Alegria! Alegria! Vol.2

“Come enjoy yourself and have a good time,” this album seems to say. “Alegria! Alegria! Vol. 2” is an example of pilantragem, a Brazilian musical movement that gave us absolutely pleasurable arrangements and the contagiously fun interpretation of Wilson Simonal — the star of the album and also the personification of the pilantragem music. “Alegria! Alegria! Vol. 2” invites us to have fun particularly in tracks like “Escravos de Jó,” “Fim de Semana em Paquetá” and in the pilantragem’s benchmark, “Nem Vem que Não Tem.” The rhythmic claps, the laughs, and humorous interjections throughout the album certainly help build this “feel-good” atmosphere. Out of the 27 tracks, there is something about the melody of “Sá Marina” that makes it as much of a gem as “Nem Vem Que Não Tem.” While the album is deeply inspired by 1960’s rock, it also speaks jazz in the elegant “Manias,” and samba-rock in Jorge Ben Jor’s “Zazueira.” “Alegria! Alegria! Vol. 2” is also a statement of pilantragem’s plasticity as it presents an unlikely but irresistible pilantragem version of Miriam Makeba’s “Pata Pata.”