Fly Or Die

This one is hard to pigeon-hole, which is a good thing - its a mix of hip hop, jazz, prog, and rock. Truly eclectic and original. We need more modern music that's hard to label and pushes the envelope like this on this list. Plus it was a pleasure to listen to.

One thing I've enjoyed about this exercise is discovering music that is new to me and interesting to listen to. This fits the category. As in, some guy named Pharrell is on the drums, Lenny Kravitz is featured on a couple of tracks, and one guy on the cover is giving the vulcan salute. Live long and prosper.

I feel like I really like this album in theory. It has a unique sound that crosses a lot of genre lines with even some 2010s level production near the end and Pharrell is in his prime but for some reason I just couldn’t get into it. I honestly thought I was listening to the same song for the first like 20 minutes and I was just mildly bored for the rest of it. The second Lenny kravitz feature was probably my favorite but I doubt I’ll remember this album by tomorrow.

Remember back in the early 2000s when everything sounded like The Neptunes or NERD or Pharrell? I really didn’t like that homogeneous and generic times in pop. A lot of it sounds really sleazy to me. Well turns out these lads were capable of much more and have some very jazzy ideas. I guess if pop stars keep turning up at your studio, offering thousands of dollars for the next sleazy, generic hit, who can blame them for grabbing the cash?

Pharell is my enemy

"Don't judge a book by its cover" was my first thought after listening to the first song. The cover, after all, is horrible. Based on it, I was expecting a 1/5 album. I appreciated the first song and that's it - unfortunately, the longer I was listening the worse it got. Don't give me hope and then take it violently!

I'm not sure what this album was supposed to be.

wtf is this? I'm offended I wasted time on this half-arsed mediocrity, what's next - Macklemore? Utterly shit, one of the very few on this list I've skipped through without finishing (and I listened to the Lenny Kravitz album in full). I've heard better Kidz Bop compilations.

2004 must have been a year reviewers where smoking crack and taking bungs. How this is rated is beyond me, let alone in this list Absolutely terrible.

NERD’s first album, In Search Of…, deserves to be on this list, it’s excellent. At a push, The Neptunes’ album Clones could make it on the list too, if only because it signifies a time when their productions dominated pop and rap music. This album, on the other hand, is woefully bad. I actually get irritated listening to it - my first one star.

Almost jumping into guilty pleasure territory, but you know what? Guilty pleasures shouldn't exist. Enjoy what you enjoy. I enjoyed the hell out of this. It's a mix of a few different genres, and it was GREAT.

Some great song... The front half of the album slays with a slight let down on the back half but still great

I never really knew NERD beyond She Wants To Move and this album was a delightful surprise. Fave tracks are probably Breakout, Wonderful Place / Waiting For You. I look forward to spending more time with this.

Rating: 10/10

What a great record. I’ve always liked Pharrell, but knew nothing about his part in this outfit. This is not a hip-hop album. It’s high-quality pop. Full of great hooks and totally interesting music. Particularly love the opening track, Don’t Worry About It, Backseat Love, She wants To Move & the epic Wonderful Place (with hidden track Waiting For You) - so personal & unlike anything else on the album. And special mention to Maybe, which features Lenny Kravitz & Questlove - a quality ballad. No duds here. They even get away with the repetitive refrain of the name Mildred in the final track. That’s good going.

A fun album through and through. I have no real reason not to give this 5-stars, other than it doesn't FEEL like a 5-star masterpiece. Just good music. The bonus tracks are a bit annoying - I wish they would just make them their own tracks.

I played this a few times while doing different things with two of my adult kids. They knew it and also knew Pharrell’s other projects. I never heard of them. I was also told that NERD stands for “no one ever really dies.“ We were hiking and cutting through a graveyard when I was told this so I had a hard time getting it. When I first saw the album I mistakenly thought it was another hip hop offering. Glad to learn that I like rap rock more. There’s some fun stuff on this. I’ll round up.

not my bag but alright. Real good melodies, not abrasive... just nothing special to take away from the listening experience

Much more boring than I thought it would be.

There’s really nothing wrong with this - it’s an interesting mashup of genres that often works well - it just wasn’t clicking with me today. I can’t put my finger on it, but there was something about it that reminded me of the Elvis Costello albums I’ve listened to in this project, and it irritated me in the same way. Too upbeat, maybe? Hovering between a 2 and a 3…

T.U.R.D. …just kidding, a bit. It’s not bad, but it’ll wear your patience thin.

