Bob Dylan said it best when he wrote in 1965, “He not busy being born is busy dying.” And there are very few contemporary pop artists that believe this more than diverse Portuguese-Canadian singer Nelly Furtado.
Loose is Furtado’s follow up to 2003’s criminally underrated Folklore in which she confidently immersed herself in mild electronica, sombre acoustic arrangements and worldbeat.
Unfortunately Folklore was a commercial disappointment, falling victim to a corporate merger (DreamWorks to Universal) and limited promotion. It also contained very few radio friendly tracks, unlike Furtado’s 2000 debut Whoa Nelly! which spawned mega hit ‘I’m Like a Bird’.
Amid cries of “sell out!” in blogsphere, Loose sees Furtado taking on a more consciously accessible urban sound complete with sexier image (i.e. less clothes and more fake tan).
Gwen Stefani did it with producer Dr. Dre, and now Furtado has turned to hip hop and R&B prodigy Timbaland.
They say:
The Observer: “With a little Timbaland-injected urban attitude, the folkstress unleashes her inner lapdancer.”
Forth One: “Loose is the sound of Nelly Furtado wanting to break free from any stereotypes and preconceptions … stepping forward to become the all-conquering pop superstar she was destined to be.”
We say:
As calculated a move as it is, Furtado’s jaunt into urban culture is both exhilarating and infectious. It’s the kind of album Stefani and co. can only dream of making.
On first single ‘Maneater’, Furtado and Timbaland cook up a stunning groove based vibe, all arcade game basslines, strutting drum loops and aggressive pop hooks.
‘Promiscuous’ explores similar territory, Furtado’s sex vamp vocals dovetailing perfectly with Timbaland’s slightly spooky synths and R&B funk. The girl next door is letting us in on her dirty little secret, and who wouldn’t be enthralled by such a revelation?
Fans of Furtado’s previous efforts will also be relieved to hear she hasn’t given up her eclectic ways. Nothing here is one dimensional.
Her exploration of the ghetto finds her stumbling upon various sub-cultures, such as on ‘Wait for You’, where she incorporates a Middle Eastern instrumentation, and ‘No Hay Igual’, an out and out reggaeton club anthem which makes Shakira’s latest single ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ sound like Dot Cotton on a treadmill in comparison.
The standout track, though, is undoubtedly ‘Say it Right’, an atmospheric wonder that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Massive Attack album. ‘You don’t need nothing at all with me,” Furtado croons all velvety over a sparse military-like drumbeat. If this is heaven, I’ll be at church come this Sunday.
Pop album of the year so far? You bet.
Like this? Try these:
Aaliyah – One in a Million
Massive Attack – Collected
Missy Elliott – Miss E...So Addictive
RELEASED
Mon 12th June
LABEL
Polydor
POSTED...
Thu 8 Jun 2006 at 12:40am
