Nelly Furtado - Loose
List Price:
Our Price: $4.75
You Save: $6.24 (57%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: Nelly FurtadoBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Published)
CD Release Date: 2006-06-20
Model: 00602498520871
Music Label: Geffen Records
Soundtracks:
- Afraid
- Maneater
- Promiscuous
- Glow
- Showtime
- No Hay Igual
- Te Busque
- Say It Right
- Do It
- In God's Hands
- Wait For You
- All Good Things (Come To An End)
- Te Busque (Spanish Version)
Music reviews of Loose
Music Review: Cut Loose From A Fresh Cloth
Rating: 5 Stars
Nelly Furtado's last album, 2003's sophomore effort, "Folklore," was an overall disappointment in terms of sales and public appreciation. Most critics gave the album a positive reception, and Nelly's biggest fans were converted into true idolisers. Her debut "Whoa, Nelly!," which appeared three years previously, had sold 5 million copies worldwide and spawned huge hit singles in "I'm Like A Bird" and "Turn Off The Light." Nelly was one of the biggest new stars of the new decade, so why did it go wrong in 2003? Second albums are always difficult affairs, but for Nelly, the music was definitely more mature: perhaps too mature. There weren't many songs on the album that could be considered single-material due to the experimental edge that drove the album.
Experimentation, however, has always been at the forefront of Miss Furtado's music, and this is something that she takes further with her third and latest album, "Loose." To regain her lost fanbase and bring herself back to the world stage, Nelly recruited hip-hop legend Timbaland. Together the two worked on tracks (in a loose, free manner, where ideas were exchanged like a game of experimental ping-pong) that would form the bulk of this new album. When three songs were previewed to fans at the start of the year, many fans worried Nelly was selling out. I did too, and I wasn't sure what to expect from this new album, but in actual fact, she's definitely not sold out at all. She has retained that experimental edge by fusing these new hip-hop and R'n'B elements with acoustic instruments (drums are very present) which form this atmospheric, eerie and dare I say almost gothic sound. Of course this isn't present on every song, but every now and again, you can hear of what I just described.
The album opens with "Afraid," a wonderful song that details the troubles that we go through in life, and how it's only natural to worry about what other people think of us. What I love about this song is the honestly. Most of those girl-power anthems tell us to take no BS from people and just to put ourselves out there, but that is HARD to do. Here, Nelly says it's okay to be afraid because we're only human. The music is quite melancholy, but ultimately uplifting, and the choir at the end is a great outro. "Maneater" continues the album brilliantly. The first single from the album in Europe, this song has become a massive UK No.1 (Nelly's first). The Timbaland sound here is very evident, especially in the bass of the song that sounds like a bee buzzing around in a shall we say intoxicated way? In other words, it's mad musical genius, and the chorus is like a powerhouse. You can feel it surging through you. Easily the most popular song in the UK right now, this will become a club classic for sure! "Promiscuous" is the album's first single in America, and the second in Europe. In many ways I find this to be more listenable in the long run than its predecessor. This is due to the back-and-forth flirtatious banter that Nelly and Timbaland work through the entire song. We all know what the song's about, and the video captures this perfectly. When I first heard "Glow," I was thinking what the hell is this? But over time, it does grow on you. This track is very dense and vocally layered, especially in the chorus and the crunchy beats are amazing. The last 35 seconds are so are really cool.
"Showtime" again took a bit of time to grow on me, but it has now and I now think it's one of my favourite songs on the album. It's quite Gwen in style (reminds me of a better "Luxurious") because it has a chorus that sparkles in a very false way - you know, the way Top 40 tends to? However, despite the irrelevant lyrical content, it's very catchy and the last minute is very soothing. "No Hay Igual" is an incredible song where Nelly takes a stab at reggaeton, with explosive results. I'm not quite sure what the lyrics mean (I'm sure there's a translation out there somewhere), but the vocal arrangement is amazing. I love the pace of the chorus and how the words just roll off your tongue once you get to know them. I hope this song becomes a single, it's like a "Hollaback Girl" for 2006. "Te Busque" is a duet with Juanes, and rumoured to be a single. I personally wouldn't choose this as a single, but that's only because I think the vocals are too loud as the song is ending. Apart from this, it's a brilliant song with a sadness not seen in many Nelly songs. "Say It Right" is easily an album highlight and one of the best songs Nelly has ever done. This is where the eerie, gothic sound comes in that I mentioned. I love the arrangement of the drums (very tribal) and Timbaland's vocals in the background, and that atmospheric sound that feels like wind blowing through a cave. Love it! The chorus has a pace to it that makes you want to dance yet also sit back and think about life.