Can’t believe we used to let these wallies make all the music back in the 2000s. Load of shite.

Wow, did I hate this! It's just so aggressively mediocre - why is it on this list?!? I can't figure out the audience for this and the vocal style is just so weird and underwhelming

Like his gigantic hat, I think this falls into Pharrell's "questionable choices" category. The chords and syncopation felt really at odds with the vocal style and fuzzy guitars. Tonally it feels dated and emotionally immature with stuff like Jump. I feel like the idea had merit in exploring whatever intersection there may be between rap rock and jazz and but the execution fell steeply short of being an enjoyable listen. It felt like the sort of thing your friend who definitely should keep his day job would foist upon you, saying he's hit on something truly unique. I started to feel embarrassed listening and did not finish. On the other hand it was good to be reminded that even the greats can take big swings and miss, and it doesnt invalidate the great other stuff theyve made. Will not be revisiting.

This was honestly a slog to get through. I found I was constantly checking how many more songs I had left before I could tick this off. Safe to say I will not be listening to this again.

Genuinely shocked by how much I hated this. Pharrell just doen't have the vocal talent to elevate his cheesy ass lyrics. The drum sounds are mixed so lound in each song. Drill Sergeant is one of the worst 'protest' songs I've ever heard and sounds like it was made by a 15 year old who has never read a book but has heard of a few. 1/5

I was not expecting this low on 1001 albums. My time has been wasted

Never heard of this outfit and listening i know why. Music not made for my age group so cannot comment. Do not like at all. 1/5 18/5/34

Amazing, never heard it before, was enjoying every song

Immediately hooked by the funk and the vibe keeps hold. So much talent in this group making cross-genre songwriting and instrumentation seamless and groovy.

a great surprise!

I had this album when it first came out, although I didn't listen to it loads. I think it is good background music - music to listen to while driving

Unfair, because this is an album I listened to for months whenever I was on the train to school. Happy to report it still holds up after all these years, but that might just be nostalgia and memories talking. Who cares if it does, though?

vai nerdola

Exceptional rock rap infusion. Very well done.

I think I really liked this album a lot. I ended up listening to it on repeat about four times while on the computer just unwinding. There is an era of music I think this fits neatly into and that 2004 date does not surprise me at all. Its hard to get into the technical aspects because it overall just took me such surprise. I read some reviews which I don't want to do for any other album but something I saw the idea of these musicians subverting the expectation by creating such a different style of music than they normally do. I don't know if it was that exactly or the lack of sleep but I greatly enjoyed this album all the way through, I mean my god, Lenny Kravitz. Amazing.

11/28/23. I have to give Pharrell his due here; this album flows really well and diverse! I love hip hop albums that push the boundaries. Will add to the rotation.

Ah, so this is why Pharrell is a star… Enjoyed this one a lot. Big fan.

nahhh this is my favorite album of all time! omg! it’s already getting 5 stars!

Emo

Very nice.

actually kinda fire ngl, wasn’t expecting to love it but every song hit and i could for sure return to it. it isn’t necessarily perfect so i don’t think it’s a sure 5 star, but it’s closer to a 5 than it is a 4.

NERD is a great band that is hard to categorize. It has a touch of rap, rock and jazz. There's a technical genius in this music as well as a casual vibe ("Every once in a while there's that same asshole / Try to swing and hit, 'cause the things he can't control"). I'm an old fan of this band and this album and it's a pleasure because it never gets old.

enjoyed this a lot

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this album as much as I did. Great album.

Pretty good. Just bout the worst album art of the 2000s

Never heard of these guys before, but I liked this more than I expected too. Good job of mixing rock and rap. Surprised to see that Pharell Williams wrote these songs.

7/10. This was pretty solid, didn't expect it to be so rocky. That said why the hell are there three hidden tracks? And is it even really a hidden track if it's not at the end of an album, or at least the end of a record-side?

Interesting mix of styles, keeps you engaged as it takes you in different directions. 3.6

Not new to me but happy to revisit

This was a fun jaunt into 2004

Album that is very different from anything in its genre, somewhat ahead of it’s time by giving an alternative feel.

