<p><span><span>- Ten years on from their second award winning release <em>Casa de Boa Vida, </em>The View From Madeleine's Couch have put the finishing touches on their fourth and latest, <em>Bossa Nova Sunset Club</em>.<em> Y</em>ou get the crystalline vocals from <strong>Anje West</strong> and the airborne vibes of <strong>Kym Ambrose,</strong> all underpinned with the rhythms of Rio. Original member and guitarist <strong>Bruce Woodward </strong>makes up the core of the band, also post recording <strong>Lachlan Hawkins </strong>takes on the drums in live performances. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>It's the culmination of a comfy, two-decade affair with the popular songs, song-smiths, interpreters and their own inspired compositions of Bossa Nova and Samba. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Celebrating twenty-one years together, <em>Bossa Nova Sunset Club </em>is the band's love-letter to the music of Brazil. Although Anje is quick to point out that as the group is made up of Australian musicians they’re comfortable in referring to their music as ‘Brazilian influenced Australian music or Oz-Brazilian music’.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span><em>Bossa Nova Sunset Club </em>is mostly a live studio album recorded over four days on the Sunshine Coast after a relatively short crowd funding drive. That's quite different to their previous album <em>Casa de Boa Vida </em><em>(House Of The Good Life)</em>, which<em> </em>was developed as part of a study tour, the resultant outcome of work-shopped compositions of new material in the inspiring environment of Rio de Janeiro.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Instead, much of the impetus for <em>Bossa Nova Sunset Club </em>was inspired by Madcouch's musically evolving encounters over fifteen years with the legendary Brazilian drummer <strong>Marcio Bahia </strong>who brought a sensitive brilliance front and centre as guest on this recording and has a personal and professional connection to many of the Brazilian favourites featured here. That includes <em>Garota De Ipanema </em>and<em> Corcovado</em> and the not so well known <em>Pede Passagem </em>and <em>Na Casa Do Campeao</em>.<em><strong> </strong></em>These are some of the classics that have contributed to the band's play list since their early days, whether as a trio or full band. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>There are originals too: <em>Meu Anjo (My Angel) </em>by long time bass player <strong>OJ Newcombe</strong> and <em>Levar (Away) </em>a dedication by Anje West to the memory of <strong>Daniela Reno</strong>, Marcio’s wife who sadly passed away in late 2018. Two other new numbers are brought by Kym Ambrose<strong> </strong>on vibes:<em> Yellow and Blue</em> and <em>Bluze For Luze, </em>adding to the signature, jazzy effervescence that Madcouch are so well known for. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>In the end it's not difficult to pinpoint what's going on here, <em>Bossa Nova Sunset Club </em>conjures up a happy place with a caipirinha in hand. It's something we would all like to be experiencing, listening, especially live, to The View from Madeleine’s Couch.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Rick Heritage. </span></span></p>
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