N.E.R.D.
Seeing Sounds
Interscope, 2008
By Sajae Elder
In 2002, when N.E.R.D. released their debut album, In Search Of…, for the second time, it was damn near flawless. The reworking with live instrumentation by the band Spy-Mob gave it a new edge, since the core members (Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley) stated they didn’t have time to play live for their debut album. Unfortunately, the group stumbled through their sophomore release, Fly or Die, to much less critical acclaim.
Luckily, the former high school band geeks have been working on their playing chops for Seeing Sounds. While Pharrell provides lead vocals and piano and shares the drums with Shay, Chad plays lead guitar and a pretty mean saxophone. Also, aside from their usual hip hop/rock/soul/funk fare, the band did some crate digging in the drum ‘n’ bass section.
The album is based on the idea that when your sense of hearing is taken away, you can still understand music with your other four senses, though mainly with sight. Somehow this inspires songs that play out like three-minute stories and touch on subjects such as the state of the world, being a peeping tom, friends with benefits, and girls who can’t take a hint.
As with their previous work, the band steered clear of the formulaic synth and bassline-heavy sound perfected by members Williams and Hugo in their production work as The Neptunes, favouring a far more colourful and eclectic palette of largely rock-inspired songs. Standout tracks like “You Know What” channel lead singer Pharrell’s inner-soul god, and Chad’s penchant for producing funk-laden beats shines through. “Sooner or Later” is on the edgier end of the album’s spectrum, with guitar riffs lacing between Pharrell’s purposely off-kilter falsetto. The jazzy “Yeah You” sounds like somebody pissed off Thelonius Monk, with bitter yet brilliant results.
Lyrically, you either love the imagery or you hate it. Or don’t get it. While most succeed, the metaphors on “Love Bomb” sound like the awkward ramblings of someone getting high for the first time. But if the chorus of “Anti-Matter” doesn’t get stuck in your head, you have a brain made of Teflon.
Although Seeing Sounds has minor drawbacks, N.E.R.D. continues to seamlessly fuse genres into one all their own, and this album delivers. Gym Class Heroes, take notes.
