Caetano Veloso - The Definitive Collection (2003)

A collection of songs spanning the long career of Caetano Veloso. The songs here range in date from 1968's "Soy Loco Por Ti, America" (actually a Gilberto Gil composition) all the way up to 2000 with a recording of Jorge Ben's "Zumbi." Between the two ends are a number of Veloso originals. The full course of the tropicalia movement can be traced along the course of the album, with nods to samba, reggae, modern singer/songwriter works, and a few localized Bahia styles. Works with odd sound effects show off influences from art music, only to return again to songs based on samba vocals. There is both the dramatic and the gentle here, the progressive and the nostalgic. With the long line of musical innovation Veloso traveled during the course of his career up to the present, there's a lot of ground to cover for a novice listener. Attempting to cover all of the major bases in a single album is a godsend for such a listener. This album provides a nice listening experience in itself, as well as an outstanding jumping point for further exploration into the tropicalia movement. An aural treat awaits within. -- Adam Greenberg