Keeping the fires burning

Both Nelly Furtado and The Killers have been around for years now. Their music has evolved and changed through their respective careers, and their new albums are especially interesting for how they’re departures from their last CDs. On these ones, we find them going back to the music they helped popularize earlier in their careers, while giving the genre new twists. 

Nelly Furtado — The Spirit Indestructible (Interscope/MCA). The runaway success of Timbaland-produced Loose may have led us to expect another dance club CD, but recent Manila visitor Nelly Furtado surprises with an album that’s strong on urban and soulful pop. Rather than being predictable, she reaches back in time to create a street smart, gritty collection of songs that please. And there’s diversity on the CD, a strong change from her last all Spanish album. High Life and Parking Lot were my immediate favorites, while Miracles is pure pop bliss. There are some songs with strong Middle Eastern instrumental influences. On the bonus CD, listen to End of the World and the reggae tinged Don’t Leave Me. Her excursion to dance anthems and club favorites may have been nice, but it’s better having her back on the ‘streets.’ 

The Killers — Battle Born (MCA). The Killers is the favorite band of my middle boy Matteo, so the CD of new material was something he was eagerly anticipating. Lead man Flowers is still channeling Early Springsteen, and with the birth of Nevada as a state as one of the themes of the album, there is much to recommend in the CD. More Sam’s Town than the electronica Day and Age, I would rate Flesh and Bone, Deadlines and Commitments and Miss Atomic Bomb as some of their best songs ever. While From Here On Out is the group’s little side trip into country music, this has heartland rock as its solid core. The Way It Was has a Jefferson Starship ’80s feel to it, and I loved the bonus track Carry Me Home. While a tad heavy on mid-tempo songs and sing-along anthems, it’s good to have the Killers solidly back in rock mode.