Whoa, Nelly! Nelly Furtado Dreamworks Records, 2000 Buy it online Tracks 1: Hey, Man 2: Shit On The Radio (Remember the Days) 3: Baby Girl 4: Legend 5: I'm Like a Bird 6: Turn Off The Light 7: Trynna Finda Way 8: Party 9: Well, Well 10: My Love Grows Deeper Part 1 11: I Will Make U Cry 12: Scared Of You 13: Onde Estás   Reviewed by Sienna Powers	"I am impressed when music matters," says Nelly Furtado, "when genres are broken, when spirits are lifted, when people make a difference, and when people are true to themselves." On her first album, Whoa, Nelly!, Furtado leaves a trail of broken genres. The abrupt turns and eccentric swings sometimes leave you with the feeling that there is nothing but air beneath your feet. And it's a good feeling. Furtado's debut is powerful, polished and completely unlike anything currently getting airplay. Her musical roots are strongly urban, but her affection for techno, world, rock and alternative are all well serviced on Whoa, Nelly!. Reach for analogies: if one must, think Edie Brickell meets the new millennium along with splashes of Macy Gray, Gwen Stefani and Madredeus. Even these analogies point to the obvious: Nelly Furtado is making her own music. Furtado was 18 when she jumped onstage at a Toronto talent show. No one was more surprised than Furtado when her raw performance drew the attention of Chris Smith, manager of The Philosopher Kings. Not long after, Gerald Eaton and Brian West of The Philosopher Kings helped Furtado produce a demo. And while the demo was "adequate," Furtado had other plans: backpacking in Europe followed by the study of creative writing. After she returned from Europe to her home in Victoria, British Columbia, Eaton and West finally convinced Furtado to come to Toronto to do additional demos. It was these demos that led to Furtado's deal with Dreamworks Records. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Or, at least, history in the making. Whoa, Nelly! is the work of a confident singer/songwriter with a wide range and reach. Wider, certainly, than her 21 years would seem to allow. As Furtado says, "I believe in the power of words and the mystery of a good melody." There's mystery, also, in Furtado's delivery. Powerful in its unevenness, on Whoa, Nelly! the singer cheerfully changes style as rapidly as an 18-wheeler changes gears, and with as little concern for the Volkswagens and Miatas underfoot. The additional instrumentation on Whoa, Nelly! points to the gentle eccentricity of the album and reads like the ingredients list at your favorite restaurant. Tambourine, congas and scratches? Sure. But, human quica, cheeky telecaster, berimbau and udu fatten the list, as well. The "whatever it takes" instrumentation is enhanced by generous -- though inconspicuous -- sampling and the result is a seamless and diverse whole. The first single, "I'm Like a Bird," is deceiving. A mainstream pop backbeat and sentiment doesn't prepare the listener for Furtado's eccentric Macy Gray-style delivery. Furtado sings convincing lead and background vocals, complemented by drums, bass, micro-synth guitar, vibraphone and -- wait for it -- pepper shaker. The deception comes when you listen to the balance of the album. None of it is like, "I'm Like a Bird," but it's every bit as good. In fact, the lion's share of the tracks on Whoa, Nelly! at least approach single quality, and much of it exceeds the track that has already received quite a bit of airplay. For instance, "Hey, Man!" -- seemingly named in the spirit of the album -- showcases Furtado at her alterna-best. I look at myself in the mirror; am I vital today? Hey, man, I let my conscience get in the way! And there's a shadow in the sky and it looks like rain, And shit is gonna fly once again... "Shit On The Radio" owns a happy urban beat and influence with a powerful Latin undercurrent. "Baby Girl," has a strong mainstream pop beat with major attitude. "Legend" is modern torch. Furtado croons her lyrics here with convincing sensuality and longing. It's 50s Latin jazz with a techno imprint: astonishing, and one of the strongest tracks on the album. "Trynna Finda Way" erupts with a techno beat and then segues into something distinctively country. And -- as bizarre as that sounds -- it really works. "Onde Estás" wouldn't be out of place -- musically or vocally -- on a Madredeus album. Sung in Portuguese and English, Furtado even approaches the luminescence of Teresa Salgueiro's vocals. All 13 tracks of Whoa, Nelly! invite further and deeper listening. They also invite speculation: Furtado has seemingly covered it all on album one. Where on earth can she go from here? | January 2001   Sienna Powers is a writer, editor and visual artist.	All 13 tracks of Whoa, Nelly! invite further and deeper listening. They also invite speculation: Furtado has seemingly covered it all on album one. Where on earth can she go from here?