Nelly Furtado has lost her Portuguese roots. She's gone off the deep end. She's sold out to a commercial-minded repertoire of producers and musical styles, ranging from Latin-infused pop, to R&B and Reggaeton. These are some of the accusations sparked by the hype around the artist's decision to work with more mainstream material, along with the producers notorious for making the hits so upbeat and lacking substance. Nelly Furtado actually tweaked with the myth that commercialized pop is saturated with ear candy. The idea behind "Loose" is no revelatory manner: Have fun, listen and bob your head, let it go. Loose also means "sexually promiscuous," the double-entendre of which is not only appropriate to the album's chart-topping single, "Promiscuous," but to the entire album as well.
A melange of 80's dance music (Maneater, Do It, Afraid, Glow), R&B (Showtime, Wait For You), Latin (Te Busque, No Hay Igual) and mellow pop (All Good Things, In God's Hands, Say It Right)--Nelly Furtado has catered to every taste, including, dare I say...the hardcore fans who have marveled at her vocal playfulness and vivacity since her "Turn Off The Light," "Powerless" and "Try" days (by the way, "Fotografia" with Juanes was such a massive success that they decided to make a "sequel" and it sounds great!)
My point is, this album is deliberately playful and meaningful. Here is the individual song list and my opinions on them.
1. Afraid Feat. Attitude--Sounds like a great 80's sample with a beautiful message: be yourself and do what you want to do regardless of others. Excellent use of a children's chorus as well. Furtado co-wrote every song, by the way. 4.5/5
2. Maneater--The next single. At first, I hated it. Nelly Furtado can sing better than that--and that's the gist of it! This song, reminiscent of Flash Dance, is meant to move you, literally! Plus, toward the end of the song, the beat gets increasingly better. Most likely a DJ party will play this music. 4.5/5
3. Promiscuous (without the Girl)--Don't even get me started. The first single. This song is still on the Top 5, and it'll stick to you like a musical parasite. Let it stick--it was well worth listening to this before the album's release. Besides, S.O.S. got old really fast. Possibly the best song on the album, and an incentive to purchasing it as well. 5/5
4. Glow--this song is not my favorite, but I have a hunch it'll grow on me. Good beat, I suppose. Listen to it for yourself. 3.5/5
5. Showtime--mellow R&B. This slow song is a moment's reprieve from the dancy, hip-popping tunes you've listened thus far in the album. She sounds soulful and thus she still has a voice! So what are the devoted fans complaining about? 5/5
6. No Hay Igual--another single. This is a "reggaeton" song, but it has a catchy Latin lyricism and freshness. Not the best of the singles, I admit, but it's still listenable, perhaps more so than Maneater? She brings the goods to the Latinos and Latinas out there. 4.5/5
7. Te Busque Feat. Juanes--the last single. It said so on the cover. Whatever. This song is beautiful, and it reminds me of their equally beautiful pop hit, "Fotografia." Listen carefully to Nelly's hook in the middle. Nelly Furtado hasn't lost her edge here, and she won't for a long time. 5/5
8. Say It Right--I didn't realize this song agreed with so many of the reviewers!!! I thought it just another good mellow song. She has yet another great message to convey to us: Say what you have to say, but say it! The background recording reminds me of Madonna's "Isaac." Nelly Furtado, this is pure genius! 5/5
9. Do It--This song is a trip to the 80's, and a very pleasant one! I love how the melody of her voice melds with the background beat. I highly enjoy this! If there were no singles, Do It and Say It Right would more than make up for it! 5/5
10. In God's Hands--Rick Nowels and Nelly Furtado know how to write a ballad! Perhaps not as moving as "Try," but this song is carefully crafted and the violin orchestration is flawless! This could be a potential single. Listen to the whole thing, please. The girl brings it! 5/5
11. Wait For You--Good intro. Nice Middle Eastern beat. But it loops and loops and loops...it's too long for its own good. It doesn't destroy the album. 4/5
12. All Good Things (Come To An End)--Chris Martin (Coldplay) was a welcome guest. It sounds like it's tinged with a folkloric beat I just can't put my finger on. Why are we complaining again? 5/5
13. Te Busque (Spanish Version) Feat. Juanes--she doesn't rhyme as much, but who cares? This is a single and those Spanish stations better play it! 5/5
Here are the potential singles: Say It Right, Do It, In God's Hands, All Good Things (Come To An End)--see, we have four!
Here are the current singles, hopefully in the right order: Promiscuous (hats off), Maneater (#2 in Europe, #3 here), No Hay Igual (#2 here, #3 in Europe), Te Busque (or at least, it should be, don't you agree?)
Hope this encourages you to purchase the album. I know I did. The day it was released. Loosen up and enjoy it!
![Disco de Nelly Furtado: “Loose [Target Exclusive]”](http://www.musicpopstars.com/covers_yaN/nelly-furtado/2006_170_149_Loose%2520%255BTarget%2520Exclusive%255D.jpg "Disco de Nelly Furtado: “Loose [Target Exclusive]”")