Product Description In preparation for her new album, Loose, NELLY FURTADO tried out collaborations with a who's who of producers, and she tried to create a music more of the body than the mind. A prime example of the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet with Loose producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his groundbreaking work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and AALIYAH. It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications (for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding," Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't really been heard on my records." Starting with her longtime production team of Track & Field, she also knew she wanted to check out a variety of producers. "Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like trying on new clothes - you never know what you look good in until you try it on. And sometimes they will see something in you that neither you nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with her daughter from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER; to Los Angeles to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te Busque," her moving duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer and producer of the gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to Miami to work with PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and finally, TIMBALAND. Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle spontaneity of the collaborative process is at the heart of Loose. "This record shows who I am in a jam-type environment, where I really feel the excitement of the creativity flowing," Furtado reveals. "It's who I am at my most artistic. I live for that, and I'm very grateful to be able to share it." .com The buzz for Nelly Furtado's Loose began before the music was even recorded, with the announcement that legendary hip-hop knob-twirler Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake) would act as co-producer. The question on fans' minds: what would it sound like when a hip-hop kingpin collaborated with an artist who culls inspiration not just from pop music, but also her own Portuguese roots? As it turns out, Loose incorporates a number of different styles along its journey, but is--surprisingly--primarily divided between '80s-influenced electronica and latin-infused pop. This disc is very different from Furtado's previous CDs, a fact immediately evident from track one, the new wave-affected "Afraid." A strong opener, the song is the beginning of a 1-2-3 punch of uptempo, infectious dance floor beats. The second cut, "Maneater," also proves to be incredibly catchy, but the verses and keyboard sound too much like they were plucked from electroclash artist Peaches' tree, and originality is lost. The perfect summer pop song follows, the massive hit "Promiscuous," which features clever interplay between Furtado and Timbaland on their sassy duet. From that point, Loose oscillates between the Miami-affected sounds of R&B, Latino pop, and reggaeton ("Showtime," "Te Busque," and "No Hay Igual" respectively) and the aforementioned '80s vibe ("Glow," "Do It"). Fans will hear Furtado at her vocal best on "Say It Right" and "In GodÂ’s Hands"--two of the most lyrically compelling tracks on the disc. --Denise Sheppard P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); Review "On the single Promiscuous Furtado and Tim trade come-ons over keyboard lines that recall Purple Rain era Price." -- Rolling Stone, March 23, 20064 STARS! "She shades her Hollaback sass with erotic menace" -- SPIN, June 2006 From the Artist "It's true that a lot of this record is about physical attraction, but there's also a naive, almost childlike quality about it," ventures Nelly Furtado. "Some of the lyrics remind me of when I was 13, sitting in my room writing R&B ballads all day. I've somehow returned to that place where I'm innocent about love." About the Artist In preparation for her new album, Loose (Geffen Records), NELLY FURTADO tried out collaborations with a who's who of producers, and she tried to create a music more of the body than the mind. A prime example of the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet with Loose producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his groundbreaking work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and AALIYAH. "It's true that a lot of this record is about physical attraction, but there's also a naive, almost childlike quality about it," she ventures. "Some of the lyrics remind me of when I was 13, sitting in my room writing R&B ballads all day. I've somehow returned to that place where I'm innocent about love." It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications (for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding," Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't really been heard on my records." "This album shows me letting go in so many ways," Furtado attests. "For example, with the track 'Promiscuous,' I co-wrote the lyrics--something I've never done before--with this rapper from Alabama named ATTITUDE. That was extremely freeing because it allowed me to experiment with interpreting a character, which I then took into the video shoot." Starting with her longtime production team of Track & Field, she also knew she wanted to check out a variety of producers. "Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like trying on new clothes - you never know what you look good in until you try it on. And sometimes they will see something in you that neither you nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with her daughter from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER; to Los Angeles to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te Busque," her moving duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer and producer of the gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to Miami to work with PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and finally, TIMBALAND. Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle spontaneity of the collaborative process is at the heart of Loose. "This record shows who I am in a jam-type environment, where I really feel the excitement of the creativity flowing," Furtado reveals. "It's who I am at my most artistic. I live for that, and I'm very grateful to be able to share it." See more
H**E
A Well-Executed New Direction In Furtado's Career
