Reviews (page 2 of 7)
A creative and unique blend of hip hop, rock, and even jazz. This was a fun discovery that I will listen to again.
Oj detta höll inte för mig
Skön vibe i princip rakt igenom!
Mer chill än väntat. Jag gillade!
This could have been a really good blend of R&B, Hip Hop, and Rock and Roll music, but the Rock elements feel like an added thin layer rather than an incorporated genre. Clearly, there is talent here, but the execution was not convincing.
"oh, rock is rock, and rap is rap, and never the twain shall meet" - rudyard kipling. truly awful for the most part. "drill sergeant" is pretty good. "maybe" and "find my way" are ok too.
Ok I am immediately confused by this. So it's a jazz/rock/hip hop record from a band that included Pharrell Williams and features Lenny Kravitz and has someone on the cover giving the Vulcan salute? And the band is called NERD. I can't decide if this is going to be a joke or genius. So after the whole album I still don't know what to think. It's not a joke but not entirely serious either. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't listen to it again. It's got some cool parts here and there but I don't really know what they were trying to accomplish or if they did accomplish what they were trying to do. I think they did, but I still don't know quite what that was. So I'd give it like a 2.75/5 because I wouldn't call it good but I do think it is worth listening to once.
Fabulous album. Loved it and I had never even liked it before.
If you follow my reviews at all you’ll see I’m generally very generous, usually round up, etc. This one was more of a struggle for me, though. I’ll give it a “high”2, for what that’s worth (and I know that means nothing beyond my own head). Whatever, moving on.
N.E.R.D. is such a hidden gem in hip-hop, they started trends that are still being used today and have a deep understanding of music that is rare in any genre. I just feel bothered that some references are too similar to the original when it comes to the melodies and structure of the song, for example, Drill Sergeant is a straight copy of Electric Light Orchestra and there is a lot of copies of 70s rock bands that I am too lazy to look up what exact songs they are
While I like In Search Of… more, this is still a great album from the legendary group. The production is phenomenal and could honestly be an instrumental album, but it’s complimented by NERD’s charisma and unique flavor. Gorgeous and energetic throughout.
Барабаны очень выделяются. И это не хорошо
A couple of decent tracks on here, I quite enjoyed She Wants To Move and Drill Sergeant, but not one that’s going to live long in the memory. Still after back to back one stars this was an oasis in the desert lol.
I didn’t enjoy a single song on this. I like most of Pharrell’s work, but this album was trash
Was excited at the start of this one..sounded like some Prince influences… but not sure I would try it agian
9/10
S/O to Pharrell, but this album is not the best pick for his music. If you want to hear Pharrell at his best, listen to Lord Willin’ by Clipse…. Which should absolutely be an album that’s in the book.
Mostly a way to show off the production that Pharrell and Co. would use to change the game but the lyrics are fun and the music is joyous. You can tell that this, Kanye and Lupe were about to change the game. 6/10 could probably go higher on a re-listen.
not bad
not bad at all, some fun tracks just sadly not very accessible
Probably one of the ugliest album covers I’ve seen on this project. The album itself confuses me. I think I liked it? There’s a lot of genre blending on here, and it’s very interesting. The mix is kinda weird, and there’s just something off about the album overall, but I still enjoyed it for the most part. Probably my most hesitant review.
Though there are some era defining songs on here, it didnt age as well as some of Pharrell/neptunes' other work did
The timing of this album popping up is fortuitous: Just the night before, I watched the terrific LEGO documentary about Pharrell Williams, PIECE BY PIECE. Otherwise, I would have known nothing about this band other than the name. I usually enjoy artists that blend all sorts of genres and influences, and that certainly applies here; the album kinda defies categorization. To my limited knowledge it reminded me of Van Hunt, Lenny Kravitz and a little bit of Terence Trend D'Arby. Great melodies, hooks and harmonies. 3-1/2 stars
Not My Jam.
This is not my style of music anymore, but I can see if I were decades younger, I would really like this music.
It’s pretty good actually. Some solid and groovy songs. However, nothing really memorable to me.
Don't worry about it - 3 Fly or die - 4 Jump - 3 Backseat love - 3 She wants to move - 4 Breakout - 3 Wonderful place / waiting for you - 2 Drill sergeant / preservation - 2 Thrasher - 3 Maybe - 4 The way she dances - 3 Chariot of fire / find my way - 2
Half missing on Spotify due to some weird self-censorship. Loved it when I was younger though. Bought the CD on MusicMagpie for 3 quid.
No idea? It’s not British! Wow. Well I loved this. Enough that I will say it’s good and different enough to be on the list, even if I have no idea if this group ever went to do anything else or influence anyone. 4 Boolean: True
Music for nerds (not in charming way). Trying to get out ahead of it by calling yourself NERD doesn’t work either.
Someone once asked Len Houmous Fly or Die? He said both. What a reply! 2.6 5/12 She Wants To Move
I thought this was decent on release. Still good, but maybe don't like it as much as I did then. Maybe, the song, is fantastic. High 2s.
It's like if someone made an album of funk music overlapping with rock music, overlapping with hip hop, and then left it to play somewhere deep inside a grain silo. What the fuck is happening here?
“She wants to move” is a classic. No idea why, but I listened to a lot of Pharrell during a depressive period in my early 20s. His first solo record. In Search Of… even Seeing Sounds. Listening to Fly or Die for the first time in years drives home why this record wasn’t in that rotation. An absolute banger surrounded by middling tunes.
There's one good song on here, the rest just felt disconnected.
Nope
Naur
I liked this a lot more when I was a teenager.
Either I am being too critical this week, or I am in a long run of stinkers. This is so dumb. Vocals are icky.
Weirdly most of the songs are missing on Spotify. Another one to enjoy with ads on YouTube! And I did enjoy it, this is really a genre-bending album that covers all sorts.. prog, jazz, skater rock, hip-hop. That doesn't make an album good but I think the Neptunes are talented enough that it works
torture. please delete this @ band
Bunter Mix aus Funk, Skate‑Rock und Neptunes‑Pop: stilistisch frech, aber oft zerfasert. Ideenfeuerwerk ohne klare Linie.
