One day I was feeling particularly nostalgic and her early releases sprang to mind. So with memories of the video for "Powerless" playing on Much Music, I gave "Folklore" a spin.
It was well worth it.
This is an exceptional folk/pop album, especially when you consider Nelly was in her early twenties while writing it. The influence of her parents' experiences in Canada as immigrants bursts from the seams and dyes everything you hear. The songs all tie together very well; nothing feels out of place, even with the mixing of acoustic guitars, banjos, and electronic music. It creates a perfect sense of mixing worlds, a strong heritage maintained in a quickly advancing and sometimes alien world.
There are some elements which at first are a little strange, even grating, but after repeated listens they simply fall into the collage of sounds in a way that only Nelly could get away with, most notably the "ding ding ding" scatting in "Fresh Off the Boat". Her voice isn't always 100% "pleasing" to listen to, but it's certainly a voice with character and individuality, and I would rather have that than something generic that's easier to listen to. Make no mistake, by no means is her voice harsh, and her delivery of the lyrics, especially in Portuguese, is quite brilliant.
This is an album that words simply cannot describe. "Heritage", "Culture", "Strength", and "Pride" are as close as it gets.
If there were any main singular fault with this album, it would be that it feels very homogeneous despite the mixing of worlds in the music. It's hard to tell whether heavier experimentation and diversity would allow the songs to keep the overall themes intact. It could have made for a more "interesting" album, but what's here is satisfying enough, and the tight-knit feel of the songs creates a sense of familiarity and warmth, almost comfort, even if the themes present in the music aren't necessarily a universal experience.
The similar vibes throughout do allow for an easier summation of the album compared to most, but as a whole, it's still worth a listen, as each track still feature their own unique perks that would otherwise be missed. One particular track to highlight, however is "Força". The music is beautiful, sad yet powerful, with a tasteful banjo accompaniment by Béla Fleck, and the sense of strength and unity filling the song make it easy to see how it was chosen as the anthem for the 2004 European Football Championship, the perfect theme for tens of thousands of proud Portuguese to sing at the top of their lungs.
"Folklore" is certainly an inspired album. Though it never seems to stray too far from its own established territory, there are few albums that compare to its depth of overall character without any sort of cohesive or overbearing narrative, theme, or concept, and the music generally stays intriguing and enjoyable throughout.
