Lata Gouveia, Stay the Same Review

Lata Gouveia is a Lisbon-born singer and songwriter that grew up in Guine Bissau, Luxembourg, and London. Gouveia started his musical journey in the mid-’90s, when in his late teens, he was already a regular presence at the 12 Bar Blues Club, at the Acoustic Café in Soho, and other West-End Open Mic nights. Gouveia’s sound has a tinge of JJ Cale and a strong Folk-Rock influence from Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Mark Knopfler. Gouveia moved to Oklahoma in 2007, where he continued his songwriting development by living and spending stage time with Rocky Frisco (JJ Cale Band) and often playing with Red Dirt Music legends Tom Skinner, Randy Crouch, and many others. Gouveia moved back to Europe in 2011 and is now one of Luxembourg’s best-known musicians. Gouveia has produced multiple LPs of original songs and was the national opening act for Ayo, Charlie Winston, Alan Parsons, Keiffer Sutherland, Sting, and others. He is also the founder of the Grund Club, a songwriter collective that includes some of the biggest names in the country and has been endorsed by Centre de Musiques Amplifiees, funded by the Ministry of Culture.

Gouveia is bringing out his 3rd album titled Stay the Same. The ten songs show his uncompromisingly American sound that is so reminiscent of Tom Petty, JJ Cale, or even Bruce Springsteen; the artist is known throughout the greater region for his high-intensity live shows and his radio singles. The new album is being released by Timezone Records and produced by Charles Stoltz. The album opens with the title track, a catchy roots rock setting that introduces us to Gouveia’s warm vocal style and Americana styled tone and writing. “Mana’s Coming Back” has driving strumming guitar, and Gouveia’s vocals are presented with more effects and slightly back in the mix. The keyboards and electric guitars add colorful passages to the song. “Renegade Train” is a highlight of the album and features a catchy beat and outstanding guitar figures. The up-front style vocals of this selection fits Gouveia’s vocal timbre well, and the female/male vocal harmonies are also a winning addition. “Wrong” also follows the before-mentioned pattern and is another standout selection on the album. Overall, Gouveia presents a robust set of well-written originals, a satisfying cross of root-rock and Americana. That’s the short of it!

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