LOOSE [NELLY FURTADO]

Her 2000 debut album landed Nelly Furtado on the charts and in the spotlight, where her eclectic style and electric performances earned her four Grammy nods and one of the coveted trophies. Although 2003's follow-up album, Folklore, saw disappointing sales, Furtado is back in fine form with her latest album, Loose.

Leaving behind any preconceived musical notions, Furtado immersed herself in working with renowned hip-hop producer Timbaland, who co-produced this disc. Furtado's voice has never been better and Timbaland, who has worked magic for Missy Elliott and Justin Timberlake, proudly leaves his fingerprints all over this album.

That being said, this is still Furtado's album. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs, and she uses those songs as a vehicle for exploring a dizzying variety of musical styles. Canadian by birth and Portuguese by heritage, Furtado taps into her Latin roots but also puts a definite '80s spin on the sound. The result is an album that is both modern and retro, with powerful R&B and hip-hop elements interwoven throughout. In lesser hands, such and array of sounds might sound schizophrenic, but Furtado handles the multiple musical personalities with ease.

The album's singles show just how diverse the disc is. "Maneater" is a delightful pop nugget driven by a bass 'n' drum rhythm line that makes it instantly danceable. The song is a celebration of all those women out there who know how to make grown men cry, and with this beat, it'll probably have those same men humming long.

"Promiscuous," which features a guest turn from Timbaland, has a hip-hop flavor and has found its way into seemingly every club since its release. It's a flirtatious interaction set in a nightclub, and the interplay between Furtado and Timbaland is dead-on. The chorus showcases Furtado's voice, and the song gets inside the listener's head in the catchiest way possible.

A third single, "No Hay Igual," is performed in Spanish and shows shades of Shakira, both musically and lyrically. On "Te Busque," she slows it down and gets a hand from Latin music hottie Juanes. "Te Busque" is a beautiful song about looking for love, and Furtado and Juanes sing so beautifully together that their longing seems tangible. A bonus track at the end of the disc presents the song in Spanish.

The melding of hip-hop, Latin, electronica and pop work extremely well for Furtado; even songs that don't fall into any of those musical categories seem to carry shades of each of them. On the gorgeous "In God's Hands," she offers up a stirring ballad about a love that has reached the end of the line. They've neglected their love and now, she acknowledges, it's up to God to put it back together, because they don't have a prayer. It's an unexpected track for this primarily upbeat, hip-shaking album, but it is definitely a welcome addition.

"All Good Things" sees Furtado at her finest with a song that is reflective, beautiful and haunting. It's a ballad with a beat that conveys the longing for things she loved in life but now have disappeared. She wistfully wonders why all good things must eventually come to an end. It's an excellent way to close out this album, because listeners can't help but feel that Loose is one good thing that they aren't ready to have come to an end.