This album has a lot of the same problems Pharrell’s later stuff has: weird awkward sounding lyrics. Otherwise pretty good though

Imagine if the Isley Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, 10cc, Modest Mouse, Belle and Sebastian, and Curtis Mayfield had a musical orgy… Fly or Die is probably as close as you are going to get to that

Witty, experimental funk/soul rock that spans multiple genres and is defined by none of them. Vocals are diverse and captivating, from soulful gentle hooks to almost-rap to alternative indie rock, and lyrics are clever, catchy, and meaningful. Instrumentation is all over the place in a fun, creative way; N.E.R.D feels less like a serious attempt at art experimentation and more jovial exploration and flexing of musicians who have nothing to prove. Not what I was expecting, but happy to be proven wrong. Stand out tracks include “Jump”, “Wonderful Place”, and “The Way She Dances”.

Sorry rene

A different kind of hip-hop sound that was new to me. It wasn’t quite my jam, but I appreciated what was being delivered and like some moments quite a bit.

You know, out of all the albums on this list I've gotten so far, I think this album has had the biggest disparity between how much I thought I would like it, and how much I actually liked it. Based on things like the name, album cover, and apparent lack of a strong enough reason for this album's inclusion on the list, I didn't think I would like N.E.R.D's "Fly or Die" that much. However, I actually really like this album. First off, I just want to say that I had no idea that Pharrell Williams was in a band. I just think that's kind of cool. Second of all, this album is pretty unique. I really like the blend of various genres. The wikipedia article said this was rap rock, which was another reason I thought I wouldn't like it. However, there's a lot more soul influence than I thought there would be. There really isn't that much in here I'd truly call "rap rock", or maybe this album just shows what it can actually be. This whole album has this feel-good energy to it. The writing is a bit basic at times, but not in a painful way or anything. The singing is nice, the album doesn't go on for too long. I do have one complaint though. The ending was a bit underwhelming. Not the last song specifically, that one was good. All of them are good. I just liked the first few songs overall more than the last few overall. This is a real sleeper hit you guys. I can't believe no one told me how good this was! 4/5.

I don't think people recognize how talented Pharrell is. Would definitely repeat this album. Favorite songs: She Wants To Move, Breakout, Wonderful Place, Drill Sergeant, Thrasher, Maybe (honestly, I feel like I'm listing all the songs. This album is a banger.)

Lekker hoor. Hoera voor pharell!

This must be a Bruno Mars inspiration Quality A Pharrell Williams original childhood creation

Very catchy! Sort of jumps around the genres which I’m in for. Quite enjoyable!

No bad tracks. Great sound overall. She Wants to Move the only standout track on a solid album. 3.5

Thumping, bumping, nerdy prog rock hip hop, NERD pursue their worst temptations and excesses towards bombastic OTT drums, guitars and bass. It is a lot of fun.

Reasonably entertaining, quirky and different. I had fun for the most part.

4

Now here is an album! Enjoyed listening to this from start to finish. Good mix of hip hop and a sort of new jazz. Tough to explain but I'd rather struggle to identify the genre than recognize it immediately (UK looking at you).

Quite ok - runs smooth ;-)

After giving Fly Or Die a good listen. I can say its a really solid rap rock album. I liked how it could get really wacky at points (Jump and She Wants To Move being prime examples of this) The instruments were all utilized very well as were the vocals. Some of the compositions might not have been perfect but all in all, Its still a really solid album Best Song: Thrasher Worst Song: Chariot Of Fire

This was a rather interesting album, from a group I was not very familiar with (apart from Pharrell's Get Lucky with Daft Punk of course). At first listen I thought the songs were catchy but also a bit weird melodically; it didn't quite work for me. The second listen was much more enjoyable, so I went from 2 to 4 stars in the end.

Easily forgettable, guitar chords from Pharell Williams wasn't really impactful and time signatures were inconsistent Vocals overall was decent at best

Gairebé a mig camí entre el hip hop i el funk rock, el disc sap com aprofitar-se del millor de cada génere per anar moldejant un treball que passa ràpid i deixa senscions de felicitat pel seu recorregut. Pharell Williams és cos i ànima del treball, i aquí es trobava en un dels seus millors moments artístics. 'Drill Sergeant', 'Fy or Die', 'Waiting for You'... et donen ganes de saltar, ballar, riure... Un feel-good album de manual

I enjoyed it as something outside my norm but probably wouldn't add to my rotation

I like this collaboration, poppy, edgy, musically happy.

