Tiny Portugal has a distinguished music heritage that outstrips its diminutive size, the centerpiece of which is the Fado. Moody and full of melancholia like its offspring, the "morna" of Cesaria Evora's Cape Verde Islands, Fado is a musical platform for longing, loneliness, and the trials of everyday life, and is also one of the primary roots of Brazilian music. This collection brings together some of its finest performers, from vintage recordings of Amalia Rodrigues, Maria Teresa De Noronha, and Jose Afonso to modern exponents like Dulce Pontes, Lenda and Mitos, and Realejo. The richness and depth of Fado ranges from simple acoustic guitar accompaniment, the reintroduced hurdy gurdy, electric folk, and contemporary pop to full on symphony orchestras, and its cultural importance is unmistakable on this intriguing compilation from the excellent Rough Guide series. --Derek Rath