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7

Time for some action.

Pharrell Williams, 1/3 of the rock-pop-funk-R&B-hip-hop band, N.E.R.D. (also including fellow Neptune Chad Hugo, and third member Shay Haley), hasn’t exactly been keeping a low profile since the band’s last release, 2004′s Fly or Die. He’s basically produced every huge summer/spring/winter/fall hit for the past 4 years, some would say, to the point of over-saturation. His own solo album, In My Mind, actually left a lot to be desired when compared to the rest of his production.

With that said, this record is addictive. With a bit less “sure-thing” element to the songs than the Neptunes recent work, the hit-maker masterminds reveal more of their true colors; and they are still quite an assortment. The mix of sounds and production styles that this band pulls off on one record is more than impressive. As it stands on it’s own, the tribal-funk, dance track, “Everybody Nose,” is enough to warrant my 8/10 rating for this. Horns, hand-claps, synths, bongos, and an unlikely catchy as hell hook, “All the girls standin’ in the line for the bathroom.” Genius.

“Anti Matter” and “Spaz” rock so funky that it’s hard to believe they’re the most dominant hip hop tracks on the album. “I’m a little teapot blowin’ off steam/You put me on the heat/I don’t whistle, I scream,” pounds a distorted vocal over a quick hip hop beat that leads into a techno chorus that could be on a Prodigy album. Halfway through the record, songs like “Sooner or Later” play like classic pop hits, while Pharrell proves that his #1 talent could possibly be singing. An epic 3 minute rock ending, complete with a Prince style guitar solo, ties the album together perfectly.

The rest of Seeing Sounds flows unsteadily through the guitar driven “Happy,” the orchestral finish on “Love Bomb,” and a virtual house remix of “Everybody Nose” featuring Kanye West screaming “FI-YA.” I have no complaints about this. On Seeing Sounds, N.E.R.D. stomp through a third straight awesome record, full of true genre bending songs that simply do not want to be labeled and do not want to leave your head. They almost manage to make you think that they don’t care whether or not anyone likes this; though, surely, they know everyone will. Billionaire Boy Pharrell seems to be at his strongest and most fearless as a member of this eclectic trio.

Don’t be a punk bitch. Don’t give a fuck.