Folklore

After hearing and enjoying her pseudo-eclectic debut "Whoa,Nelly!", I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from any follow up albums. Would she go more mainstream, or branch out more and develop her own style? Fortunately, she opted for the road less traveled and wandered a bit further from the industry norm. With "Folklore", Nelly has released a wonderful album that managed to keep her great melodies and rhythms, but incorporated more folk, soul, rock, and pop, as well as that international flavor that makes the music uniquely her own.

Several tracks deserve standout praise, including the opening, and aptly titled "One Trick Pony", the European Soccer Tournament themesong "Forca", "Powerless", "Explode", the soft finale "Childhood Dreams", and my personal favorite "Try". Like all great albums, "Folklore" gets better with every listen, and can be enjoyed start to finish without having to skip through any filler material. She has a great voice, and the increased maturity since her first album shines through on every song. All I can say is that I really can't wait for album #3. Well done Ms. Furtado.

The Japanese import edition contains two alternate/acoustic takes on "Powerless" and "Try". Probably not worth the import price for the tiny extras, but if you're a die hard fan, then I guess you know what you have to do. Hope this helps.