César"s songs are redolent of the melting pot that is northeastern Brazil. He favors the region"s loping forro and frevo rhythms, but tosses in liberal doses of samba-laced and straight reggae and a bit of rock, all processed through an easygoing Tin Pan Alley catchiness. His nasal tenor vocals are surrounded by choirs of backup singers, perky accordions, and rip-roaring percussion, plus aggressive brass charts on the uptempo numbers, and airy strings, woodwinds, and acoustic guitars on the ballads. Born a generation later than Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, and Gilberto Gil, César shares their passion for melody and the slurred, luscious intricacies of the Portuguese language. Although his work is consistently charming, it"s also seldom more than that. That being said, this well-crafted album of tropical pop is perfect for al fresco brunches, dance parties, and other festive occasions. Copious liner notes and complete lyric translations are provided. --Christina Roden