trailing only Kid Abelha's release. The project's success surprised the band itself, which noticed a 'radical renewal' in its audience, attracting more young people and women. Sérgio Britto stated that, in that year, Titãs were perhaps the most popular group across all genres, solidifying the band's position in the Brazilian music scene and influencing the trend of special guests in future Acústico MTV editions.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Max Pierre
Lincoln Olivetti
Paulinho Tapajós
Jorge Ben, Toquinho
Dadi, J. J. Lucrécio
Patrícia Scotolo
Ric Ostrower
Fabrizio Martinelli
André Mantovani
Valter Pascotto
Zico Goes
Cris Lobo
Adilson Tokita
Eder Peres
Lara Andrade
José Wilson Fonseca
Anna Butler
Ana Cláudia Barbieri
Miguel Lopez
Jimmy Leroy
Ana Surani
Flávia Pinho
Juliana Lewkowicz
Edgard Ribeiro
Juliana Maia
Loudness
André Garrido
Marcelo Sabóia
André Gustavo, Maurício Alves
Eduardo Helbourn, Gustavo Schroeter
Michael Canno
Alceu De Almeida Reis, Iura Ranevsky, Marcelo Salles, Marcio Mallard
Dirceu Leite
Renato Corrêa, Roberto Corrêa, Ronaldo Correa
Carlos Prazeres
Armando Marçal
Leo Gandelman
Gordinho
Jose Carlos Bigorna
Serginho Do Trombone
Bidinho
Frederick Stephany, Jesuina Passaroto, José Ricardo Taboada, Marie-Christine Springuel
Antonella Pareschi, Carlos Eduardo Hack, Carlos Moreno, José Alves, João Daltro, Mariana Salles, Michel Bessler, Paschoal Perrota, Paula Prates, Ricardo Amado, Rogerio Rosa, Walter Hack
Bernardo Bessler
Barney
Joãozinho Da Percussão, Neném Da Cuica
João Roberto Vandaluz, Lory Cesar
Enrico Romano
Ricardo Garcia
Flavio Senna
Paulo Penov, Yuri Kalil
Flavio Senna
Guilherme Medeiros
Flavio Senna, Guilherme Medeiros
Gê Alves Pinto
Christiano Menezes
Ricardo Moreira
Marcos Hermes
Analyses
Acústico MTV – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Jorge Ben Jor: Acústico MTV - Música Brasileira
musicabrasileira.org
Recorded in Rio in 2002, "Acústico - Jorge Ben Jor," is divided into two full-length concert performances. The first is a reunion of his classic seventies band Admiral Jorge V, and the second with the current version of his ongoing Banda do Zé Pretinho.
Jorge Ben Jor - Acústico MTV (2002) - IEMs and Music
iemsandmusic.com
Certamente o cantor tem diversos discos que eu poderia estar indicando aqui - e espero indicar no futuro - mas a ocasião só me permite um, então o escolhido foi o Acústico MTV.
A contragosto, Ben Jor faz o seu "Acústico MTV" - Estadão
estadao.com.br
Chega no sábado às lojas o disco Acústico Jorge Ben Jor (Universal), um CD duplo que traz 21 canções de um dos mais influentes artistas da música popular brasileira.
Jorge Ben Jor - Acústico MTV - DVDs - UOL Cinema
cinema.uol.com.br
Realizado dentro do formato do programa "Acústico MTV", este é um dos melhores do ano dentro do estilo, não pela direção de arte, ou algo do gênero, mas se destaca por Jorge mesmo, que é ...
Discogs
Acústico MTV – Discogs
discogs.com