Loose

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.

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.

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.

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.