Como super fanática de todo lo que hace Pharrell estoy un poco biased, pero me pareció que este album es increible y tiene unos pedazos de temas que son atemporales, no cansan y hacen sentir bien. Esa guitarra funky de fondo me mantuvo enganchada todo el album. Me parece que el logra siempre destacar y hacer cosas distintas. Mis favs: Fly or Die, Breakout, She Wants To Move, The Way She Dances, Chariot of Fire 9/10
Excellent musicians are reduced to making music for kids TV
Better than guns n roses
Favourite Songs: Maybe
Very original, though nothing really resonated with me personally.
Interesting to hear Pharrell on this album, had no idea he was part of this band. It is an interesting mix of styles, so that part is good. I just didn’t think the songs were that great. Not bad though, 3 stars.
Good at times but ultimately tiresome
It Might Seem Crazy What I'm 'Bout To Say
A nice blend of genres. Not very memorable.
This is a fun album! I don’t really have anything bad to say but probably don’t need to listen again. But I appreciate the mix of rock and R&B and cool to hear Pharrell’s sound before he had a solo career. Top Songs: Jump, She Wants To Move, Thrasher
4 stars
There's definitely a lot of misses here but the good songs here are really good so it balances out, didn't expect this out of pharrell
"Maybe" defy all my expectations immediately of being a hip-hop album from the 2000s, there was actual instrumentation that had some nuance beyond being a backing support for the vocals. No rapping vocals either... this isn't Hip Hop at all! It's more Alt Rock than Hip Hop and that trend continues into "Find My Way" although, sonically, these two tracks sound very similar. Not a good sign. "Waiting For You" was simply fantastic due to it's vibrant string sections blending perfectly with Williams' vocals and then the juxtaposition of the grimey beat soon after. Wasn't so much of a fan of "Backseat Love", the repeating chorus lyrics just becoming grating despite the smooth riff that accompanied it. Not overly enamored with "The Way She Dances" nor "She Wants To Move", but both "Breakout" and "Jump" (especially Jump, with that thumping bass and synth that gave the whole track a retro video game edge) had the upbeat energy and fun lyrics that seems to suit these guys best. This far in and I still can't believe that, really, this isn't a hip hop album. In review, favourite songs were: "Maybe", "Waiting For You", "Breakout", "Jump" and "Searching For My Way Back". Everything else felt like it either played it too safe by doing nothing to give the track the personality I look for in songs.
Not for me.
I wanted to dislike this but it was just so fun. And it’s good to be reminded that there was at least SOME anti war messaging in the early 2000s.
There is only about half of this available on Spotify, which is actually a bit of a shame as, despite being a genre I generally don’t like, this is enough of a mosh-mash of others that I do that I quite enjoyed it. I couldn’t identify a single song from it aside from the single, but it was ok.
well..it wasnt what I was expecting. It wasnt my cup of tea but I couldnt in all honesty say it was that bad. I fail to see why its on this list though.
I've heard worse. It's quite eclectic and has some funky ideas, but feels a bit naff at the same time. I remember NERD from the time, but didn't remember a single song. It is still forgettable. That said, it was better than I expected.
Not for me
I don't like Pharrell.
Beatles rock with a touch of rap. Decent, and I like the ad libs. 2.5/5
2 out of 5. Catchier than expected. Also had no idea Pharrell Williams was part of this group.
I like one song, She Wants To Move, and everything else was just kind of there.
Wasn’t surprised to read that this album was used for promo for the iPod
Mega banger
Strong start. I mean I like it. But do I like it enough is the question. It’s ok. It’s not bad. But I don’t think I’d ever put it on again. 🤷♂️
I have never heard of this band. Pretty decent for the most part.
I liked this album a lot more than I expected. Does that deserve 4 stars? I'm not sure. For now we'll just leave it at a 3.
Between fly or die, I think it is clear which one they chose
wtf is this shiet
It's tempting to write this off as a weird mid-00s novelty and a bad influence on other hip-hop artists to boot; this may be where Lil Wayne got the idea he could play guitar, for example. But in reality this is the next logical progression from something like Outkast's *Stankonia* - the project of continuing to reclaim for Black America its cultural birthrights throughout popular music. That said, it's nowhere near as ambitious as *Stankonia*; its reach is limited to meshing hip-hop and skate-punk in a roughly 3-to-1 ratio. But that blend is consistently fun; for one thing, it's nice to hear Pharrell existing as a fully sexual being, especially given the post-"Happy" phase his career is in now ("Backseat Love"). And on a deeper level there's a calm fearlessness here that I find appealing; "life is but a joke," Pharrell quips on "Maybe," calling back to Hendrix calling back to Dylan. A minor work but a worthy one.
As much as the Neptunes were such an important production team of the era, I could never get into N*E*R*D. And believe me, I’ve tried. Even no matter how much I thought their debut album had positives, this one is so flat and boring.
Meeeh...
Hmmmmm…. Can’t quite place this one.
I really don’t understand what I’ve just listened to. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s very well produced pop rock and closer maybe brings some really interesting textures but just not entirely clear what it’s doing
Somehow manages to be both quirky and eclectic, but boring and uninteresting at the same time. Nothing horrible, but nothing memorable either.
Feels forgettable and dated. Not a Pharrell fan, and this doesn't help. Rating: 4/10 Favorite Song: Breakout
4 Really cool hip hop/rock hybrid .
Solid album They still do great things as a band on this project but I prefer ‘In Search Of’
This one is pretty grating not gonna lie. There is so much more in 'American Rap' as this album is classified. I get that it's probably included because it is innovative or has a distinct sound. Lyrics a mix of whiny/horny to me that was off-putting and kind of forced, and the sound somewhat forgettable to boot
I had fun listening to this one, but didn't find it nearly as catchy as a lot of the other hip-hop albums we've had so far.
Meh Don't have much else to say. Pharrell sounds weird, vibe was fun, sound was all over the place
Enjoyed the run through this and I’m excited to discover more from these guys. I’m in a bad habit of listening to these exclusively in my car right now so I’m not talking too much about tracks. I’ll be better.
Big surprise for me. Really cool to hear Pharrell somewhere I haven't before. This was a really interesting blend of pop, rap, rock, even some punk feel? I'll be excited if another one from N.E.R.D comes up because this was a solid listen.
