The problem with Nelly Furtado’s first proper album since 2006’s Loose isn’t that it fails to capture the swagger of her biggest record – it’s that it follows that template just a little too closely. For those craving second helpings of the bad girl gone VERY bad sassitude of ‘Maneater’, look no further: there’s ‘Big Hoops’, for a start, wherein she sings, at length about the joys of partying without a care in the world. Then there’s ‘Bucket List’, a zippy, guitar-driven workout with a big drop in the middle and several jolt-you-awake switch-ups (whatever else, Nelly Furtado knows how to grab your attention and hold it!).
Speaking to Hot Press recently Furtado talked about crumpling under the pressure of success. Listening to The Spirit Indestructible you’d never guess this was an artist in deep conflict about her popularity. It’s proficient. But you couldn’t hail it as startlingly new and different. Hopefully we won’t have to wait six years to see if she goes for broke on the next instalment!