2003 has been a hotbed for sophomore efforts (Dido, Michelle Branch, Peaches etc.), so it was the perfect time for Nelly Furtado to produce the follow-up to her turn of the century success "Whoa, Nelly!" In the three years separating that album and Furtado's latest "Folklore", she won a couple Grammys, sold a few million records, and even had a child. So just like last time, she wastes no time on subtlety: she's now a mature, wise, and accomplished artist who should be rightly recognized as above her peers, both artistically and musically. This heightened sense of self-importance might seem condescending, and to a certain extent that's exactly what "Folklore" is, but it's also key to remember that the sweet, young girl who sang "I'm Like A Bird" is still here, so her intentions, no matter how misguided they may be, are still good-natured, so it's hard to get angered at Nelly for wanting to flex her muscle, now that she's a star.
So where does that leave "Folklore"? Well, unlike "Whoa, Nelly!", which began with a fast paced orchestral intro, the opening track "One Trick Pony", begins with a warm, classical string quartet that immediately segues into country-fied world-pop. That pretty much sums up the rest of the record, as it usually just blends folk-y elements from around the world into one muli-cultural affair (this record's title is apt, even if it is a bit static). However, that doesn't mean that it's alienating; actually, "Folklore" tends to be a warmer, more contemplative listen than its predecessor, so we actually have a front row seat into Furtado's psyche after she was faced with such a huge success. True, this is typical of all sophomore albums, but no artist has ever been this blunt about it in recent years, especially in pop music. That right there is enough to set this record as one of the finest releases of 2003, but also to Furtado's credit is that she still hasn't abandoned what made her a star in the first place. Her knack for hooky and memorable arrangements remains fully intact, so some of these songs hit even harder than they did three years ago--see "Powerless (Say What You Want)", a song too worldly to be played on US radio, but still boasts an impeccable sense of fun and style. What sets "Folklore" back is that once again, just because Nelly is more mature than she was three years ago, doesn't mean she belongs in the high esteem she so desperately tries to get. Ironically, despite her opening statement that she's not a one trick pony, she ends up repeating herself alot on this record. Hell, by the third track she's already given away every song's subject, musical structure, and approach. The only exception to the pattern is the wonderful "Fresh off the Boat", which like her 2001 hit "Turn Off the Light", features a lower-slung, funky groove that lightens things up for a good three minutes. Still, the same fusion of world-beat and adult contemporary in every track makes "Folklore" drag, and by the mid-way point, the album appears to be twice as long as originally projected. Make no mistake, this is a very good collection of songs, and every one has glimmers of largely impressive moments (such as the closer "Childhood Dreams", which makes the most out of its atmospherics, even if it does overstay its welcome). However, as a cohesive record, "Folklore" falls far short. Maybe all it needs is a change of sequence, but more likely, Nelly could use the effervescence of "Powerless" or "Fresh off the Boat" to invigorate all of her songs, since they show that the charming, humorous girl who won over millions in 2000 can still take herself with a grain of salt. Without it, her songs are just no fun to listen to, even if they do sound good.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. One Trick Pony 2. Powerless 3. Explode
4. Try 5. Fresh Off the Boat 6. Forca
7. The
Grass is Green 8. Picture Perfect 9. Saturdays
10. Build
You Up 11. Island of Wonder 12. Childhood Dreams
No comments:
Post a Comment