Man I loved this. It feels a little unpolished, with that early 2000s self-made feel. But it's unbelievably catchy and pretty unique sounding compared to everything else I've heard around this era. Jump, She Wants to Move, and Breakout are unbelievable. Fun grooves, hooks, tempo changes, and sound effects. I never really listened to anything Pharrell did prior to Blurred Lines, but the dude is obviously talented and I was supremely impressed by this one. Listened to it all weekend.
The part on She Wants To Move where Pharrell says, “her ass is a spaceship I want to ride,” followed by a phaser blast made me laugh so much. So mfing goofy. Uhhhh, I don’t know, I think I respect this band and album more than I actually enjoy them. I think they paved a lot of path that would eventually lead to the alternative/poppier hip hop that I love most. I think I never really connect to most of these songs cause Pharrell’s pop sensibilities are a lil too good, they end up overpowering the other inspirations. Great example is the track w Good Charlotte, had to look up how they contributed to the track cause it sounded like they did absolutely nothing. 2.5/5 Shoutout to the K.K.Slider cameo on the start of Wonderful Place!
Debería escucharlo de nuevo, me gustaron algunas cosas pero después me aburrió por momentos.
Already knew Breakout, but after the beginning, I really wasnt expecting the rest of the album to be good however, ever since She Wants To Move, I loved every song. I might like Chariot of Fire more than Breakout even
breakout is one of my favorite songs of all time
Хоть и в целом не моя музыка, не могу не оценить продюсерский гений Фаррелла. Многое, что он делал из попсы, мне тоже нравится. А здесь даже что-то с гитарками. Хоть сами песни особо не зацепили, но звучит это круто, интересно и современно, даром что альбому больше 20 лет. Уверенные 3,5
Помню, как мне снесло крышу после выхода лимонада с Рианной
звучит интересно, в принципе вообще не удивлен может даже буду возвращаться и послушаю другие альбомы - 4
I had a lot of fun with this! The run from Jump > Breakout was my fave. If someone can please tell me what the bass line in She Wants To Move reminds me of, I’d be forever grateful.
I think N.E.R.D definitely had some cool songs and some cool ideas but it didn’t really come together for me, often let down by Pharrell’s singing (I didn’t realise how uninspiring he could sound?). She Wants To Move is a banger but the rest I could take or leave
Parts of this felt really dated but other parts were fun with a good groove. Pharrell’s always had the ability make a decently fun, if overall unimpressive, song.
I’m just not really sure what this was
I've got a lot of respect for Pharrell, but none of this is memorable and some if it is outright bad.
feels like three guys said "lets make rock music!!! ahahhahahah"
Album #116: Fly or Die - N.E.R.D Genre (W): Art rock, progressive pop Singles: She Wants to Move, Maybe I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: As much as I could’ve loved this album, I felt apathetic towards it. I don’t know why, it just sounds boring to me. Only one song kept it from being a one, however, this whole album was pretty stale to me. Favorite songs: She Wants to Move
first time listening to this group and honestly enjoyed
Couldn’t get into it.
7/10 - a good mix of pop rock and urban beats
I don’t know that this is their crowning achievement album, but it’s a NERD album! Pharrell deserves inclusion, and if this is it then cool. Well produced alt rock and while I didn’t enjoy all of it I would be real excited to see any local band play this.
Sounds like every song is in Despicable Me
This was a fun record.
Very slick, feels like an hour long advertisement for deodarant.
The production is fine. Some of the synth tones they use are cool; they feel like an early Playstation or N64 video game sound chip. I don't think this is necessarily bad, but I don't connect with this at all.
I saw NERD back in looks like July, 2002 as part of the free On The Bricks shows at Centennial Park. They played Rockstar & Lapdance as the first two AND last two songs... and think the whole set was maybe 6 songs so definitely weird to hear repeats. But free show and they wanted people to hear the hits (before video phones haha). This 2nd album was a LOT better than the first and when people could start to tell "there might be a lot more to Pharrell's music than this."
Achei bem chatinho o álbum, bem repetitivo. Nada me impressionou, só o fato deles serem muito ouvidos.
I wanted a bit more of Pharrel's production magic on this album. I know it's there, but it lacked the kind of singles I was hoping for on an album produced by him. Albums don't need to have catchy singles, but I think this would have benefitted from some.
I disliked this even more than I thought I would.
Pharrell really changed a lot of things [for the good] about music, and especially how we look at hip hop. Still to this day, he carries that passion and ambition (see "Let God Sort 'Em Out" by Clipse). N.E.R.D. offered that unique touch, something different, that really opened up inspiration and feel-good music. This is a really nice one.
Not so bad, i kind of like the music they were going for. It is very plain though
Didn’t land with me
Didn't know these guys have been active so long! Exceptionally good beats, just like Don't Don't Do It
I think maybe I would have liked this in 2004, but it doesn’t do it for me in the present.
ick
I'm not sure what this is, and I don't need to find out. Next.
nice!
I really want to like this album, but it just wasn’t for me
esse aqui é foda viu, parabéns Pharrell vc matou aqui
Yo this was better than I was expecting because my naive ass thinks - if I've not heard of them, then can't be all that good. Turns out Pharrell was in the mix long before I started paying attention. Now I know.
An interesting blend of hip-hop and Rr&B with some elements of rock as well.
Most rap-rock is lost on me but N.E.R.D. has always been a bit of an exception. Solid stuff for long stretches of the album.
N.E.R.D. sure but D.O.R.K. most of all. Still liked it though, PW's a good producer
I think Pharrell is a better producer than singer/rapper. This would be more enjoyable with no vocals or maybe with someone else.
This was fine. The beats and production were good but the vocals and lyrics almost felt like a demo or scratch track before locking down the final version.
3.25 - Yes, quite nerdy. I love the that the band sound. I like it a tad bit less than I want to, but that might be because Apple Music doesn’t have the explicit version.
это такая задница я не знаю что они хотели сделать просто сколотили группу и что-то написали такой проходняк понравился один трек нет хитов не переслушаю 2
Not a very consistent listen but it’s at least interesting and the good parts are pretty cool.
I really, *really* enjoy parts of this, but the album isn't exactly cohesive as a whole. It's too scattered, it lacks a real identity. On an individual level however, this is pretty cool.
A decent collection of tracks, with great production by Pharrell. It wasn't particularly memorable, though. And, I have to say that I think the album art is dreadful.
