Diego Paulo: Latin flavor to U.S. taste buds

Café con Leche
Diego Paulo
unsigned
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5 Stars)

Diego Paulo has earned a following in the Newark community thanks to its unique bossa nova sound. On Café con Leche, their first full-length album, the band takes listeners beyond the borders of Brazil to California, western Africa and even briefly to Nashville.

Café con Leche is a worldly album, not only in its musical influences, but also in its themes. Lead singer and banjo player Katie Dill partners with Zachary Humenik (guitars/vocals/bass) on "California" for a sweet-voiced duet about a vagabond and his waiting lover. In a catchy opening hook, Humenik sings, "Now and then / a lust for inspiration leads me to roam again / In the California sun / I take a lil ol' puff and I start thinkin' ‘bout home / again / It's always on my mind." The wanderer gets her due in "Shakere," the opening track, when Dill sings, "Will I ever be on track? / All I want is not to be alone / And all I get is God / All I want is just to have a home."

"A Viagem" (which, fittingly, is Portuguese for travel), is one of several previously released songs included on the album. Others include "Aleksandria," "Holiday" and "Gulls," but most — with the exception of "A Viagem" and "Holiday" — sound distinctly different on Café con Leche. Instead of each instrument being individually recorded and mixed, the new recordings generally sound as though the band set themselves up in the studio, hit record and began to play. Fortunately, the effect leaves you feeling like you're attending a live show in a Rio de Janeiro club or at a beachside bar where the crowd is silent.

Diego Paulo takes their Brazilian-inspired sound to the next level with many of the songs on Café con Leche as Humenik mixes Portuguese with the band's English lyrics. While it can be a bit off-putting to not be able to sing along with Dill, the presence of another language is exotic, mildly seductive and very much in keeping with the album's vibe.

Lest you think Café con Leche takes itself too seriously, try and give "Holy Moly" a listen without cracking a smile — it's impossible. After all, that's what Diego Paulo is all about — good music and good times, whether in Newark or halfway around the world.