First off, I'm a huge fan of Nelly Furtado's previous two albums, "Whoa Nelly!" and "Folklore". The obviously huge range of musical influences in her songs were what first attracted me to her music, and I've grown to really love it. I also really admire her goal in wanting every album to carry a different sound. I know some fans feel differently, but if Nelly kept writing the same songs over and over, even they would realize this only leads to artistic stagnation.Some believe the new, slightly (yes, I said slightly) more commercial direction on "Loose" is purely a calculated effort against the mediocre response to "Folklore" (which was most likely due entirely to her previous label shutting down and not promoting it properly). Others, who I think of as the more understanding fans, see it as natural since Furtado has incorporated hip-hop's traits into her music since day one. Bearing this in mind, how can it be any real surprise that she would pair up with uber-producer Timbaland and create the hottest record of the year?As many already know, Timbaland is behind the majority of the production here, his vocals even featured on the massive US hit, "Promiscuous". This song is obviously the album's radio-on-fire hit which, while proving fantastic for album sales, has worried some fans about Furtado's direction. Luckily for those fans, the album has quite the pot of styles to choose from, no matter how you like your Nelly cooked! In fact, the music varies so wildly, it would be a bit of a mess if not for the great production tying it together. And in a world where most albums sound like one song on repeat, this is certainly a breath of eclectic fresh air. "Loose" covers trip-hop, dance club music, hip-hop, electro-pop, laid-back 6/8 time ballads, reggaeton, 80's pop, world music, and strummy folk. Each of these styles is very well-executed and injected with the utmost energy and love, as is always the case with Furtado.Within this musical melting-pot, my favorite track at the moment is "Maneater", already a massive hit in Europe, and certainly destined to be Furtado's next US hit. During the song's creation, the studio speakers (turned up very loudly) even started smoking and caught fire! This heat is certainly felt throughout the song, and the vocal harmonies/layering in the chorus are guaranteed to melt you if you haven't already. Other favorites are "Glow" and "Say It Right", though I hold most of the songs in nearly equal regard, which is very rare.So is this album an obvious attempt at commercial success or the sound of Nelly Furtado really getting loose and doing what comes natural? Every artist has a need for success and money. Otherwise, they're in serious need of a dayjob. Can anyone really blame an artist for trying their hardest to truly succeed (i.e. sell records and make money) in one of the most difficult and conniving industries, shifting their style toward a set of standards? In Nelly's case, if she has done this, she has still done so with an honestly fun, inspired, and ambitious project, as one listen to "Loose" clearly reveals. Regardless of intent, "Loose" is a great record that succeeds in whatever goals it may have. Beware...I'm certain that any "fan" who says they don't like any of "Loose" probably hasn't heard it in its entirety. There's plenty of classic Furtado here for fans of any of her previous work. And of course there's plenty here for new fans, which is just as it should be.
M**Y
Solid album
The single Say It Right immediately got my attention when I heard it on the radio. I checked out the samples here and thought they sounded good enough to take a chanceand buy the album. I don't normally buy much Pop music, but after receiving my copy of Loose and giving it a listen, I was extremely pleased with the album. Every track was good. I didn't have to use my "skip" button on the remote once. I think one of the reasons that downloading individual songs has become so popular is because albums as solid as Loose is very rare anymore. Most albums you are doing good to get 2 or 3 strong tracks. I look for more singles to be released off this album in the future, the album as a whole is strong. The tracks on the album are versatile enough that you won't get bored while listening. Whether an upbeat track suitable for dancing or a ballad, all the tracks have an infectious rythym. So as to balance my review, let's not forget this, is, a Pop album and includes songs like Maneater and Promiscuous which are so Bubblegum they make you turn the volume lower to prevent anyone from knowing you are listening to them. But, Promiscuous was a single, although it didn't blow up like Say It Right, and the other tracks later in the album soon remind me why I like this album so. I don't write many reviews, I'm not into critiqueing each and every song but occasionally an album such as Loose comes along that strikes me as being so above average that I feel compelled to submit some positive feedback. So there you have it.
A**T
Nelly Furtado's best era!
This is a very exceptional album. The songs are bangers from start to finish, the ballads are deep and emotional. No fillers. This is one of those rare albums where almost all songs can be released as singles.
S**A
"Sweet And Lowdown"
Nelly Furtado, the sweet girl who sang "I'm like a bird", has become "Loose" and "Promiscuous" for this album. Nothing wrong with that. Most young female pop artists, no matter what genre they come from, end up trying out the current pop trend for size. Even the iconic Jewel had a dance-oriented album, "0304", and to me it was her best one.So, how did Nelly's experiment work out? Pretty good, I say. We hear hip-hop dance tracks, ranging from the lighter ("Afraid", "Do It"), which have a Britney/Gwen Stefani sound, to the harder ("Maneater", "Glow"), which are closer to Justin T's music. "Promiscuous" fits into this category also, with Nelly and Timbaland trading lines like "Promiscuous girl, U know what I want, and I got what U need/Promiscuous boy, let's get 2 the point". Hint: they are not discussing bus tickets. Foreign influences spark "No Hay Igual" (Spanish, very rhythmic), "Te Busque" (a ballad in 2 versions, one mostly Spanish, one with more English), and "Wait For You" (MidEast-inflected). "Showtime" and "In God's Hands" are soft ballads with good melodies. Two of the best tracks are "Say It Right", an excellent pop radio hit, and "All Good Things", which has a chorus that calls to mind Madonna's "This Used To Be My Playground".I guess it all depends on what you want from an artist. I'm sure many of Jewel's fans did not like her dance album, and I've read that many consider "Loose" a selling-out on Nelly's part. But, I happen to like the Madonna/Britney/Stefani brand of pop music, and for me, this CD has that quality along with enough varied influences to make it interesting. And Nelly's vocal traits - melodious voice, warmth, humor - are still evident, although the resulting album is certainly different from her previous ones.
A**R
Great!
Good cd!
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