2-3
I was surprised by this album. I expected strait hip hop/pop since I saw Pharrell on the album art. Loads of influence and style in the album, but I still can't remember any song specifically.
Fun
Elusive fun.
I am so upset I just found out this existed. I am overjoyed I just found out this existed.
“Wide reaching and innovative” or “all over the place”? Who can say. Definitely DOES sound like they are all learning their instruments, so that’s authentic.
Loving it so far
Hard to find on streaming sites but what I heard was well produced music with nice layers.
Quite fond of N.E.R.D. generally, so fun seeing this. A bit sad they chose this album and not "In Search Of..." Which feels objectively better. But maybe that will show up, who knows. For some reason I get stuck up on some lyrics on this album that feels outdated and semi-predatory, like "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride" in 'She Wants To Move'. Not sure why, as this is child's play compared to WAP by Cardi B. That aside, the album stands out compared to similar acts from the same time. They blend hip hop, electronics, and cool guitar riffs effortlessly. Pharell really has that unique voice that takes it to the next level as well. 'She Wants To Move' is a level above the rest, but it's generally just a good even record without any real low points. Weak 4!
I always thought of N.E.R.D. as a rap group, although I haven’t listened to them since this album came out. Honestly, the only song I knew was “She Wants to Move” because it got a lot of play on MTV back in the day. It isn’t really rap, though, but rather a great mix of multiple styles. The album feels fresh and interesting, and it hints at Pharrell’s knack for hit singles. It’s also much more funk-inspired than I was expecting. There aren’t that many truly standout songs, though—“She Wants to Move” really is better than the rest of the album. This is in strong 3 to weak 4 territory, but without more than one really memorable song, I’m going with a strong 3. It was fun revisiting this album and finding something different from what I expected.
I didn't know that this group existed. Pharrell Williams, on the other hand, is most known because of "Happy". Who would've thought that a group like these three guys would release an album like this? I've expected a rap/hip-hop album, but I got an artsy rock/jazz/prog-pop/hip-hop fusion style I didn't know could exist, let alone sound so good.
ok, it finally happened. after 50 albums i finally got one i just could not do. nope. made it two songs.
Somewhere between parody and actual rock gods. Played with such utter enthusiasm and joy, I loved it from the first ott riff to the last!
Pretty nice
The album’s Wikipedia article reads, “The band actually learned the instruments needed to play the tunes, so they could perform live.” Yeah, I can tell. There is not much noteworthy material on this project. The instruments and beats sound amateur. The production is spotty. The cherry on top is I don’t care much for Pharrell’s vocals. I question why this album was included on the 1001 Albums list. There aren’t any memorable tracks. I don’t see any influences on later music stemming from this album. The positives that save this from a 1 star rating are the occasional (but seldom) clever beats from Pharrell and Lenny Kravitz’s guitar on Maybe. I was confused by the album cover, but it perfectly fits this confusing work from N.E.R.D. Overall, I think that people are heavily biased into thinking this album is much better than it is due to Pharrell’s name being slapped on it.
i can hear a lot of talented musicians and producers. neither liked nor disliked per se. very objectively good
this was surprisingly better than what I expected, but way too long.
ik wist niet wat ik ervan moest verwachten.. bleek dit een ongelooflijk sympathiek plaatje te zijn... soms wat te poppy voor mij, maar zeker niet slecht
I guess the bottom line here is that it’s just not for me. Kinda funky, but I’m not connecting with the music.
I enjoyed this. I like Pharrell’s voice. The songs were entertaining. I liked the song Drill Sergeant the best.
They didn’t make this album for me. I was interested to hear it but it won’t be in my regular rotation. I quite enjoyed listening to it but can’t get my head around rapping gritty lyrics over a jolly backing track.
Sometimes juvenile, this mashup of styles has more interesting pop flourishes and hooks than most albums. The songs themselves are a bit hit-or-miss, but overall it works. The Neptunes follow their pop instincts throughout and all of it is a fun listen. You can see why they have produced so many successful singles.
N.E.R.D. is an artist I've been wanting to get into for quite sometime but they have never really clicked for me since I'm not always a big fan of Pharrell's vocals (in general, not specific to N.E.R.D.). "In Search Of..." is the only album of theirs I've listened to up until now. Both albums are about equally as good in my opinion, but I could see myself getting more into this one upon subsequent listens. Favorite track: Jump 3.5/4
Very hard to remember or form an opinion on this album at all. What I took away was some really boring, basic beats and falsetto singing and fairly immature takes on relationships and stuff. It's so nothing despite (apparently) pushing genre boundaries.
It’s not the best Album from NERD, but it’s a fun listen
Kinda tough to get through at times, very much an album of the 00s but Pharell has his moments to shine
2026.06.08
Довольно средненький и проходной поп-рэп-рок альбом. В принципе прикольно, немного так груво-фанково, но в целом не запоминается и не цепляет.
Very mouais
Somewhat variable. She wants to move is an absolute banger but nothing else really stands out. The subject matter gets a bit tiresome, and it overstays its welcome at nearly an hour. Would have benefitted from some trimming of the fat. The egos on some of these artists… 2.5
pleasantly surprised
Moyen.
Tellement underwhelming. Ça me parle pas ben ben le "rap rock". Le cover et la musique sont très black eyed peas adjacent.
C’est bien mais je m’attendais à mieux avec un jeune Pharrel. Bien aimé The way she dances.
It was fine.
I found this pretty boring...partly because I love their first album "In Search Of..." and this does not hold up to it. Sadly the aforementioned album is NOT on this list....but at least we have 11 Elvis Costello albums.
Rubbish
I am not even going to talk about his
Fehlen leider fast alles songs bei Spotify Eig coole Mischung von rap, Funk, punk. Macht ganz gute Laune
Not Even Rubbish. Donut
нормалек, без негативчика. (фаррела по фото не узнал, только из комментов)
Hard to tell from a limited selection
Feels like 101 other things I've listened to over the years and I'm left asking what's the point of this album? Dull proggy-like rock which does not hold my attention.
