The Ride

The biggest flop of 2017 is actually a terrific album. Perhaps her strongest work (though not quite as catchy as her big blockbuster Loose). From what I understood there wasn't any money to promote the record more, not so much that it's out of synch with the times, though the music is more sophisticated than the crap pop that is most popular. I hope this lack of recognition bury this talented artist.

There are not enough synonyms for the word beautiful to describe it. I'm a college student and I don't buy things unless I really need them to save money but this purchase was truly worth it. I also bought her single "Islands of Me" to complete the album :D It's so good, I love it!!!!

I've been a fan of nellys since day one! I love how her music Evolves and there is always something new! Listen to tap dance it's magical ! Thank you Nelly for this wonderful album! You truly made my heart melt!

I really like Nelly, but this CD was not my favorite.

Many will remember the Timbaland-frenzy that was going on worldwide back in 2006. Fans of a certain Canadian-Portuguese songstress especially, will most likely refer to that era as her career-highlight, as the huge impact of her album back then could only be caused by names long-established in the pop industry. "Loose", Nelly Furtado's third offering, followed on from her breakthrough 2000 debut, and her 2003 sophomore, and the massive success it enjoyed was compared to Madonna's grand comeback with "Confessions on a dance floor" that went on at the exact same time. By producing 5 hit singles, and selling 10+ million copies, it was her biggest hit, one that according to Nelly herself, made her feel swept into a pop cyclone. After becoming a household name, she released a Spanish-language album in 2009 ("Mi plan"), and the rather uneventful "The spirit indestructible" (2012), which proved that Nelly's lower-key personality and vibes no longer fit in the pop landscape.She eventually started her own label, and spent time working with other artists, but that did not feed her creativity in the way making her own music did. Splitting with her manager of 18 years was another big change. It was only after she met - through Annie Clark from St. Vincent - with acclaimed indie-rock producer John Congleton, who inspired her to start writing, a process that resulted in a brand new studio album, her first of new material in 5 years, and one that signals another musical, as well as visual, transformation. "The ride" is her most diverse, mature and organic album yet, featuring some unusual instrumentation, exploring darker themes, and showcasing her songwriting talents. It builds on Nelly's roots, now filtered through a modern indie-pop aesthetic, with J. Congleton being Furtado's co-visionary on the record. Nelly's account of the recording process makes clear that this album means more to her than anything she has done in a while.""The ride" is my hard-knocks album where I ride in a sin confessional and celebrate my mistakes," Furtado wrote in an email to The FADER (NY-based music magazine). "The equation is imperfection = beauty. This record for me is a palette cleanse, and a chance for me to showcase my songwriting. What was happening creatively was a total refuge for me. I had gone there [in the studio] to repair, restore, and reinvent myself and become whole again, because I feel like I did come broken. We have this sunflower symbol with swords on it, which is sort of the perfect symbol for the record, because life when it is at its most beautiful is at its most painful." "The ride" does not sound like any previous Nelly Furtado albums. But it is apparent that this is the product of an artist unafraid to express herself. The instrumentation, the thematology, the delivery, the unusually raw - cheap-looking rather - cover artwork, complete with a radical short haircut, all of these signify yet another incarnation of the musically "promiscuous" Nelly.Despite being an album that has to be listened to from start to finish, I just need to mention 3 of its absolute gems: "Carnival games", an ode to time wasted on fleeting pursuits, "Tap dancing", with a touching Prince-reference in the "Diamonds and pearls" intro, and "Phoenix", a song about getting up after you fall, incidentally the first track written for this record, placed last on the standard edition of the album. Though I miss her "Folklore" days and the "Loose" era, I cannot but embrace "The ride". I was prepared to dislike it, having listened to the 3 tracks released prior to the record (included only on the deluxe LP), but listening to the complete set made me want to let those reading that this album is so worth experiencing. From her early hippie days ("Whoa, Nelly!"), to folk history ("Folklore"), to pop success ("Loose"), to breezy latin ("Mi plan"), and hip-pop grooves ("The spirit indestructible"), the way has been long, but "The ride" proves that there are more paths for this gifted chica to tread.

I was really anxious to hear some new Nelly Furtado as it had been a long time and I was very impressed with how good she still sounds and how relevant her music still sounds. Totally enjoyed this album!

She always keeps changing and is unique and original every time; not locked in by what is "in style", but instead takes chances. That's exactly what makes her so great!!! Love it!

Not as popular as her previous work but her vocals are amazing!