Sergio Mendes — Timeless

Labeled a Sergio Mendes album, Timeless is better described as the fruit of a close collaboration between Mendes — the man who helped put bossa nova on the map in the '60s — and Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, who produced and guest stars on the record. Here, "hip-hop [gets] mixed up with samba," and as gimmicky as that might sound, it works. It doesn't hurt that first-class artists such as Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu join in on the fun. Updated versions of classic Brasil '66 tunes form most of the release, with brand new tracks — including John Legend's soulful "Please Baby Don't" — rounding it out. Mendes enthusiasts may warm to the introduction of hip-hop to his oeuvre, but it's BEP fans who will be most at home with this LP.

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