Hard to judge from what Spotify let me listen to but on the basis that it’s all a bit sweary and can’t get a full listing 2*
In their wisdom, the Powers That Be seem to have decided that much of this album is too rude for the delicate ears of the proletariat. Which is a shame because the 5 tracks we're allowed are pretty good. A nice combination of rap and pop that goes down quite well on a scorching London morning. An extra star to stick it to The Man. 4*
This was awesome N.E.R.D. is awesome. Pharrell did so much for the time and this stuff I think has aged the best. As pop music transitioned more maximalist into hyperpop the creativity and complexity has aged very well. This was nearly a 5 but as it stands just a tremendous pop album.
I didn't dislike this but it's just a mostly average pop-rock album. What it does do is blend hip hop in to rock music much more smoothly than what we normally think of as rap-rock, which is aggressive and angry all the time. This is much more listenable and pop oriented. I would barely even associate it with hip hop that much, but Pharrel being involved and the obvious Roots influences (and guest feature) pushes it in that direction from a production and stylistic view, even if it lacks much actual rapping. There are other pop bands that sort of sound like this now, Maroon 5 comes to mind, but it's kind of dated at this point. I like that they played their own instruments on here but you can tell that they're all just learning while doing. It's commendable but it makes for simplistic beats and melodies. It's fun enough, but it's something you put on at a party and forget about.
freaky ass muzyka
Bom
Not really my cup of tea
rap + rock = shit ! Never heard of it before, happy to never hear about them in the future.
Awful mix of rap and rock. Couldn't find anything to enjoy.
sommige ok, sommige echt afgrijselijk
Kinda kool album, different but similar
These lyrics are shite
It sounds like what people in the 90s thought the music of the future would sound like. It wasn't for me.
I quite enjoyed this album, pleasantly surprised!
Not awful but didn’t connect with it
uh i like the instruments those were nice.
Not bad. The music better than the lyrics.
Interesting to see the Lab that created and then set leash Pharrell and inflicted him upon the rest of the world. I do not believe they have been held accountable for that crime against music and guess I have a new cause to fight for. I am astonished that an album that is so sonically upbeat can be so goddamn boring. I was going to give this a two before I realized how annoyed it was going to make me to give this a two. Pharrell owes me that hour of my life back.
괜찮음
I liked the mix of jazz, rock, bit of funk, and its rawness. the whole time I was listening I was like dang that voice sounds so familiar haha. bit of Anderson paak vibes?
A far-worse "Arrested Development." The lyrics, in general, are asinine.
“T.U.R.D.”
NERD are super cool but this album just wasn’t. I would have loved to listen to the first album or The Neptunes. This was ok with a coupes great songs and some very silly ones.
This is pretty cool tbh. It's very heavy on the genre-mixing and the tracks that it works one REALLY work. Lots of great ideas and it's clear all the guys here fed each other creatively and produced some great stuff together. That being said, there are a fair few songs here that are just really unmemorable. It's a shame cause it's got good stuff, but needs a bit more smoothing out. I want to rate this higher, but it doesn't really click with me. Fav Track: Breakout
Another one of those 3.5 star albums. I really enjoyed the rhythm and the flow of this album. I'm not sure if it's because this is the era of music that I "grew up", so there's nostalgia, but it just feels right. I want to acknowledge potential bias there. But Pharrell Williams is also known to be a very talented producer. This wasn't an album on my radar, but I really enjoyed it. Glad it came up on the list.
Lowkey eines der besten Alben auf dieser Liste bisher. Es gibt da soviele Genres drinnen. Die Rhymes sind genial und der Text macht trotzdem Sinn. Also wirklich gute Musik.
No real standout track(s) for me. Even the one that has 75 mil Spotify listens doesn't excite. And seriously what is this hidden track rubbish? Just dead airtime leading up to nothing clever. One point for the Vulcan salute on the cover art. I want to deduct a half point as the "Fly" on the cover looks more like "Flu" thus the album is: "Flu and Die" - great name for an album if it was released during COVID. Pass.
Pharrell production plus live instrumentation equals a damn good record. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3, though I think I’d prefer to stay at a 3.5. I’m not as familiar with Pharrell’s N.E.R.D. era, so I was certainly taken off guard by the eclectic mix of nu-metal, Lenny Kravitz-style rock R&B, with just a touch of Uncle Kracker in there for some reason. It’s a very, very 2000s album, and while I do like a number of the tracks here, I just can’t help but feel like the entire thing never figures out exactly what it wants to be as a result of all the genre mixing. It’s mistakably Pharrell (as opposed to unmistakably), as he eschews a lot of his usual tropes of this era to put out something that just feels inconsistently consistent. There’s really not a bad track here (though there are some flat ones), but it’s just so far outside of his usual bag, leading to a lot of swings that generally connect, but never really make a harder impact like he intends. If the goal was to hit home runs, Pharrell is only hitting doubles or singles, and not in the “She Wants to Move” way. I think the disconnect of this album’s modus operandi is best exhibited by “Wonderful Place / Waiting for You” & “Drill Sergeant / Preservation” as back to back double features. The former two have a disconnect in their own way, with “Wonderful Place” being an almost Stevie Wonder-esque delight caused from getting high as a kite, before following it up with a track where a woman almost loses her drowning daughter (or in a very dark interpretation, they BOTH drown & go to Heaven). There’s a sense of peace with “Wonderful Place” followed by a rather weird scenario that doesn’t really feel as comforting / reassuring as Pharrell wants it to. Going from the generally light instrumentation there to the harder tones of “Drill Sergeant / Preservation” would normally make for a good dichotomy, but here, it just feels inauthentic. “Drill Sergeant” is the anti-war track everyone made in 2004, but if you were to give me that track by itself without telling me who was singing it, I’d never guess Pharrell Williams in a million years. It just doesn’t fit his style, and while I do like that, it’s just a bit odd. “Preservation” is him framing the struggle of avoiding the pitfalls of fame & presenting himself as still just a guy on the streets as something akin to a battlefield, which totally disconnects from the entire point of “Drill Sergeant”. I understand the war thematics back to back, but doing a “I’m just like you!” track in a way that no normal person would relate to feels a bit silly. As a 4-track suite, there’s just no connective tissue here, at least in a way that feels like it naturally flows. That lack of connective tissue weaves its way through a lot of this album, and while I think it makes for a solid 15-track run, it just doesn’t make for a good album experience. Pharrell’s production work here is pretty good, but without the natural flow of an album, it just feels weaker by his usual standards. I know Pharrell has good stuff, but it’s just not showcased here to its fullest. Don’t even get me started on how weird “Don’t Worry About It” feels as an opener; the possessive part of it isn’t even that bad, but the extremely cheesy Kid Rock-adjacent “she’s badass” part just feels weird coming out of Pharrell. Hence, a 3.5 bumped down to a 3. I really can’t see a reason to go up to a 4 or higher, but if someone wants to, I won’t blame them. I guess it just didn’t fully click for me, or at the very least, it doesn’t stick in a memorable way outside of a few tracks. I might need to go listen to “In Search Of…” on my own, just to see if that one would’ve been better on the list.
