| The Ride | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 31 March 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 2016 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 45:37 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | John Congleton | |||
| Nelly Furtado chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Ride | ||||
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The Ride is the sixth studio album released by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released on 31 March 2017 by her own record label, Nelstar Music. It is her second independently released album after Mi Plan (2009).
Furtado initially worked with the producer Mark Taylor on material for The Ride. [1] She had wanted to work with Taylor ever since he had produced "Broken Strings", her 2008 duet with the British singer-songwriter James Morrison. [2] Shortly after splitting with her manager, Taylor sent Furtado an email informing her that he had written a song called "Sticks and Stones" (originally performed by the English singer-songwriter Arlissa), and said it would suit Furtado's voice. She responded by saying she loved the song and wanted to record it, but also expressed an interest in composing new songs with him and his regular collaborator Paul Barry. [3] Working from Taylor's studio in Ripley, Surrey, "Phoenix" was the first song composed by the trio. [1] Furtado said she "kind of hit bottom" a week before writing the song, elaborating that she had been going through a rough patch in her life at the time. [2] The trio also composed "Bliss", which was included on the deluxe vinyl. [4]
Furtado was introduced to the Dallas-based producer John Congleton in August 2014 by the American indie rock musician Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent, whom Furtado first met in Japan in 2012. The material produced by Congleton is decidedly more artistic than anything previously released by Furtado. [5] The first song they wrote together was "Flatline", [2] which emerged from Congleton's criticism of the pre-prepared GarageBand demos Furtado had created in preparation for their sessions. She explained, "He didn't like anything. Then, luckily, I remembered this melody – the chorus of "Flatline" – and I sang it to him, and he was, 'Well, I like that. Let's do that.' He had already booked session players for the next day. I showed him my first draft of the lyrics for [the song] and he was tinkering away at the music, and he said, 'Those are all right, but I think you can do better. I think you can dig a little deeper.' And here I am – six albums in – and I'm just thinking: 'Wow. Okay.'" [5] Furtado, who recorded a total of sixteen songs with Congleton, [6] described the album's sound as "modern pop-alternative". [7]
While recording The Ride, Congleton introduced Furtado to people involved in the local Texan art scene, including Samantha McCurdy, who created the album cover. It consists of Furtado clutching a bouquet of flowers and two hands holding a pyramid-shaped piece of wood behind her, while a green protrusion on the right side of the image closes in on her face. The cover proved divisive, with Furtado disabling comments on the image when it was posted on her Instagram account on 12 December 2016. She later said of the cover, "To me, it's a little bit vulnerable. I like that it conveys a feeling of humility," and explained that disabling comments on the image was in part a reaction to the negative response to her performance of "O Canada" at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. [8]
The Ride has been described as a rock-influenced pop and indie pop album [9] [10] that incorporates elements of R&B ("Pipe Dreams"), synth-rock ("Sticks and Stones") and piano ballads ("Carnival Games", "Phoenix"). [11]
Furtado promoted the album by doing many interviews and performances with BBC Breakfast, [12] Loose Women, [13] Q, [14] Larry King Now, [15] Forbes, [16] GQ, [17] Refinery29, [18] Billboard, [19] Paper, [20] Idolator, [21] Maclean’s, [22] and Late Night with Seth Meyers. [23]
"Pipe Dreams" was released as the first single on 15 November 2016. [24] When asked if the song was the first single from the album, Furtado said that she would not be releasing any singles from the album and that she would instead release songs that she wants to share, "which is all twelve", but the song was released to airplay. [25] Furtado released "Cold Hard Truth", along with the pre-order of the album, on 27 January 2017. [26]
"Sticks & Stones" was remixed by Metro with newly recorded vocals by Furtado in May 2018. [27] It reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. [28]
Furtado released "Behind Your Back", a song that she called "a palate cleanse" and "an appetizer" for her then-untitled sixth studio album, on 13 July 2016. [29] Although she originally said that the song would not be included on the album, she later revealed that it would be included on the deluxe edition of the album. It was chosen to be the first song released from the album because it did not fit in with the sound of what she referred to as the "actual album". [30] On 7 September 2016, Furtado revealed that she would release another song from the deluxe edition of the album called "Islands of Me". [31] It was released two days later, on 9 September 2016. [32] Both "Behind Your Back" and "Islands of Me" were only available on the music streaming platform Spotify until 28 October 2016, when they were made available to purchase on digital retailers. [33] [34]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.1/10 [35] |
| Metacritic | 64/100 [36] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [37] |
| Clash | 5/10 [38] |
| Exclaim! | 6/10 [39] |
| The Guardian | [40] |
| The Irish Times | [41] |
| Now |   [9] |
| Pitchfork | 6.8/10 [11] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
