Gal Costa – Hotel Das Estrelas
Gal Costa – Lingua Do P
Gal Costa – Eu Sou Terrivel
I think this is one of the more slept on of Gal’s early records. Released in 1970 (the copy I have is a Brazilian reissue from 1982, which I actually prefer sonically), it’s overshadowed by the two records prior to this, both self-titled, and produced by Rogerio Duprat (the first being one of my Top 10 all-time favorite records). Those records regularly sell in the $100s, while this one you can get often for $25 or less (I got mine for $10, including shipping!). This is really a shame, because this one is as good as those records and just as experimental and forward thinking.
The tracks on Le Gal (I often see this album referred to as Legal, but based on the label, I think it’s supposed to be separated) show real progression from the prior work. There’s still quite a bit of fuzz but here things seem a bit looser and wilder (check the lead track “Eu Sou Terrivel”), especially in terms of the tempo changes, which are downright jazzy. No song proves that more than “Lingua Do P” beginning with this tantalizing guitar, bass and drum breakdown, before shifting to accordion and samba style percussion with Gal’s vocals and then bringing the whole band in for this slow and funky thang at the close.
Gal takes it down a notch on more of these tracks, particularly the excellent “Hotel Das Estrelas” (which is also featured on the next record, the very necessary live double LP Fatal – A Todo Vapor) and “Mini-Misterio”, but loses none of her fire and none of the rock/funk bits that marked the genius turns of her prior records. The sound here is stripped of Duprat’s influence and is a bit starker but it’s no less potent and absolutely no less necessary.
Cheers,
Michael