Nelly Furtado
"Loose"; Geffen Records
Three stars (out of four)
Female pop artists who flaunt their sexuality still face something of a double standard, particularly if they're too beautiful. But no one's going to tell Furtado that she can't be a cute chick and a strong woman. The sinuous tracks on her new CD are produced with a light, sure hand by Timbaland -- who appears on the slyly charged single, "Promiscuous." Furtado also embraces pop balladry and world-music textures, and she mixes spiritual and sensual yearning with a force that's both defiantly feminine and universally human.
Listen to the full album here.
- Recommended if you like: Gwen Stefani; KT Tunstall; Dixie Chicks
-- Elysa Gardner, USA Today
Fatboy Slim
"The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder"; Astralwerks
Three-and-a-half stars (out of four)
Often dance hits aren't a good listen at home. The songs can get repetitive and, when you're not waving your arms and shaking your ass, their superficiality can be disappointing. Not with Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook).
Although his loops certainly repeat over and over ("Right about now, funk soul brother"), but somehow they never overstay their welcome. And by mixing a dozen styles in his blender (hip-hop, electronica, soul, funk, gospel, ambient, etc.), he keeps his songs diverse and fun.
The biggest hits are stacked up front: the stuttering "Rockafeller Skank," the Moby-esque "Praise You," his souped-up remix of Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha" and "Weapon of Choice," the slyly funky smash made famous by the video with Christopher Walken.
The rest of the tracks don't maintain that high, but there are some spikes of joy like the laidback rap of "Wonderful Night" and the summertime-pop of the excellent new song "That Old Pair of Jeans."
The tracks are generally well selected. Some might've wanted "Because We Can" from the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack, but the only song that seems a big omission to me is his brilliant remake of Steve Miller's "The Joker" with Bootsy Collins on vocals.
Listen to the full album here.
- RIYL: The Chemical Brothers; Moby; Blackalicious; Macy Gray
-- Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
"The River in Reverse"; Verve Forecast
Three stars (out of four)
Elvis Costello, a serial collaborator who has flitted from jazz to string quartets to Burt Bacharach, has now sidled up to Allen Toussaint.
And while the match benefits the underappreciated New Orleans songwriter-producer in terms of exposure, it's the pop hipster who profits creatively from the odd coupling. The Katrina-themed set, recorded at Piety Street Studios in New Orleans last December with The Imposters and the Crescent City Horns, unveils new songs and retrofits such lesser-known vintage Toussaint tunes as "Tears, Tears and More Tears."
Toussaint is the album's heart and soul, a saving grace, since Costello has little natural old-school R&B spunk. Costello's title track feels stiff, and despite the deliciously spiteful lyrics, his "Broken Promise Land" is a jumbled composition (salvaged by Toussaint's horn charts). Their labor of love has warmth and emotional weight, but it's Toussaint's creamy vocals, funkified piano and R&B sensibilities, particularly in "Gonna Help Brother Get Further," that makes this "River" run deep.
- RIYL: Bruce Springsteen; Van Morrison; T-Bone Burnett
-- Edna Gundersen, USA Today
Glen Phillips
"Mr. Lemons"; Unami Music
Two stars (out of four)
When Glen Phillips released "Abulum" five years ago it seemed he was ready to carry the Toad the Wet Sprocket flame into the 21st century. On that first solo album, the Toad frontman delivered a catchy batch of folk-pop with as much craftsmanship as the best albums by the entire band. Unfortunately, Phillips lost footing on his second solo effort, and he's still stumbling today. Because he's talented, "Mr. Lemons" has a handful of worthwhile material, but the good stuff is buried between pokey ballads, dirge-like folk tunes and a dull cover of Huey Lewis' "I Want a New Drug."
The primary bright spot is "I Still Love You," a slickly produced love song that spotlights Phillips' voice and gift for catchy melodies. His songwriting talents are also on display in "Everything But You" and "Waiting," easygoing pop numbers with enough bluegrass influence to make them distinctive. Throw in "The Next Day," a hopeful light-rock song about changing times, and you've heard the best the album has to offer.
Here's hoping Phillips doesn't dig into the solo stuff when he and Toad play Bartley Ranch on Aug. 18.
- RIYL: Daniel Powter; Toad the Wet Sprocket; Del Amitri
-- Forrest Hartman, Reno Gazette-Journal
