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1. One-Trick Pony- I really love this song. What an inspiring song about being yourself (no matter how different you may be). She uses a banjo on this song. How cool!

2. Powerless (Say What You Want)- as a black person, this song says so much to me. But the song is so universal that anybody can relate to it.

3. Explode- probably my 2nd favorite song. This song makes me dance and it talks about being teenagers and learning your lessons. I really love the beats and she is singing on this song.

4. Try - beautiful song about trying to be a good person because of another person. It continues the theme of growing up that's on this album.

5. Fresh Off the Boat- Nelly talks about her family leaving their native country for NA. She's proud of her culture.

6. Forga- I really love this song and the title is of her native language. Makes you dance.

7. Saturdays - a song about how she spent her childhood's Saturdays. I love the fact that its only her, a guitar and a backing soulful male singer.

8. Picture Perfect- the music is rather bluesy when it starts off and then just explodes with the chorus. IMO, the song talks about how some things are not what they appear to be.

9. The Grass Is Green- a good mid-temp rock song. I love this song, but not as much as I love the others.

10. Build You Up- Nelly has grown up a lot and you can tell with this song. She is talking about finding your soul mate and accepting both the good and bad about him. She's also talking about how people build you up to tear you down. I love the Latin sounds of this song.

11. Island of Wonder- wow!! This is favorite song on the album. She is singing with a Portuguese man (one of her idols and a music icon in Portugal) and their voices sounds amazing.

12. Childhood Dream- with a beautiful church organ playing in the background in the beginning and elsewhere. Nelly sings with so much passion on this song. A nice ending to this album.

Get this album and give it a chance.


An lush, amazing album, proving this new star's versatility   November 27, 2003
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I am blown away by this album. It would be easy to write a review based on comparisons to her first album, but one of the things that really excites me about Nelly Furtado is how different this album is from her debut. Nelly Furtado broke onto the pop scene with "I'm like a bird", but her first album demonstrated that she was no mere 1 hit wonder. In her second album, she demonstrates her versatility and talent at a whole new level, proving that she can excel in different genres of music as well. It becomes obvious right from the beginning of the first song that this album is going to be something new, and very exotic - The sounds of Dance and R&B in her first album have given way to a brighter fusion of pop, electronica, and multicultral folk.

From the exotic, almost middle-eastern groove of the opening track "One-trick pony" to the poignant folk/pop melodies of "Try" and the kinetic, exotic dancability of "Fresh off the Boat" (my favorite track), this album really delivers. However, fans of the first album who are looking for more of the same should be warned. "Folklore" is just as good as "Woah, Nelly!", but it's apples and oragnes, and only hints of the brilliant R&B lyricysm in her first album remain.

In conclusion: Nelly Furtado is an artist who I think is going to continue to rise in popularity, and continue to release even better music, until she takes her place beside great popular musicians like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alanis Morrisette. Dispite a few tracks that are sub-par in my opinion (Childhood dreams, The grass is green), or just plain strange (Picture Perfect), there are so many touching, catchy, lush, and powerful songs in this album that its a shoe in for the rare "5" rating.


Excellent Album - Highly Recommended   December 11, 2003
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Make no mistake, Nelly Furtado's second album is one of the best -- if not the best -- albums of 2003. Folklore is a wonderfully thoughtful, highly polished, and absolutely vibrant album that is worth the price of admission.

One thing about Folklore -- and also Whoa, Nelly!, for that matter -- is that each song is unique. If one song doesn't appeal to you, chances are another one will. From the lush, dream-like quality of "Island of Wonder" and "Childhood Dreams" to the simple, yet profound tracks such as "Saturdays," Nelly Furtado demonstrates an excellent spectrum of her capabilities.

And yet, despite the diverse styles, the songs all come together perfectly. The consistency and continuity from track to track are unmistakable. One thing that never wanes is its quality. The themes and imageries in Folklore are something a lot of us can relate to. Something that speaks to us.

Music, then, has a way of communicating to and touching its audience. In that sense, Folklore embodies everything that "music" ought to be. A casual listen of Folklore may hook you with its unique sounds and rhythm. But that's merely scratching the surface. A serious listen undoubtedly provides a deeper, richer experience -- as an awesome mix of instruments complements Furtado's silky-smooth delivery; and her lyrics, syntax, and choice of words paint a colourful, beautiful picture.

