Title: Folklore Format: Album Label: Dreamworks Released: 2003-11-25
Buy Folklore!

Tracklisting & Lyrics

1. One-Trick Pony lyrics »
2. Powerless (Say What You Want) lyrics »
3. Explode lyrics »
4. Try lyrics »
5. Fresh Off the Boat lyrics »
6. Forca lyrics »
7. Saturdays lyrics »
8. Picture Perfect lyrics »
9. The Grass Is Green lyrics »
10. Build You Up lyrics »
11. Island of Wonder lyrics »
12. Childhood Dreams lyrics »

Reviews

On her second album, Nelly Furtado takes a hard left turn. The colorful but incomplete fusion of her debut, Whoa, Nelly!, gives way on the tellingly titled Folklore to an approach that lets in some acoustic sounds that take the music in an entirely different, richer direction. At times sounding like a dead ringer for singer-writer Sam Phillips (whose work colors each episode of the TV series "Gilmore Girls"), Furtado aims for more rock-oriented ground without losing the Brazilian influences that are so much a part of her identity. Her voice and tunes are strong, and both words and music paint a young woman still very much in movement, change, flux. It's an intriguing sound, and one that thoughtful listeners will cherish. ~Rickey Wright, Amazon.com

It's been three years since Nelly Furtado's debut -- enough time for her to sell 2 million CDs, win a Grammy and have a baby. But the song remains the same: A slick multiculti hodgepodge, Folklore is a Whoa, Nelly! redux, without a single as good as "I'm Like a Bird." The twenty-four-year-old kicks things off by proclaiming, "I am not a one-trick pony," but fails to back up that claim on the eleven songs that follow. Aside from the mechanized drum loops and assorted world-beat flourishes, she mostly sounds like a funkier Michelle Branch, complete with overwrought vocals and gooey melodies on songs such as "Try." Bright spot: The lighthearted hip-hop tune "Fresh Off the Boat," where she lets loose her jazzy voice and, for a few refreshing minutes, doesn't take herself too seriously. ~JENNY ELISCU, rollingstone.com

Folklore sees Nelly Furtado well and truly re-discovering her roots. There isn'ta frothy pop song to be found on this album, which isn'tto say there aren't any hooks. Here is something really rather special; Nelly exploring the capabilities of her voice and trying outa remarkablyeclectic rangeof styles.
Undeniably influenced by her Portugese roots and a range of folk and world music, the diversity of instruments and vocal styles on this album is breathtaking. Enlisting Brazillian legend Caetano Veloso on guest vocals and the mighty Kronos Quartet on strings has injected this album with an eclectic feel altogether different to her debut Whoa Nelly.
This mixture kept me riveted from start to finish. The single, "Powerless", is joyfull and defiant; the upbeat, insistent African percussion and Bela Fleck's banjo produce a quite wonderful song.
"Forca" opens with an irresistable tabla and talking-drum riff and builds to a chorus which would be comfortably at home on an Orchestra Baobab album. Whereas "Saturdays", inspired by Nelly's experience of cleaning hotel rooms with her mother, is a simple but forceful acoustic guitar/vocal track which sounds as if it were recorded in her bathroom. Nelly gets the giggles half way through, which does nothing to dimiinish the power of her vocal delivery and only adds to the one-take feel of the song. I'm breathless with admiration!
"Picture perfect" is different again. A lazy, 6/8 rhythm and delicious bluesy electric guitar riffs build to a memorable, anthemic chorus which will have you holding your lighter in the air and swaying. 'I want to show you all I have to offer' she sings. She achieves her aim and then some!
It is Nelly's vocals which really show how much she has grown as an artist. The deeper, warmer soul feel of her voice on "Forca" and "Picture Perfect" is a welcome departure from that trademark, grassy, R'n'B sound.
No question, Nelly has taken things to another level. Whoa Nelly went platinum on the basis of some wonderfully catchy tunes and a fresh new sound. Folklore has twice the originality and has real staying power. 'Nobody can ignore me' sings Nelly. And I'm not arguing with her. Buy! ~Suzanne Hutson, bbc.co.uk