| RTÉ | [42] |
| Slant Magazine | [43] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 64, based on 9 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [36] It also holds an aggregate score of 6.1 out of 10 at AnyDecentMusic? , based on 13 reviews. [44]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic compared The Ride to Furtado's 2003 album Folklore , but said that "she hasn't abandoned the deep bass and dance beats that propelled Loose ". [37] Now complimented the record for incorporating harder elements; [9] Exclaim! applauded Furtado for her lyricism. [39] Lauren Murphy of The Irish Times also complimented the songwriting, praising the "beat-driven songs with air-punching choruses". While commenting on Furtado's statement that The Ride was her "hangover album", Murphy summarized her review by saying, "If this is the hangover album, we'd love to have been at the party." [41] Slant Magazine also compared the album to Folklore, and praised Furtado's "refusal to play to type [which] ultimately makes her something of a pop maverick—impossible to pin down but also improbably distinct". [43] Commenting on the album's commercial performance, a review from Billboard claimed it would be one of 2017's most underrated releases. [45]
Although Clash complimented Furtado's vocals and songwriting, it was critical of Congleton's production, calling some of the electronic songs "jarring". [38] Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian was also critical of his production, which she called "overpowering and overcomplicated". While comparing The Ride with the work of other artists, she said, "It's difficult to avoid making endless comparisons when an album feels so miserably storyboarded ... But at least The Ride does so with zeal." [40]
The Ride reached number 76 in Canada and also reached the top 100 in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as the top 200 in Belgium. It did not chart on the UK Albums Chart, but reached number 81 on the UK Album Sales Chart. It also did not chart on the US Billboard 200 chart becoming Furtado's first studio album not to do so, but did peak at number 25 on the Independent Albums chart.
All tracks produced by John Congleton (track 6 co-produced by Mark Taylor).
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cold Hard Truth" | 2:54 | |
| 2. | "Flatline" |
| 3:21 |
| 3. | "Carnival Games" | Furtado | 4:17 |
| 4. | "Live" |
| 4:03 |
| 5. | "Paris Sun" |
| 3:29 |
| 6. | "Sticks & Stones" |
| 3:34 |
| 7. | "Magic" |
| 4:02 |
| 8. | "Pipe Dreams" |
| 4:23 |
| 9. | "Palaces" |
| 3:31 |
| 10. | "Tap Dancing" |
| 4:10 |
| 11. | "Right Road" |
| 3:28 |
| 12. | "Phoenix" |
| 4:25 |
| Total length: | 45:37 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Islands of Me" |
| 3:42 |
| 14. | "Bliss" |
| 3:19 |
| 15. | "Behind Your Back" |
| 3:47 |
| Total length: | 56:25 | ||
Credits below are adapted from The Ride's liner notes. [46]
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [47] | 141 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) [48] | 76 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [49] | 65 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI) [50] | 66 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [51] | 41 |
| UK Album Sales (OCC) [52] | 81 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [53] | 14 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [54] | 25 |
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 31 March 2017 |
| Eleven Seven Label Group | [55] |
| United Kingdom | [56] | |||
| United States | Nelstar | [57] |
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 45 million records, including 35 million in album sales worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists. Critics have noted Furtado's musical versatility and experimentation with genres.
Folklore is the second studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released on 5 November 2003 through DreamWorks Records. While the album did not match the success of her previous album in such markets as the United States and Australia, it did however become a success in several European countries. Folklore spawned five singles: "Powerless ", "Try", "Força", "Explode" and "The Grass Is Green". As of 2008, the album had sold 2 million copies worldwide.
Loose is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, released on 7 June 2006, by Geffen and Mosley Music Group. Following the release of Furtado's second album, Folklore (2003), through DreamWorks Records, it was announced that Universal Music Group would acquire DreamWorks Records, the latter was folded into the Interscope Geffen A&M umbrella label where Furtado would release any new music. Recording sessions for Loose took place from 2005 to 2006. Timbaland and his protégé Danja produced the bulk of the album, primarily a pop album which incorporates influences of dance, R&B, hip hop, latin pop, synth-pop, reggaeton, new wave, funk, and Middle Eastern music. Lyrically, it explores the theme of female sexuality and has been described as introspective.
"Maneater" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her third studio album, Loose (2006). The song was written by Furtado, Jim Beanz, and its producers Timbaland, and Danja. It was released to mainstream radio in the United States in July 2006. The song's musical style and production were inspired by the Hall & Oates song of the same name and other music from the 1980s.
"Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)", censored as "...on the Radio (Remember the Days)", is the third official single from Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado's debut album, Whoa, Nelly!. The song's album title "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)" was censored and the word "shit" was removed from the title for radio airplay and substituted on the cover art with "#*@!!".
