Loose

Nelly Furtado | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B000FII324
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,073 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Afraid

2. Maneater

3. Promiscuous

4. Glow

5. Showtime

6. No Hay Igual

7. Te Busque

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][*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The buzz for Nelly Furtado's Loose began before the music was even recorded, with the announcement that legendary hip-hop knob-twirler Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake) would act as co-producer. The question on fans' minds: what would it sound like when a hip-hop kingpin collaborated with an artist who culls inspiration not just from pop music, but also her own Portuguese roots?

As it turns out, Loose incorporates a number of different styles along its journey, but is--surprisingly--primarily divided between '80s-influenced electronica and latin-infused pop. This disc is very different from Furtado's previous CDs, a fact immediately evident from track one, the new wave-affected "Afraid." A strong opener, the song is the beginning of a 1-2-3 punch of uptempo, infectious dance floor beats. The second cut, "Maneater," also proves to be incredibly catchy, but the verses and keyboard sound too much like they were plucked from electroclash artist Peaches' tree, and originality is lost. The perfect summer pop song follows, the massive hit "Promiscuous," which features clever interplay between Furtado and Timbaland on their sassy duet. From that point, Loose oscillates between the Miami-affected sounds of R&B, Latino pop, and reggaeton ("Showtime," "Te Busque," and "No Hay Igual" respectively) and the aforementioned '80s vibe ("Glow," "Do It"). Fans will hear Furtado at her vocal best on "Say It Right" and "In God’s Hands"--two of the most lyrically compelling tracks on the disc. --Denise Sheppard

Product Description

In preparation for her new album, Loose, NELLY FURTADO tried out collaborations with a who's who of producers, and she tried to create a music more of the body than the mind. A prime example of the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet with Loose producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his groundbreaking work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and AALIYAH.

It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications (for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding," Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't really been heard on my records."

Starting with her longtime production team of Track & Field, she also knew she wanted to check out a variety of producers. "Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like trying on new clothes - you never know what you look good in until you try it on. And sometimes they will see something in you that neither you nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with her daughter from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER; to Los Angeles to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te Busque," her moving duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer and producer of the gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to Miami to work with PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and finally, TIMBALAND.

Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle spontaneity of the collaborative process is at the heart of Loose. "This record shows who I am in a jam-type environment, where I really feel the excitement of the creativity flowing," Furtado reveals. "It's who I am at my most artistic. I live for that, and I'm very grateful to be able to share it."

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cd to dance to, June 20, 2006

By 

Danielle (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Loose (Audio CD)

This is my first Nelly Furtado and I love it! I've followed her career but I've never bought her two previous cds. This cd is perfect for when you're just in the mood to dance and don't care what anyone thinks.
1.Afraid-I love this song. It's a great song to start the cd off and I love the chorus. 5/5

2.Maneater-I saw Nelly perform this on SNL and it was awesome. I really like the end of the song. I got the Target edition of "Loose" that has the Maneater music video on it and I can tell this song is going to do really well. It's an ode to those man-eaters out there. 5/5

3.Promiscuous-it's the hit single that is everywhere. This song is so good and my favorite on the cd. 5/5

4.Glow-I like this track but not as much as the first three tracks on the cd. I have a feeling this song is going to grow on me though. The sound is like the dance tempo on the first 3 song. 4/5

5.Showtime-this is the first slower tempo song on the cd. It's pretty good song and good one to either wind down on a night out or to take a breather. 5/5

6.No hay igual-this song picks up the tempo. It kind of reminds me of a Shakira type of song. But it's very good and it's in Spanish. 5/5

7.Te Busque-the second slower tempo song on the disc. I like it a lot, especially the chorus. 5/5

8.Say it right-Love, love it, love it. The beat is unbelievable. I know it's going to be one of my favorites. 5/5

9.Do it-Another dance song. It's very cool and it kind of reminds me of a 80's song a bit. 5/5

