N*E*R*D
Seeing Sounds
Interscope Records
4/5

Written By: Samir Siddiqui

For superstar producer Pharrell, there’s not much at stake when he decides to gather his N*E*R*D cohorts for a new album. After all, the pockets of Skateboard P’s designer jeans are probably lined with dollar bills from all the producing he does for other A-list artists. And perhaps that’s what makes Seeing Sounds such an uninhibited success- with virtually no commercial expectations to live up to, Pharrell, Neptunes partner Chad Hugo, and rapper-friend Shay Haley combine talents to deliver a new LP bursting with energy and musical experimentation.

Seeing Sounds shatters the mould of contemporary urban music by breaking the rules whenever it feels fit. The album drifts in and out of hip-hop, pop, funk, and rock vibes, and does so not only from song to song, but in between cuts as well. The soundscape for the opening song, “Time For Some Action” begins with glass-tapping keys, only to shift to a low, rumbling bass-line, before closing with a synth-heavy backdrop. Then, on “Sooner or Later,” N*E*R*D work their magic by opening with a sombre vocal performance by Pharrell, which then takes a back-seat to a killer, electronica-inspired guitar arrangement that kicks in half-way through the song. Even on the standout lead-single “Everybody Nose,” a track laced with throwback horns and up-tempo drums, N*E*R*D add an element of surprise by throwing in a piano-infused bridge to relax the mood, if only for a few seconds.

There will be those who gripe about the quality of N*E*R*D’s lyrics, but for the most part, Seeing Sounds overcomes most of the group’s song-writing limitations. Certainly, Pharrell’s lyrics are expectedly-empty (”life is short, and black and white, just like little penguins“), and his vocal ability only reaches so far, but it’s hard to deny the cheesy charisma of Pharrell when he croons about the need for a “Love Bomb” over a classy, strings-heavy beat. And while not every song captures the dynamic energy of the stripped down, rock-infused “Anti-Matter” or the dance-inducing “Spaz,” Seeing Sounds is a concise, entertaining piece of work from front-to-back.

With “Yeah You” being the only truly mundane moment on the LP, Seeing Sounds is not only a resounding, envelope-pushing album that oozes fun and excitement, but it is also a shining example of Pharrell at his producing best. And if N*E*R*D’s performance on Seeing Sounds and on Kanye West’s Glow In The Dark Tour are any indication, Chad and Shay seem to be the ideal collaborators for a producer who is displaying a re-found touch for crafting good music.

Tags: N.E.R.D., Pharrell

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm and is filed under Album Reviews, Pharrell. You can skip to the end and leave a response.