Cristina Branco's stature as the queen of new fado might have been eclipsed by the arrival of
Mariza, but in some ways that's proved a blessing. It's freed her to pursue her own path without the weight of expectation on her. The spare arrangements keep the focus on her gorgeously luminous voice, and there are no real musical changes from her last album. She's still nibbling away at the edges of the genre, bringing in touches of blues and jazz, and working her way into Braziliana on
Vinícius de Moraes' "Sonnet of Separation." Where she takes real chances are with the material, whose focus is on the facets of sexuality. Ten of the 14 songs come from the pens of her husband and bandleader, Custodio Castelo, with many lyrics by Portuguese poet David Mourao-Ferreira, although even William Shakespeare gets in on the act for one song, "Se a Alma Te Reprova." The juxtaposition of
Branco's pure voice with such frank material makes for an odd combination, bringing a kind of glorious innocence to the proceedings. There's a wealth of emotion here, lovingly and sensually presented, making for a glorious package. ~ Chris Nickson