"Do It" is an up-tempo number that has a fantastic bass. The synths sound rather strange but you get used to them, and soon the song becomes this spinning pin-wheel of sound and colour. Again, I wouldn't say it's one of my favourites but pretty much anything by Nelly is great. "In God's Hands" reminds me a lot of some of the ballads from Nelly's second album, very tranquil and pure, like looking out over a lake on a calm, warm day. The lyrics are very poignant, and this is where the album excels in being so much more than 'just a R'n'B record.' Nelly has a diversity that is unparalleled in the music world, and this is why she is so timeless. The vocals rise and fall in perfect harmony with the music, especially towards the end. "Wait For You" is another up-tempo song. Not a highlight, but still great nonetheless. I think it's about a minute too long, but it has a Spanish tinge to it that doesn't stray too much from her roots. The chorus is very memorable, and I often find myself walking around the house singing it. "All Good Things (Come To An End)" was originally a duet with Coldplay's Chris Martin, but his vocals were apparently scrapped when Coldplay's record company thought their fans would desert them! I'm kind of glad his vocals were taken off, because too many duets is a bad thing, and this song is very personal: two people singing on it would sound strange to me. Nelly controls this song beautifully with her voice, it's definitely in the right place on the album at the end, because there's that sense of completion.
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
Nelly Furtado has surpassed all other new female talents from the start of this decade, in my opinion, to become a true serious force to be reckoned with. I'm sure this album will become a big success all over the world over the next year, and it deserves to. I said in my review of "Folklore" that Nelly could take 10 years to release her next album because it would be worth the wait. Well, it didn't quite take that long, but the results are still spectacular. I am a true Nelly fan, I really love her and her music, and anyone else who is similar can see she's not selling out: this 'new sound' has always been in her blood, it's part of who she is as a person and a musician. This is evident on older songs such as "Legend," "I Will Make You Cry," and especially "Fresh Off The Boat." I recommend this album completely. Again, Nelly will hail one of the year's best albums.
Description of Loose
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."
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 God?s Hands"--two of the most lyrically compelling tracks on the disc. --Denise Sheppard
Broadway & Vocalists CDs
George Shearing, Mel Torme - Elegant EveningSHEARING,G/TORME,M; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $6.39
Price in other shops:
Stan Getz - Spring Is HereRelease date: 1993-01-11; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Rosemary Clooney - Girl SingerRelease date: 1999-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops:
The Blenders - NogRelease date: 1998-10-20; Music CD
Best price: $8.77
Price in other shops:
Brave Combo, Tiny Tim - GirlTIM,TINY/BRAVE COMB; Release date: 1996-03-19; Music CD
Best price: $15.04
Price in other shops:
Belleville a Cappella Choir - Southern Journey, Vol. 11: Honor The Lamb - The Belleville A Cappella ChoirRelease date: 1998-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $84.05
Diane Schuur - Love SongsRelease date: 1993-05-11; Music CD
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops:
![Love Is the Thing [Vinyl] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
Nat King Cole - Love Is the Thing [Vinyl]Release date: 1996-11-19; Music CD
Best price: $169.99
Linda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt: Greatest HitsRelease date: 1998-01-13; Music CD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops:
Buddy Rich, Sammy Davis Jr - Sounds of 66Release date: 1996-09-17; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before LongBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2007-05-22; Music CD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Gwen Stefani - The Sweet EscapeBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2006-12-05; Music CD
Best price: $3.89
Price in other shops:
Fergie - The DutchessBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2006-09-19; Music CD
Best price: $6.43
Price in other shops:
Timbaland - Timbaland Presents Shock ValueRelease date: 2007-04-03; Music CD
Best price: $3.48
Price in other shops:
Shakira - Laundry ServiceColumbia; Release date: 2001-11-13; Published: 2001; Music CD
Best price: $5.80
Price in other shops:
Gwen Stefani - Love. Angel. Music. Baby.Release date: 2004-11-23; Music CD
Best price: $3.40
Price in other shops:
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex / LoveSoundsJive; Release date: 2006-09-12; Music CD
Best price: $4.68
Price in other shops:
Nelly Furtado - Mi PlanBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2009-09-15; Published: 2009-09-11; Music CD
Best price: $3.38
Price in other shops:
Nelly Furtado - FolkloreRelease date: 2003-11-25; Music CD
Best price: $1.98
Price in other shops:
Nelly Furtado - Whoa, Nelly!Release date: 2000-10-24; Music CD
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops: