Seu Jorge

"Cru"; Wrasse Records

Four stars

You might be familiar with the talents of Brazilian artist Seu Jorge without realizing it. He starred in the acclaimed film "The City of God," in which he played gang leader Knockout Ned in the same kind of Rio slum where he, in real life, grew up. And last year, he did much of the soundtrack for the Bill Murray movie, "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou."

On "Cru," which means "Raw," Jorge combines the emotional force of his voice with the carelessly quiet funk of his bare-bones bossa nova for a simple but viscerally potent album. The power is in the restraint and precision of feeling. He detonates expressive charges, often with nothing but acoustic guitar or furtive percussion to accompany his dusky vocals. The album kicks off with the finest song, "Tive Razão (I Was Right)" and a couple of tracks later, you hear a twisted, growling adaptation of Serge Gainsbourg's "Chatterton." Later still, a plaintive cover of Elvis' "Don't." By the end you might find yourself asking how one voice can project so many shades of cool.

RIYL: Jorge Ben; Caetano Veloso; Gilberto Gil

-- Jeff Gifford, Reno Gazette-Journal