AMG Review of Meu Nome é Gal: The Best of Gal Costa

John Dougan
All Music Guide

Although she has released dozens of recordings in her three-decade long career, this anthology is the best place to be introduced to one of the great voices in pop music. Covering a period from the start of tropicalia in the late '60s up to post-military dictatorship years of the '80s, this is as strong a collection of Costa's material as one is likely to find. The cream of the Brazilian songwriting crop is well represented here, especially Caetano Veloso with seven tracks; Chico Buarque's "Foltheim (A New Leaf)" and Dorival Caymmi's "So Louco (Just Crazy)" are also noteworthy. But it's when Costa sings Veloso that the record takes off. Many of the Veloso songs included in this collection were songs he wrote while in exile in London, when the only way to hear his music was through recordings by Gal Costa. All of the songs are excellent, but it is the bluesy and melancholy "Luz do Sol (Sunlight)" that's transcendent, easily one of Costa's greatest moments on record.