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Nelly Furtado
Loose
(Geffen/Universal)
On her enchanting 2000 debut Whoa, Nelly!, she was a girlish pop songbird. On her moodier and more mature 2003 followup Folklore, she was a nesting mom-to-be with a fine romance. And now, with the aptly titled Loose, we meet the latest incarnation of Nelly Furtado: Superstar MILF.
Newly single and presumably able to afford some quality nannies for son Nevis, the 27-year-old Furtado is back in the game and looking for action.
So on this 54-minute hookup, she lets down her hair, wriggles into a skimpy belly T, and teams up with hip-hop superstar Timbaland on seductive, Madonna-meets-Gwen dance-pop come-ons like Maneater, Do It and the irresistible single Promiscuous.
In one sense, Tim and Nelly make a fine match: Furtado's trilling, flighty vocals dovetail intriguingly with the bouncy, offbalance beats and Middle Eastern slink of Timbaland's tracks, creating a vibe that fuses booty-shake and bellydance. Other tunes like the saucily syncopated No Hay Igual and the sensual Te Busque explore Furtado's Portuguese roots.
Trouble is, Furtado's thin voice often seems to get lost in the mix, floating airily above Timbaland's thick grooves. And aside from wanting to have fun ("I wanna go and go and go and go"), she doesn't have a lot to say, making Loose about as deep as your typical nightclub conversation. Granted, she's just being honest.
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But we can't help feeling that a few years from now, she might feel a little embarrassed. Especially when little Nevis learns what promiscuous really means.
Track Listing:
1. Afraid
2. Maneater
3. Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado, Timbaland
4. Glow
5. Showtime
6. No Hay Igual
7. Te Busque - Nelly Furtado, Juanes
8. Say It Right
9. Do It
10. In God's Hands
11. Wait for You
12. All Good Things (Come to an End)
13. Te Busque [Spanish Version][*] - Nelly Furtado, Juanes