http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/m/mice-parade/bem-vinda-vontade.shtml
"I know Múm's more song-oriented direction has its fans, but for my part Valtýsdótti's singing is completely unlistenable, a tuneless whisper/shriek that seems to exist only as a twee placeholder without having any content on its own. When she comes in on "Night's Wave" and "The Boat Room" she completely pulls me out of whatever reverie the music inspires. Here is an example of when indie's DIY inclusiveness goes too far."
and
"Nothing wrong with formerly instrumental bands wanting to experiment with songs but it makes sense to recruit singers and songwriters that approach the skill of the music that surrounds them. So much of Bem-Vinda Vontade sounds so nice, with guitar and drum textures as lovely as anything the band has attempted. But the singing seems tacked on and the music suffers, resulting in Mice Parade's least consistent album."
I am going to put this simply. Ditto.
Mice Parade's last tour also included Kristin and besides the fact that she stood so far over to the left of the stage she was hardly there at all, her windy approach to singing made her utterly pointless within M.P.'s otherwise gorgeous performance. Adam Pierce’s carefree yet calculated drumming by bare hand on the box he was seated upon is a perfect example of how even live their lax, go where ever the moment takes them vibe is exactly what makes them so special.
Live and recorded.
I also can’t help but notice that the vocal melodies Adam chooses for Bem-Vinda Vontade remind me of a more insecure Swirlies; a group he has been playing drums in for years. My hope is this record will be a vocal stepping stone for Pierce and for their next release he will offer more confident singing and fewer vocal cameos.
This cd is close to good but no cigar.
