Unfortunately, the simple and fresh sound of the 2000 song “I’m Like a Bird” is history in Nelly Furtado’s new album “The Spirit Indesctructable.”
Five studio albums later, Nelly Furtado brings a style that some say is perfect for club and techno-influenced productions. The evolution of Furtado and the combination of her unique vocal tone over urban tracks has brought her much national attention. Though her genre is considered to be pop, her songs include futuristic, hip-hop beats.
In the song “Big Hoops,” Furtado said she is “channeling her 14-year-old-self” as she talks about her love for hip-hop and R&B. She exudes confidence in these lyrics. Perhaps she means all around confidence in who she is as a person.
There is a more refreshing sound in the lyrics “Bucket List.” She captures life’s little moments and provides encouragement to try anything and everything over and over until you succeed.
She has an assortment of featured artists including Nas, Sara Tavares, Ace Primo and Dylan Murray. On the U.S. Deluxe Version, she has a few additional songs that allow her voice to shine over instrumentation that fits her particular sound. “Be OK” is one of the songs featuring Murray.
From album to album, Furtado continues to change her style. Though she does take unique risks, this album seems to be doing too much. Some artists start off or find something that really works for them, then snatch it away from fans to “explore” new territory. It might work for a few musicians, but Furtado is going further and further out in left field. Her voice is gentle, so when she forces it to be powerful on songs with strong bass and drum set, it creates more noise than actually displaying her talents.
Ultimately, most of her beats are better than the lyrics or even her voice. Though unique-sounding, her vocal tone on this album comes off as whiny over the hip-hop beats than pleasant and fresh as in her debut album. Finding a site to preview the album is the smarter initial step before deciding to purchase this record.