"I'm Like a Bird" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was written by Furtado and produced by Gerald Eaton and Brian West for her debut studio album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000). Released as the album's first single on September 25, 2000, it became a worldwide hit the following year, peaking at number one in Portugal, number two in Australia and New Zealand, number five in the United Kingdom, and number nine in the United States. It was the eighth-most-played song on Canadian radio in 2001.
"Say It Right" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her third studio album, Loose (2006). It was written by Furtado, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, and Nate "Danja" Hills, with Furtado crediting the Eurythmics' song "Here Comes the Rain Again" as her inspiration. The song was released as the third single from Loose on 31 October 2006 by Geffen Records and Mosley Music Group; in Europe, it was released as the fourth.
Canadian singer Nelly Furtado has released six studio albums, 32 singles, one video album, one live album, two compilation albums, three extended plays, and 23 music videos. She released her debut album Whoa, Nelly! in 2000 and it became a commercial success selling 6 million copies worldwide. It has been certified multi Platinum in countries such as Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand. The album spawned four singles including the successful top 10 hits "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light". In 2003 she released her second album Folklore, while the album did not match the success of her previous album in such markets as the US and Australia, it did however become a success in several European countries. Folklore has sold 2 million copies worldwide. The album produced two European top 10 hits: "Powerless " and "Força", while "Try" peaked inside the top 10 in Canada.
"In God's Hands" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her third studio album, Loose (2006). It was written and produced by Furtado and Rick Nowels. The song was first released on 30 July 2007 as the album's fifth and final single in the United Kingdom and was later released in various formats across Europe in the fall of 2007. Furtado recorded a new version of the song as a duet with Australian-American country singer Keith Urban the following year, which was released in North America in April 2008.
Mi Plan is the fourth studio album and the first Spanish-language album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released independently on September 11, 2009 by Furtado’s own record label Nelstar Entertainment with distribution by Universal Music Latino. This marks Furtado’s first independently released album. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2008 to 2009. The album was produced primarily by Furtado with other contributions made by James Bryan, Lester Mendez, Salaam Remi, The Demolition Crew, Julieta Venegas and Brian West. Furtado described the songs on the album to be "simple love songs".
"Morning After Dark" is a song by American record producer and rapper, Timbaland taken from his third studio album, Shock Value II. The song features French singer SoShy and was released as the first single from the album on October 26, 2009. The international version of the song features an additional verse from Canadian singer Nelly Furtado and it is this version which features on the album.
"Night Is Young" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. It was written by Furtado, Salaam Remi and StayBent Krunk-a-Delic, and produced by the latter pair for Furtado's greatest hits compilation album, The Best of Nelly Furtado (2010). The song follows a dance and electronic style, which Furtado said that she is happy with because she never had a straightforward dance-pop song. The lyrics to the song were written by Furtado, who said it is "not necessarily a love song" but is about "having a good time and enjoying life."
"Promiscuous" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her third studio album, Loose (2006). The song was written by Timothy "Attitude" Clayton, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, Furtado and Nate "Danja" Hills. The song's lyrics feature a conversation between a man and woman who call each other promiscuous. The song was released as the second single from the album on April 25, 2006.
"Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado, taken from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible. It was released on April 16, 2012, through Interscope Records, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Furtado in a collaboration with its producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" is an R&B song influenced by hip hop collective Odd Future and 1990s productions. The track's lyrics refer to the singer's life as a teenager, describing her passion for hip hop and R&B music at that time. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's breakdown but criticized Furtado's vocals.
The Spirit Indestructible is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. The album was released on 14 September 2012. Furtado served as the executive producer for the album as well as a principal writer. Further production on The Spirit Indestructible comes from the likes of Darkchild, Salaam Remi, Mike Angelakos, Bob Rock, Fraser T Smith, Di Genius, The Demolition Crew, John Shanks and Tiësto.
"Spirit Indestructible" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. The song was released on July 31, 2012, as the second single from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible. The song was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.
"Parking Lot" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible (2012). The song was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who also produced her two previous singles "Big Hoops" and "Spirit Indestructible". The song was released as the third single from the album on October 12, 2012.
"Waiting for the Night" is a song recorded by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. It was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins for her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible. Lyrically, the song is about Furtado having a crush on a boy and was inspired by a diary she kept as a sixteen-year-old on a summer vacation on São Miguel Island, Portugal.
"Pipe Dreams" is a song recorded by Canadian singer and songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released on December 20, 2016 as the lead single for her sixth studio album, The Ride (2017). The single was produced by John Congleton.
"Cold Hard Truth" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was officially released on January 27, 2017, as the second single for her sixth studio album, The Ride (2017). The single was written and produced by John Congleton and Nelly Furtado. The song was performed for the first time on national Canadian television on January 26 evening, during Furtado's appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. The song is about lovers who have to part ways.
This is unabashedly a pop album [...] The Ride follows recent albums by high-profile stars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga in busting out of dance-pop with more rock-influenced sounds
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