10. In God's hands-a very sweet ballad. The song is just great. 5/5

11. Wait for you-this song has Middle Eastern sound to it. It's not one of my favorites so far on the cd but it's not bad. 4/5

12.All good things(come to an end)- Oh gosh, I love this song! It's down tempo and I really love the lyrics. Nelly sounds really sweet. 5/5

13. Te Busque(Spanish version)-this version is just as good as the English version. 5/5

I am so glad I bought this cd. I know it's going to be in my cd player a lot. So if you're new to Nelly-like me- and like the song Promiscuous or a huge fan who has followed her for years this cd is a must.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Whoa, Nelly., August 3, 2006

By 

Jason Stein (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Loose (Audio CD)

I am going to go against the grain, and the masses, by saying that this is not Furtado's best work. If you don't believe me, go and listen to "Whoa, Nelly!" (2000) and "Folklore" (2003). I know that Furtado wanted to do a dance-oriented album, but "Loose" fails in comparison to, say, Madonna's "Confessions On A Dancefloor". Lyrically, "Loose" isn't Furtado's best work either. Choosing an in demand producer like Timbaland actually made this project stale as a week old piece of bread. The beats are mechanical, programmed, calculated. By the time you get to the end of the disc you feel like you've heard this all before.

The timing and marketing have been impeccable. I mean, this is the hottest selling album of the summer. Why? It's mindless dancefloor fun, but it's also summertime. Let's see this album get a release in the dead of winter and what the sales would be then.

All of my critical judgements aside, there are always some merits to every Furtado album, and this one has several songs, the strongest being "Afraid", "Maneater", "Promiscuous", "Glow" and "No Hay Igual". "Say It Right" and "Do It" are the lesser dance tracks. Then there's the mid-tempo "Wait For You" with it's Middle-Eastern sitar cliche that's been done so many times. I didn't like any of the ballads like "Showtime", "Te Busque" or "In God's Hands" (which sounds like Jewel to me). "All Good Things (Come To An End)" is a decent track to end on, but the Spanish version of "Te Busque" was redundant and unnecessary.

"Loose" is partially entertaining, but at Furtado's age, and with her background, I was expecting something more substantial than this. I felt "Loose" panders to the teenage crowd rather than utilizing Furtado's strengths and blending them with something more unique and meaningful. She could do a dance album with Erasure, Depeche Mode or Pet Shop Boys, or even a hip hop urban dance record with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, P. Diddy, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin or Wyclef Jean.

I guess with the poor sales of "Folklore" Furtado had to get back in the scene, and that she did. So, hopefully with this success she'll bounce back with some spectacular next.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid album, April 23, 2007

By 

Mr Peabody (3rd house on the left) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Loose (Audio CD)

The single Say It Right immediately got my attention when I heard it on the radio. I checked out the samples here and thought they sounded good enough to take a chanceand buy the album. I don't normally buy much Pop music, but after receiving my copy of Loose and giving it a listen, I was extremely pleased with the album. Every track was good. I didn't have to use my "skip" button on the remote once. I think one of the reasons that downloading individual songs has become so popular is because albums as solid as Loose is very rare anymore. Most albums you are doing good to get 2 or 3 strong tracks. I look for more singles to be released off this album in the future, the album as a whole is strong. The tracks on the album are versatile enough that you won't get bored while listening. Whether an upbeat track suitable for dancing or a ballad, all the tracks have an infectious rythym. So as to balance my review, let's not forget this, is, a Pop album and includes songs like Maneater and Promiscuous which are so Bubblegum they make you turn the volume lower to prevent anyone from knowing you are listening to them. But, Promiscuous was a single, although it didn't blow up like Say It Right, and the other tracks later in the album soon remind me why I like this album so. I don't write many reviews, I'm not into critiqueing each and every song but occasionally an album such as Loose comes along that strikes me as being so above average that I feel compelled to submit some positive feedback. So there you have it.