ASTRUD GILBERTO : I HAVEN'T GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO [Verve]

Astrud Gilberto – I Haven’t Got Anything Better to Do (Verve, 1969) is a compact, intimate gem—what Astrud herself dubbed her “fireplace album.” Straying from her iconic bossa nova style, the record delves into baroque-pop and melancholic jazz-pop, aided by romantic, string-laden arrangements from Albert Gorgoni. In just under 29 minutes, she imbues classics like "Trains and Boats and Planes" and Nilsson covers "Wailing of the Willow" and "Without Him" with gentle, haunting warmth . Critics now celebrate it as a "minor masterpiece"—a gracefully introspective snapshot of Astrud’s artistry at the close of her Verve years.