N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds

While the general view is that The Neptunes glory days are almost gone, their production is still as great as ever, with some fine examples coming in the last couple of years for the likes of Clipse (the masterstroke album that is "Hell Hath No Fury") and some shit-hot songs for Jay-Z ("Blue Magic"), Gwen Stefani ("Yummy") and Britney Spears ("Why Should I Be Sad"), amongst many others. And after beating rival Timbaland and winning the best moments in "Hard Candy", no one should be blamed for expecting the best on this third album for their side project N*E*R*D. The news that this time they didn't have a label and were supporting it with their own money added some extra interest, as if this would be a perfect moment to capture these guys doing what they really like with no external pressures. And now that "Seeing Sounds" is finally here, what's the verdict? Confounding expectations, this album needs more than a few listens to be completely understood, such are the many twists and external influences that it incorporates, sometimes in the space of just one song. Without the sensual atmosphere of "In Search of..." and the catchy and immediate hooks of "Fly Or Die", "Seeing Sounds" prefers to be an intricate showcase of the many tricks and styles these guys are capable of: drum'n'bass beats, funky organs, dirty bass lines, kitsch arrangements, hard rock guitar solos, weird grooves, distorted percussions, r&b melodies, psychedelic choruses, you name, it's here, in a multitude of layers and textures for each of these 12 songs. The bottom line being that few people are so passionate about music as Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and their partner-in-crime for this project Shay Haley, and the urgency felt in "Seeing Sounds" is only a testimony for that. (7,5/10)

N*E*R*D - Spaz (live video)



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