She Wants To Move // Breakout // Wonderful Place // Drill Sergeant // Maybe // The Way She Dances // Find My Way 3.5/5

First NERD album I’ve really listened to. Not bad

4*

Damn, that Pharrell is one talented dude. This is a pretty great yet unheralded album. Totally dig it.

Feel good music

I like this. Pharrell always seems to deliver.

Cool album. Good energy and a clear theme throughout the album. I think Pharrell’s solo stuff is better though.

I'd never heard of these chaps, they started a bit shaky, like a sort of Bloodhound Gang copy, but they evolved into a mix between Silksonic and Flight of the Conchords. I genuinely really liked a bunch of these tunes.

Notable track: She Wants To Move

So, first time listening to N.E.R.D. Can this really be called Hip-Hop? Pharrell’s not really rapping, but then we’re in a place in 2023 where most of the really popular Hip-Hop artists don’t really rap either. He’s a pioneer! This one was fun. The lyrics were by far the worst part, but the music was good enough that I could just tune them out. I was a little worried that the album was gonna be all the same rhythm-centric chugging guitar riff, because that’s what the first five songs are, but then Breakout came on with it’s accordion, which I really loved, and the whole vibe changed to a soul thing that I also really enjoyed. So yeah, I’m game with this. Might even check out some more

ds

Nice listen ngl

I'm positively surprised by this album. I just remembered some singles of the past of N.E.R.D. that sounded like they tried to hard. Listening to the full album, it really has some funky rock sounds that tries to have their own soul. It might not have worked on every track but it is certainly above average.

One of those bands that I've been meaning to listen to but haven't really until now. Found it really catchy and fun. The arrangements were simple but with enough surprises to keep it interesting.

A curious album, and one that grew on me through the day. Impossible to pigeon hole but rather fun and I'd give this another listen for a change of pace.

Fuck yes. This whole album feels like drinking the "Fun Potion" off of a crazy wizard's shelf of assorted brews and concoctions.

I'll be honest. I was really skeptical going into this album. Never heard of N.E.R.D. before or any song on this track. I was pleasantly surprised. This is not another rap or hip hop album. This is a rock rap album with serious, undeniable musicality imbedded. While some of the sounds are a little raw, the writing is really impressive. Of course, I had no idea that Pharrell was the lead singer and and they had great collaborators including Questlove and Lenny Kravitz too...

I had never even heard of this before today and enjoyed its eclectic approach. I didn't love the vocal performances so much (I didn't know until sitting down to write this that that was Pharrell), but I liked the Zappa-esque and George-Clintonesque goofiness. And the songs were well written, too. So yeah, a perfect album for a list like this. Glad I heard it.

Not bad.

Didn’t know anything about this. I was intrigued and ended up really enjoying it. I like the rockier sound underlying the rappy top layer.

I used to love the song she wants to move back when it was first released. I don’t know if I heard any of the other songs of the album before this week. Listening to the whole album at once is a lot, because it just started sounding repetitive. Playing the tracks one or two at a time was much more enjoyable - to me at least. I could go anywhere from a three to a four on this.

I didn’t know Pharrell had a super group, one that integrated rock with rap, but it’s pretty bangin’. Could have skipped the Good Charlotte appearance, but I like how it transitions from funky and soulful to somewhat aggressive, like a P-Funk or Santana track with rap verses. Would listen again. B-

This album takes me back to college, when I first listened to and really enjoyed this album.

Every time I listen to NERD I wonder why I’ve never tried to listen to them more. They were definitely genre-defying and innovative and I enjoyed the whole experience. They definitely deserve to be on this list and I would happily listen again - there was enough variety and intelligence to keep me interested.

A staggering mishmash of genres and influences, which works better than it should. Like most albums by producers / production teams, it exists largely to show what they can do, but in a "cocky" way rather than a "pointlessly complex" way. Pharell is a hell of a frontman, and the guests elevate their songs well. An album where there is a place for every song on someone's playlist, but it's maybe less likely to be anyone's "all time favourite".

J'avais très bien reconnu Pharrell caché derrière ses doigts contrairement à eltrapeze qui n'a qu'un sur dix aux deux yeux. Bigleux.