Disco de Nelly Furtado: “Loose [Japan]”

I honestly don't understand why so many people can't deal with the fact that Nelly Furtado has a new sound. It's called change, EVOLUTION. Yes, she sounds a little bit different, but in the end, it's all Furtado.... So don't be so closed minded... GET LOOSE and just enjoy this awesome Cd.... The best so far. All the tracks are just a-ma-zing... I dunno why they didn't include all the bonus tracks in the US version....

The stand out tracks are:

Afraid

Maneater

Promiscuous

No Hay Igual

Te Busque

In God's Hands

Wait For You

All Good Things

Somebody To Love...

WAIT....

Scratch that... all of the songs in this album stand out!

This is just F*ckin awesome!

Nelly Furtado was considered at her beginning as one of the most prominent artists. Her first LP 'Whoa Nelly' was a pop roots album with hit-single 'I'm Like A Bird' and a very hip hop track 'Turn Off The Lights' plus other songs that make Nelly's work earned 2 Grammy nominations as Best Pop Album and Best Female Pop Performance for ILAB (the one that won). Her awaited second effort was announced as a more folk based album 'Folcklore' was all that and so much more. Considering a less synthesized album to a more string vocal one wich songs as enigmatic 'Powerless' and ballad 'Try'. The album and the singles failed to call out the attention of public and radio audience. Maybe because Nelly's 1st records was based on R&N ad the second one was a more profilactic into the pop area.

Hello, Loose is a very distinct journey into experimentation which included in the process The Neptunes and Scott Torch. Both of them did tracks to the album but none of them was selected. In the way Tim Mosley a.k.a. Missy Elliot's old production partner a.k.a. Timbaland who's career is based on jobs with Missy was having a free - Elliot time where he experimented with a producer by himself with great results as Cry Me A River with Justin Timberlake and the critic aclaimed Afrodisiac of Brandy. Plus MC ATTITUDE and Coldplay's Chris Martin the journey begins.

A very R&B, synthesized record plus a more hip hop and very rebel 80's sound, Nelly starts a personal discovering into hard sound tracks as Maneater or No Hay Igual to more dance club party single such as Promiscuous or beat up track Afraid. Nelly also give talent as a written to Chris Martin's writting collaboration and Juanes prominet duo 'Te Busque' which renews bounds with her very wide latin audience.

At difference of other artist who decides to go R&B, Nelly is using a more eclectic sound to avoid critic's concern about Nelly Furtado's weak audience in the States. All the help she needed, she got her groove back. No doubt 'bout it.

I really can't complain though because out of that came some very fun and catchy tracks that will be in your head for hours upon hours upon hours.

Afraid - 7/10 Well, there was SOME depth...

Maneater - 8/10 (The Remix is much better)

Promiscuous (Feat. Timbaland) - 10/10 THE summer jam of 2006; it was EVERYWHERE, and for good reason! It was also the first single from the album.

Glow - 6.5/10 Bouncy, but not totally necessary.

Showtime - 8.5/10 Big improvement from Glow. Nice production, and quite interesting.

No Hay Igual - 2/10 Err...First off, I'm not Spanish/Canadian. This is one of the worst worst WORST songs EVER! Boo, Nelly. Boo!!

Te Busque - 7.75/10 Nice beat. I like the lyrics, but not the Spanish ones; I don't understand them. :(

Say It Right - 8/10 This song doesn't make much sense. Seriously! But the beat is very awesome. Timbaland produced yet another hit. I believe this was Nelly's second single and it did well.

Do It - 9/10 Lovely. This is the 4th, and probably the last single from Loose. It's catchy and I like the fun, but true lyrics. Nelly is awesome. But I heard this beat was "stolen". If it's true, then shame on ya, Timbo. But I still love him as a producer!!

In God's Hands - 7.5/10 Beautiful vibe to this song, the production. It feels kinda like "The Grass Is Green Part. 2" but with a different message.

Wait For You - 10/10 Yet again, a great, GREAT beat. Surprisingly surpasses Do It. Not in lyrics, but the beat. Dangerously catchy!! It has a vibe of someone else - some other artist. Maybe Keyshia Cole. I dunno. Anyway it's upbeat and in your face like we have currently come to expect with the Nelly as of late. Like Ashanti would say, "This beat is BANANAS!"

All Good Things (Come To An End) - 8.5/10 Am I tired of all the crazy beats by now? Nope. And this song continues that trend. The beat here is catchy. 3rd single. Don't know how it did. Reasonably well, I suppose.

Te Busque (Spanish Version) 7/10 - You all know that I can't stand a song in all Spanish, but I'll rated this on the sounds. Decent lyrics, but this song as well as the original don't necessarily fit with the other upbeat tracks.

The only track I didn't enjoy at all was No Hay Igual. It's one of the most annoying tracks ever. All she says is, "No Hay Igual", really fast. It'll make you puke. But that was the only setback here.

105.269230769231/13 = 93.2884615= 4.6 stars.

I can't wait for the next album!!

Standouts: Wait For You

Promiscuous

Do It

All Good Things (Come To An End)

4.6 stars.

I have been a Nelly Furtado fan since 2000...I loved "Woah Nelly" and "Folklore" and I was impressed with the song writing on Folklore more then anything...I slept on "Loose" cuz I heard "Permiscous" and thought it was trash like everything else on the radio...In my opinion she had sold out and abandonded all the little things that seperated her from the pack to begin with...I like maybe 1/2 the songs on "Loose" in my opinion its the female version of Justin Timberlakes "Futuresexlovesounds"...Over produced, lyrically lacking (for the most part)it more or less sounds like everything else you hear on the radio...I know she had to "Sell Out" cuz she was about to get dropped from her label but this is disappointing to true Nelly fans...The beats are so generic, the production is so typical and it dosent showcase her personality which made her so different from everyone else anyway...I gave it 3 stars cuz Timbaland did a good job making Nelly everything her fans never wanted her to be...Dont expect anything stellar with this cd but at the same time I have heard worse...this just isnt good music. damn it hurt me to write that review lol.

Most artists don't get a second chance after a flop album, even a good flop album, but selling over 5 million copies of her debut album on the strength of the massive hit Like A Bird has earned Nelly Furtado a little leeway. Rewarding her label's faith, Furtado rips open the creative vault and throws down a beat filled, techno heavy, funky nugget of a record that will have the house bouncing. This is not the Nelly Furtado of her first album.

From the synth heavy Timbaland funk of Maneater and the trance-like opening track Afraid, you know this is something completely different than expected. This is creativity, energy, and appropriately considering the record's title, Furtado getting loose. The track Showtime is reminiscent of early Janet Jackson, and Te Busque is like a tango on steroids. In God's Hands is most like her earlier work, a soft and gently sung ballad.

This is a fun album. The only negative is the production, which seems excessive on several tracks, almost a competition to see how many samples and beats could be thrown onto the track at once. Influences on this one range from Missy and Justin Timberlake to Janet Jackson and Sasha and Digweed. This album will be a big hit though, because its 54 minutes of energetic beats and rhythms fits right at home in the club or house party. The import version has three extra songs, none of which particularly stand out, and for the extra money, I don't feel its worth it unless you are a serious, serious fan. Pick up the US edition instead.

A.G. Corwin

St Louis, MO