Nelly's Let Loose

Perhaps one of the most anticipated albums this month is Nelly Furtado’s third album Loose. The tracks have been slowly leaking over the past few months showing a grittier, more urban sound (courtesy of the likes of Timbaland) and Nelly cast as the urban vixen.

My fear, echoed around blogsphere is that this album would be a sell-out; the last thing the world needed was another urban-princess-by-numbers (calling PCD). Thankfully, Nelly has worked with some talented producers who are sympathetic to her past (e.g. Somebody to Love retains that latin flavour of her earlier albums) as well as her need to shift gears and finally get the commercial success she deserves. The album has a distinctly 80s feel, which makes it very current all things considered.

Songs such as Maneater and Promiscuous position Nelly firmly on the dancefloor with Timbalands distinctive beats while No Hay Igual is a firm nod to the baille sounds that have been brewing barely under the surface for the past couple of years. Other tracks such as Do It continue the 80s feel, stepping straight out of an early Janet Jackson album.

Surprisingly for an urban pop album where ballads are normally stuck in as fillers, the slower tracks on the album such as All Good Things are strong enough to warrant repeat listens, and the album as whole is a lot slower in tempo than I expected.

Overall the album should secure Nelly’s desire to regain the commercial success that evaded her after Folklore, give you something to listen to on your way to and from the club on a saturday night, and give JLo something to aspire to.

MP3's will be around for 48 hours - get em while you can!

MP3: Nelly Furtado – Maneater (Expired)
MP3: Nelly Furtado – Say It Right (Expired)
MP3: Nelly Furtado – All Good Things (Expired)
MP3: Nelly Furtado – Somebody To Love (Expired)

buy: Nelly Furtado - Loose