I say this without reservations: Folklore is an intelligent album. You'll understand once you sit down and genuinely listen to it. The overall experience is one you should not pass up. Like the previous reviewer said: don't download this. Buy it. Obviously, this is my personal opinion, but for what it's worth, Folklore has my highest reccommendations.

Ultimately, if you take the time to really listen to Folklore -- following the lyrics, and paying attention to what Nelly Furtado is trying to express, you won't be disappointed with what the album has to offer. And who knows, it just may turn out to be your most cherished CD.


No One Trick Pony In My Book   March 22, 2004
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Upon hearing ''I'm Like A Bird'' for the very first time, I instantly took a dislike for it. Her voice and the simplistic lyrics pulled me off the song. I completely dismissed her as a MTV darling and never purchase her debut album. The other single releases from ''Whoa Nelly'' did peak my curiosity though Nelly Furtado didn't manage to keep my attention. However a gem named ''Powerless (Say What You Want) did the trick and evidently I gave in and purchased ''Folklore''.

Given the massive success of ''Whoa, Nelly'', there must have been a huge pressure on Furtado's shoulders to deliver the goods. Whereas ''Whoa, Nelly'' did extremely well, ''Folklore'' seems to be a slow-burner reaching No. 38 in the US and No. 62 in the UK. Massive sales don't always equal better or quality, so despite ''Folklore'' not selling millions, it is still one of the better releases of 2003 in my opinion.

The album-starter ''One Trick Pony'' is a perfect platform to open ''Folklore'' with. Nelly Furtado declares she is determinate to be a force to be reckon with. The tune starts off with dream-like music and evolve into an anthem celebrating indecency and individuality. Perhaps it might see the light of day as a single release, it's definitely worthy of one. The lead single ''Powerless (Say What You Want) reached no. 13 in the UK and it's most likely one of Nelly Furtado's best releases to date. Perhaps the use of instruments rarely heard in ''pop music'' captured my attention. It sounded completely different than most of the music playing on radio and still does. ''Explore'' is one of the most upbeat tracks on ''Folklore'', however its lyrics and rock-inspired music holds the attention of the listener. ''Try'' is easily one of my favourite tunes off ''Folklore'' and I'm hoping it will be given a single release. Nelly Furtado's voice sounds extremely good in the chorus, which showcases her grown as a vocalist as well. Gone for the most parts are her nasal-sounding voice from her debut single releases, however ''Fresh Off The Boat'' sees Nelly Furtado using it once more. ''Forca'' is a mixture of handclasps, banjo and different noises through-out the entire ordeal and the chorus is so enjoyable, you can't help singing along. The sway-like and seductive ''Grass Is Green'' is one of my favourite off ''Folklore''. ''Picture Perfect'' displays one of Nelly's best vocal performance on the record. Her voice goes up and down through-out the song. ''Saturday'' is a short introduction to her past. The opening of the song works quite well, however it bounders on annoyance towards the end of the song as a guy keeps repeating her words in a very high-pitched voice and suddenly Nelly Furtado bursts out laughing. The Sade-esque ''Build You Up'' is easily one of the best offering on the album. ''Island Of Wonder'' is an erotic gem, which features Caetano Veloso as a guest vocalist. It's soft and dream-like sound takes you on a journey of love, infatuation and lust. The closer of the album belongs to ''Childhood Dreams'', which could be classify as a lullaby of some sort. It's a tad long for my liking though I still seem to enjoy it anyhow.

So what is it that makes ''Folklore'' a rewarding listen? For once the use of ''un-tradional'' instruments such as banjos, various noises etc. really makes the album far more interesting. The production of the album is truly marvellous. ''Folklore'' is filled with fresh and well-crafted tunes and there are hardly any fillers to skip, it's enjoyable from start to finish. Sure ''Folklore'' doesn't have a stand-out song like ''I'm like A Bird'', which I didn't care for anyway. Some might argue that there isn't enough single material on the album, however as a whole ''Folklore'' is a very cohesive release. The record lures you in within a couple of listens and you are hooked. I regard ''Folklore'' as one of my favourite releases of 2003.

Overall Rate: 8.5/10