Vânia Bastos is a high-skilled Brazilian singer whose rich expressive qualities make it possible for her to explore capably a great variety of genres and styles. In this mostly acoustic album, dedicated to the works by
Caetano Veloso, she goes from the haunting, deep, dense, modern melody of "Peter Gast" to the contemporary electric reading of "Superbacana" with equal competence. Backed by some of the best musicians in Brazil, she is joined by Caetano himself in "No dia que eu vim-me embora." She may be lacking some of the true swing of the frevo, in the happy "Muitos carnavais," but she compensates with some interpretations here which surpasses the composer's original intentions, especially in her profoundly lyrical interpretations. ~ Alvaro Neder