The American mainstream music market has often given due regard and notice to musicians from countries other than Europe and their own United States. While Canadian Nelly Furtado has chalked up a bunch of hits over the years, both in American pop music and in the Latin Music genre (thanks to her Portuguese heritage), it’s also heartening to note how from within Koreatown, Los Angeles, musicians of Asian descent — the Far East Movement, are making a name for themselves, flying high, like a G6.
Free-Wired — Far East Movement (MCA Music, Inc.) Straight from Koreatown in Los Angeles. Far East Movement has finally broken the ice. Two South Korean-Americans, a Filipino-American, and a Japanese-American, the four-man group has been paying its “club dues” over the years and it’s great to report that the CD is so much more than its G6 single. Ryan Tedder of One Republic joins them on Rocketeer, and along with Keri Hilson on Don’t Look Now and the White Flag track, these are my favorites. Hip-hop, techno and pop fill the airwaves when one has joined forces with the Movement; and while some may refer to the group as mini-Peas or Peas-Lite, one still can’t deny the appeal and energy that’s to be found — so good, my copy got “kidnapped.”
Best of Nelly Furtado — Nelly Furtado (MCA Music, Inc.) A compendium of Furtado’s hits over the years — and it’s amazing how fresh I’m Like A Bird can still sound after all these years, this Best Of Looks back at a decade, and a career that marked by originality and a desire to always stretch her music vision. The collaborations with a diverse group of artists are all here — with Timbaland, with Juanes, Caetano Veloso, Michael Bublé, Tiesto and even Keith Urban. The brand new tracks are Girlfriend in the City, Night Is Young and Stars, and hands down, I would call Night Is Young the choice fresh track — it’s effervescent pop as only Nelly Furtado can create, and should be a club favorite very soon.