Whoa, Nelly! [2 LP]

by Nelly Furtado

Overview

Nelly Furtado's Whoa, Nelly! is one of those albums that's designed to be a surprising, precocious debut -- the kind of record that's meant to make a listener exclaim, well, "whoa nelly" upon the first spin. From that first play, it's evident that Furtado is indeed an audacious songwriter, not at all hesitant to bare her emotions, tackle winding melodies, and bend boundaries to the point that much of the record sounds like folk-pop tinged with bossa nova and backed by a production designed for TLC. Clearly, this is a musician with big, serious ambitions, a notion that is supported not only by her naked lyrics but especially by her singing. Furtado is a restless vocalist, skitting and scatting with abandon, spitting out rapid repetitions, bending notes, and frequently indulging in melismas. This, more than anything, makes her a bit of an acquired taste, since her relentless vocalizing can obscure hooks that are nevertheless there. Once you appreciate (or grow to understand) her quirks, Whoa, Nelly! unfolds as a rewarding, promising debut, albeit one with its flaws. True, most of those flaws arise from its naivete: a tendency to push too hard, whether it's in piecing together genres in an attempt to create something original or lyrics that can sound a little sophomoric in their soul-searching. These don't arrive in isolated instances, either -- they're wound into the songs themselves. You either choose to be annoyed by these quirks or become charmed by them, realizing it's a first album, and savoring the talent that's apparent on much of the album. Many of her blends of pop, folk, dance, and Latin are beguiling; she has a knack for strong pop hooks (particularly on "On the Radio," "Well, Well," and "Turn Off the Light"); her lyrical imagery can be evocative; she has a sly sense of humor; and, when she doesn't get carried away, she's an inventive, endearingly eccentric vocalist. These are the things that endure after that first slightly bewildering spin of Whoa, Nelly! and those are the things that make you wonder where she goes from here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/09/2024
Label:	Geffen Records
UPC:	0602465224504
Rank:	2024

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Hey, Man!
2. Shit On The Radio (Remember The Days)
3. Baby Girl
4. Legend
5. I'm Like A Bird
6. Turn Off The Light

Disc 2

7. Trynna Finda Way
8. Party
9. Well, Well
10. My Love Grows Deeper, Part 1
11. I Will Make U Cry
12. Scared Of You
13. Onde Estas

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nelly Furtado   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Ashanti   Primary Artist
Esthero   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Daniel Stone   Triangle,Wood Block,Udu,Shaker
Brad Haehnel   Shaker,Tambourine
The Track   Quica,Tambourine,Vocals (Background)
Lil' Jazz   Turntables
Field   Bass,Guitar,Scratching,Guitar (Acoustic)
Curt Bisquera   Drums
James McCollum   Guitar
Joey Mosk   Keyboards
Russ Miller   Drums
Brian West   Guitar,Turntables,Guitar (Acoustic)
Mike Elizondo   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Bass (Upright)
Camara Kambon   Piano
Gerald Eaton   Vocals (Background)
Roberto Occhipinti   Bass
Rick Waychesko   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Allan Molnar   Vibraphone,Guitar (Acoustic)

Technical Credits

Hans Ebert   Producer
Digital Cutup Lounge   Mixing
Brian K. West   Composer
John Knupp   Engineer
Nelly Furtado   Composer,Producer,Programming
Brad Haehnel   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
The Track   Producer,Programming
Field   Engineer,Producer,Programming
Track & Field   Producer
Junior Vasquez   Remix Engineer
Scott Hull   Mastering
Brian West   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording,Programming
Victor Florencia   Engineer
Ian Bodzasi   Assistant Engineer
Gerald Eaton   Composer,Producer,Programming
Denis Tougas   Engineer
Bill Meyer   String Arrangements
Allan Molnar   Synthesizer Programming