It can't be a coincidence that Nelly Furtado named the first track on her latest album "One Trick Pony."
Throughout the song she insists she's got more than one trick. OK Furtado, maybe you've got two - one, singing in that nasal, breathy voice and two, having good producers.
That might not be fair. Scores of people really feel Furtado. There's a reason she sells tons of records, right? Everything about the album Folklore seems designed around the idea of Furtado proving her authenticity. Unfortunately, none of it is very original.
Though she's done a couple of collaborations and been featured on many tracks by other artists, Folklore is a juvenile effort that shows promise.
Her lyrics are often trite, her voice always makes that one trademark sound and her melodies never go anywhere unexpected. Still, rhythmically and conceptually, Furtado's headed in the right direction. It also helps that the production and background music are exceptional.
The best track on the album, by far, is "Saturdays." This song is just Furtado, her acoustic guitar and some semi-ridiculous background vocals by Jarvis Church. In this case, Furtado's voice works in contrast to Church's soul falsetto.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
This song does a lot to establish Furtado as an artist who is at the beginning of her learning process. It comes across with candor and humor, lightening the previously whiny, somber mood. This recording captures her at just the right angle.
And no one can deny that Furtado is using rhythms in a really fresh way, negating some of the more stale melodies. In the more rhythmic sections of her work, like the verses in "Explode" and "Island of Wonder," the quality of her voice is a strength. When she travels into portions of melody that are supposed to soar, she hesitates, doesn't use her voice to its full range, and the notes come out thin and stringy.
A fortune cookie might tell Furtado that good things are in store for her. And it would be right, provided the girl decides to take a few risks with her sound. She might even make it to a many-trick pony status.
