CD Review: Nelly Furtado’s Folklore

Her last album Whoa, Nelly! was a success on the pop charts starting with the song “I’m Like A Bird” and moving on to better songs such as “Shit On The Radio” and “Turn Off The Lights.” The songs you hear of hers on the radio are usually not her best. That was the case for Nelly Furtado’s first album, and it is not completely true for her next album Folklore. Her first album is among my favorite albums. I love her voice, her Latin charm and her unique music style. Nelly Furtado has somehow created her own musical category that goes without a name. She is a household name now, but I think her following is slight because she is confusing pop culture maniacs. I do not like the song “I’m Like A Bird” because it was overplayed and compared to the other songs, it catered too much to the pop scene. And though her trendy triumph was a little weak, it’s easy to skip that song now that I have a remote for my CD player, and the rest of that album is amazing. Nelly Furtado’s music would go under a category I would like to call “culture pop.” Her songs are full of different instruments from violins to banjos. A variety of electronic noises decorate her songs with a great cultured sound. In the end, she gets the kick for being different and people hardly pay attention to the wonderfully produced and written songs. Her new Folklore album is also full of great songs, but not as many as her first. It feels like a sequel to a movie, some nice moments, but not as strong (except Kill Bill vol. 2, wasn’t that fantastic?). On her the meaning of her new album, Nelly said ” This is the Folklore of my mind. The word often conjures up something old, but I’m kind of flipping its usual understanding. Folklore is something magical and mystical. But more than that I think of it as a belief in origin. . . everybody everywhere has his or her own Folklore.” This is portrayed in her creative and fun music. She is “culture pop” because she has seen many places around the world, and she is intrigued with cultural music.I enjoy “One Trick Pony” to start the album off. Both albums start off with great songs, and I wish critics would pay more attention to these. However, her hit “Powerless” is the second song, and was a success when the album was released. The strange beats, rhythms, and noises are fun and quirky. I think there’s plenty of potential for other songs like “Explode,” “Fresh Off The Boat,” and “Island of Wonder.”Check out her website http:// www.nellyfurtado.com for stories behind her music and exposure to colorful art. Also, give Folklore a try. Nelly Furtado is a charming musician worthy of praise.