I'm in love and don't care who knows it

Her name is Sabina Sciubba, and she is the only girl in Brazilian Girls, a NYC-based band with an international sound that refuses categorization. Sabina is not Brazilian, however, and her three bandmates are all men (though not Brazilian either). Still, being a far cry from the Brothers Gibb, these next generation BGs have their sultry samba sounds down pat; the keywork by Didi Gutman, the only bona fide South American among them, provides an echo of Thievery Corp. But its the songs about sex and marijuana that have me considering whether to proposition Sabina when she comes to town. Just listening to cuts off the band's appearance at Seattle's KEXP studios has me thinking about a vacation, walks on the beach and umbrellas in my drink.

The fact that Sabina -- may I call you that, Sabina? -- born in Italy, and raised in France and Germany, speaks five languages only adds to my growing wander... er... lust. Seriously, Sciubba is what Grace Jones would have sounded like if she had been a jazz singer, and that's no joke.

Click here to check out the new Brazilian Girls video; add'l tracks from KEXP are here and here. The BGs play the Fox and Hound (a bar I really dislike) on Thursday, March 16, at 12:30 a.m. Fortunately, they're also playing the Verve Forecast showcase at Eternal the following night, as are Rhett Miller of the Old 97's and blues belter Susan Tedeschi.

P.S. For those that missed the news, SXSW 2006 wristbands sold out in record time. If anybody has a line on a couple at reasonable rates, I'm looking. Leave contact info in the comments section.