I started to write a review about these dorks in the moronic fascism easter egg. It included my usual jabs at millennials (album voted most likely to be pined for with reference to listening while using cannabis. Cannabis referred to as "tasty bud" by hypothetical reviewer). That was about it. I didn't get that far. I don't know if it's the change in the weather, as summer starts earlier and earlier each year, or if it's just the unyielding day-in day-out purgatorial anguish known as being forced to work for others to remain housed but this record made me want to chew glass. I don't know if that is in a "self-mutilation way" or a "quell internal vitriolic rage" way. Dealer's choice. Fuck this record and everyone who had anything to do with it. May the United States and the memory of dim-witted mid-oughts rap evaporate into a fine red mist to be inhaled by the atmosphere and disappeared from our collective psyche. I choose DIE. 0 GENRE: Made up band in Harold & Kumar movie.
Overraskende snilt og pent.
Only the edited version was available on streaming, which was a big bummer. Not bad. I liked the guitars. But would not be my go-to style of hip hop.
A bit all over the place
Some I liked others less so. But overall a good album from my perspective. Had to get the YouTube version up, seems like Spotify only had 5 songs of the album.
Pharell is involved, so you can of course count on great, creative, genre-bending production and quality sound engineering. This is pretty much a funk-rock record in sound but a hip hop record in spirit. You have lyrics about skateboarding, fashion, money and so on but all wrapped in funk grooves and guitar-based instrumentation. Pretty funny combination but if someone could pull it off it's definitely Pharell. Backseat Love and Thrasher are not that good, but the rest of the album is banging.
chop nigga
Turns out there’s actually a good way to make rap-rock. Some new wave, some soul. Occasionally sounds like the British punk band Wire. I mean that as a great compliment.
Well! This was a blast! I've always dug She Wants To Move, but I didn't expect the rest of the songs to match its energy and funkiness. Nice to remember why Pharrell is such a big deal. I would've never listened to this album if not for this list, so... hey, cool!
Interesting blend of pop rock and hip hop full of fun beats and riffs
3.0 Never bothered with N.E.R.D, but to be honest after this I'm not really upset by the fact. A rock/rap crossover that is a lot more laid back and funky than a lot of the nu metal that fell under the same umbrella. Doesn't really do much for me, it's not that bad, it's just really not that good. No song really stuck out in either direction. "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride" did make me lol though. Really feels like an album written for 15-year olds, can see why I've never really heard an adult mention N.E.R.D.
7/10
Kinda like a 3.5 but more like 3.4 so it gets a 3
Decently enjoyable and new for me. Not something I'd return to but nice enough! 3/5
I respect what they were trying to do but couldn’t get into it
NERD by name and by nature. Slightly outstays its welcome but I do have nostalgia for this sound. Fav tracks: The Way She Moves RYM: N Saved a song: N
Purely going off the album cover, this really feels like it was going to be a super cheesy and generic hip hop album. And while I'm somewhat relieved that it's not that, there is still so little that this album actually has to offer. It's still very much on the generic side, with pretty much none of it being particularly memorable. Plus one star for at least exceeding my expectations by not being cheesy, while I didn't find this to be all that interesting, I can still appreciate that at least it's not annoying, more like completely innocuous background music.
It’s a very silly but surprisingly multifaceted LP. Funky pop rock with plenty of off kilter, eccentric flare, hooks aplenty, aimed squarely at a young audience. The whole thing has a mid-2000s chill, smooth pop sound, The Neptunes production perhaps being the best element. The songwriting is mixed but with definite highs. It’s a weird week for this album (w/c 27 April 2026). I had to buy it on iTunes for £6.99 (which was nostalgic in and of itself!) as (according to Reddit) it was removed from streamers 7 days ago. Ahead of being taken offline the explicit version had been replaced with a clean version. And that was the only version available for purchase - it’s heavily redacted with the vocals regularly dropping out for any offensive lyrics. The drops don’t impact too badly but it’s a bit lame. If this album has done anything it’s inspired me to attempt to migrate all of the iTunes purchases I made as a child to my modern day account. Wish me luck!
This was somehow completely bland and entirely unique at the same time. I genuinely do not know how I feel about it. Overall good?
This is what you get when a producer thinks he’s an artist: bland, boring, Disney channel garbage.
Lowkey what is this. I don’t think I like it. It’s just too grungy. But it sounds poser. I don’t know I just don’t like it ig. Yeah I just don’t really like this. Some bops but nothing super interesting or special tbh. Idk. It’s just there. Lenny Kravitz?? Oh it reminds me of Pharell. Favourite: She Wants To Move Least favourite: Fly Or Die
**Fly Or Die** (released March 23, 2004) is N.E.R.D.'s second studio album and arguably their most ambitious statement—a bold fusion of rock, hip-hop, funk, and pop that saw Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shae Haley stepping out from behind the production desk to actually play the instruments themselves. Two decades later, it remains a fascinating, divisive, and influential document of the Neptunes at their most experimental. --- ## Overview & Context After their 2001 debut *In Search Of…*—which famously used the rock band Spymob to perform their compositions—N.E.R.D. took a different approach for the follow-up. They learned to play their own instruments, lending the album a heavier, rawer rock influence and a sense of creative freedom that became palpable throughout the record . As one retrospective put it, "By learning the instruments themselves, they unlocked a level of freedom that became palpable throughout *Fly or Die*" . The result is an album that refuses to sit comfortably in any single genre. It is, as NME noted, "still, more or less, a hip-hop record: the nuts and bolts are there, the hefty bass, the beats that thunder like rutting mastodons. But over and above the jeep beats, there is Williams and his wonderful world of whims and why-not?s, painting almost every track in glorious technicolour" . --- ## Production & Music ### The Sound The production on *Fly Or Die* is its defining characteristic. The Neptunes' signature sound—Williams' streaking falsetto atop deep-pocket boom—is reimagined through a rock lens, with chattering drums, bulky basslines, and genuinely enjoyable riffs all linked by a tangibly funky vibe . The album incorporates elements of: - **Hard rock and punk** ("Don't Worry About It," "Fly or Die") - **Funk and G-funk** ("Backseat Love," "Breakout") - **Swing and jazz** (fleeting but present in tracks like "The Way She Dances") - **Psychedelia** ("Wonderful Place") - **Pop-punk** ("Jump" featuring Good Charlotte) The production is deliberately raw and "tinny," which mirrors old-school hip-hop sensibilities and eschews processed beats for enjoyably tuneful instrumentation . This gives the album a ragged self-awareness that wasn't as noticeable on their debut. ### Standout Musical Moments - **"Don't Worry About It"** opens the album with "gigantic hard rock" that suddenly explodes into "a rapturous, harmony-saturated break that Prince at his most Paisley Park would struggle to best" . - **"She Wants To Move"** became the album's biggest single, built on thunderous bass and rapid string strumming that "will rock clubs" . - **"Drill Sergeant"** is described as "an absolutely fantastic guitar pop record" that "sounds just like the N.E.R.D at their most sunshined-up and effervescent" . - **"Maybe"** features contributions from ?uestlove of The Roots and Lenny Kravitz, rendering it "one of the neatest and most digestible on the album" despite Pharrell's intermittent vocal pitch struggles . --- ## Lyrics & Themes ### Adolescent Rebellion and Anti-Authority The dominant thematic thread running through *Fly Or Die* is adolescence—specifically, the frustration, rebellion, and confusion of late teenage years. The title track explicitly frames this conflict: "Mommy, Daddy, I know you love me / Bad grades, Playstation, restrictions, you take it from me" before asking, "Will it be fly or die, sink or swim / Which one shall I choose?" . The album explores rebellion and anti-authority messages, setting "anarchist tunes to undeniable musicianship" . Songs like "Breakout" careen between pastoral motifs and tantrum-like threats to "Push people!" , while "Thrasher" borrows from Queens of the Stone Age's sonic palette . ### Sex, Voyeurism, and Immaturity A significant portion of the album deals with sex and desire, though not always with nuance. Tracks like "Backseat Love," "She Wants To Move" ("Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride"), and "The Way She Dances" find Pharrell slipping into a "sweaty-palmed voyeuristic lecher character" that NME found uncomfortable: "It's like, okay, we get it, you like looking at women, particularly sexy ones! Now get back to writing choruses that make us want to start riots!" . ### Psychedelia and Escapism "Wonderful Place" stands out for its vivid storytelling and whimsical tones, exploring "the symptoms of a psychedelic trip" with imagery of "moving wallpaper and sparring fruit" that sounds like "a real-life conversation between two first-time stoners" . The track's hidden follow-up "Waiting For You" adds a personal, almost spiritual dimension. ### Social Commentary (Attempted) "Drill Sergeant" attempts social commentary, though critics were divided on its effectiveness. One reviewer hoped it was "some sort of inside joke rather than an actual attempt at social commentary as that is in no way their strong suit" . Another called it "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" . --- ## Influence & Legacy *Fly Or Die* occupies a unique space in the Neptunes' catalog and in early-2000s music more broadly: ### Genre-Bending Precedent The album's fearless blending of rock, hip-hop, funk, and pop created a template that would influence countless artists in the following decades. As Glide Magazine noted in a 20th anniversary retrospective, "If you ask any artist doing any sort of innovation today, they can trace their inspiration back to Pharrell Williams—more specifically, his highly influential work with Chad Hugo and Shay Haley as N.E.R.D." . The album "morphed the worlds of rock and hip-hop like never before by introducing electronic production elements with the band's keen sense of infectious melodies and relatable songwriting" . ### Raw Aesthetic Influence The decision to play their own instruments and embrace a rawer, less polished sound proved influential for the DIY and bedroom-pop movements that would emerge in the 2010s. As one modern listener noted, "The sounds derived in a small VA studio drastically affected the sounds of the 2010s & 20s" . ### The "Grower" Reputation The album has developed a cult following over time. Many listeners who dismissed it initially have come to appreciate its idiosyncrasies. As one reviewer put it, "I feel like this should not sound this good. It almost sounds bad and quirky. I don't know how they do it but it ends up hitting" . Another called it "the equivalent of a girl who had no clue how beautiful she was and then one day she finally understands she's the baddest bitch" . --- ## Critical Reception Contemporary reviews were mixed to positive. NME praised its "incendiary choruses, megaton blasts of heavy metal noise and gleeful generic bastardisations" , while PopMatters and others appreciated its ambition. However, Slate delivered a notably harsh critique, arguing that the album "indulges the doldrums of late adolescence" in "hackneyed, closed-off terms" and that "the album's token teen character is portrayed in hackneyed, closed-off terms—there is no equilibrium or adolescent self-conflict, only emotions and sounds cribbed from MTV" . User reviews remain deeply polarized—some call it "criminally underrated" and "an early 21st Century masterpiece," while others find it "aggressively mediocre" and "dated and emotionally immature" . --- ## Pros & Cons | **Pros** | **Cons** | |----------|----------| | **Fearless genre fusion** — Successfully blends rock, hip-hop, funk, and pop in ways few were attempting in 2004 | **Emotional immaturity** — Lyrics often feel like they're "cribbed from MTV," portraying teenage angst in one-dimensional terms | | **Raw, live instrumentation** — The band learning to play their own instruments gives the album an organic, liberated energy | **Inconsistent depth** — Attempts at social commentary ("Drill Sergeant") fall flat; sex songs can feel juvenile and lecherous | | **Infectious melodies and hooks** — Tracks like "She Wants To Move" and "The Way She Dances" are undeniably catchy | **Vocal limitations** — Pharrell's voice sometimes struggles with the rock material, and his falsetto isn't for everyone | | **Ambitious arrangements** — From Beatles-esque harmonies to Sgt. Pepper-esque string arrangements, the production is rarely boring | **Lack of cohesion** — The genre-hopping can feel like showing off rather than serving a unified vision; "it feels for all the world that it is celebrating, above all else, the collective's ability to turn their hand to any musical style they choose" | | **Influential legacy** — Helped pave the way for genre-fluid artists in hip-hop and alternative music | **Some tracks are underdeveloped** — "Wonderful Place" is described as "dull" and a "severe misfire" by some critics ; the album "never manages to transcend its boundaries" | | **Genuine fun and energy** — Even critics acknowledge the album's sense of playfulness and joy | **Aged sonically** — Some listeners find the early-2000s production "corny" and the drum mixing overly loud | --- ## Verdict *Fly Or Die* is not a perfect album, but it is a *fearless* one. It captures a specific moment of creative growth for three producers who decided to become a band, learning their instruments as they went and refusing to let genre boundaries constrain them. While its lyrical preoccupations with teenage rebellion and sexual voyeurism can feel immature, and its genre-hopping occasionally sacrifices cohesion for spectacle, the album's best moments—"Don't Worry About It," "She Wants To Move," "Maybe," "Drill Sergeant"—remain as vibrant and infectious as anything in the Neptunes' catalog. As Glide Magazine concluded on its 20th anniversary: "Twelve songs were jam-packed with risks that paid off in a display of technicolored melodies and fusing genres like never before" . Whether you find it brilliant or obnoxious, *Fly Or Die* demands to be heard—and its influence on the shape of modern genre-fluid music is undeniable.
Frat-boy rock/rap/R&B hybrid. Some things shouldn't be mixed, like sausage and ice cream. Just... No. I guess I'll give credit to the effort. It's clean and well produced but isn't that the case with 90% of music after the year 2000? You have to make an effort, or intentionally *NOT* do something, in order to give it a 'rough' production feel. "Wonderful Place" was ambitious, and the track with Lenny Kravitz was OK, but primarily because they broke away from the awful rock/rap formula on the rest of the album. This is faint praise, tho and a weak argument for the rest of the work. Instead of something interesting with this mix instead we get what I imagine Ed Hardy tshirts sound like. I can viscerally smell all the Axe Body Spray. The tracks sound dated and the arrangements are downright obnoxious. "Backseat Love" and "Jump" were irritating and I cringed at the busy arrangements on the rest. (2/5) And a 'low' 2 from me out of respect for the attempt and the better stuff Pharrell will later go on to do.
Another entry I'd never heard of, and while I'm obviously not familiar with much of his work, seeing Pharrell on the cover of it didn't inspire a ton of confidence. That said, I was not prepared for how rough an experience was ahead of me. What some describe as "genre bending" I would call disjointed and haphazard. The vocals in this album seemed unable to settle on what they were trying to accomplish and often wound up sounding like the crackling warble of a nervous teenager, and maybe that's what they were. And the lyrics themselves didn't help, either. I had trouble finishing several of the tracks, they were so annoying and childish. A stone cold 1/5 that still might be just a hair above Morrissey.
Variety: 2 Adequacy: 3 Listenability: 2 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 2.2 rounded down to a 2 "It's almost over now/ Almost over now" I had to break my soft rule of no peaking and was amazed to find that their debut album, In Search Of, was not on here. It was one of the only albums from the genre I bought during this period, and remember it being a pretty big deal critically. That said, I have never heard this one ( not even sure I knew it existed - which does not bode well), and maybe it's way better. I'll try and keep those expectations out of mind while listening though. THE TRACKS "Don't Worry About It" - I wonder if this was offered to Prince? Certainly influenced by him, but a bit more aggressive musically. Maybe this is more Lenny Kravitz's speed? Terrence Trent D'Arby definitely too meek for it. "Fly or Die" - Bit lighter, and liking the synthy parts quite a bit, but the rock guitars and live drum sound is not gelling for me. "Jump" - This was much more of what I was hoping to hear. The rock stuff falls to the back and this one is a bit more funky and full of forward momentum. It leans towards the future Pharrell solo stuff in a way that I'm digging more so than the previous tracks. "Backseat Love" - Ugh... right away again with the Lenny Kravitz ( third rate Hendrix wannabe himself) guitar and some uninspired repetitive lyrics that Gene Simmons would blush at. "She Wants to Move" - One of the few ones I could find a music video for, so this tells me they hung a lot of this one as a probable single. It starts off great, with some catchy ass layered rhythm. This definitely shares some DNA with "Milkshake" by Kelis. It wanders away a bit too far in sections, but the strong points in this are plenty enough to overcome its deficits. "Breakout" - Big change of pace as we downshift into a depressive little number with some Chic-inspired funk lines that occasionally lighten it back up. Half of a really good idea here, but it flounders. "Wonderful Place" / "Waiting for You" - The first half of this is some unoffensive, twee, downtempo stuff that falls right into my wheelhouse, but never soars to memorable heights. The second half is much more successful. Right away it has a voice the first one lacked. The strings and little touches like the finger cymbals add a lot of flavor, and Pharrell's vocals are the best on the album, really diving into an emotional area that these guys seem to mostly avoid. "Drill Sergeant" / "Preservation" - Another seemingly pointless split with what was a hidden track on the cd release I guess? The first part is fine if a little generic in its melodies. There is little to fault these guys with musically, but when they zag instead of zig it sees to go sideways more often than not. Are they dropping musical allusions to the Beatles here? Hard to tell. The second half steers us back into that rock sound that's failing to hit for me. On that first album ( yes I will keep comparing them) the guitars were used in much more inventive ways, and felt more like accent or punctuation, where it's a primary part of the composition here. "Thrasher" - Kind of a throwback sound here. The beat on this would not be out of place on an old school Wu-Tang track. The light touch over top of it adds some good dynamic contrast. But it evens out fairly quickly and doesn't go anywhere beyond that first idea. "Maybe" - This is what I wanted. The jazzy piano, slots well into the guitar sound where it's used as an effect. The martial beat and the unencumbered vocals are the best part. But... it still can't escape that Frankenstein's monster feel the rest of the album suffers from. It's lumpy and angular just when it should be round and soft. "The Way She Dances" - Ooof... did Rob Thomas and Santana drop by the studio and lend some ideas leftover from their "Smooth" recordings? "Chariot of Fire" / "Find My Way" - Part one needed to stay in the oven another 20 minutes I think. It sounds like a half improvised Tiny Desk concert performance. In the worst possible way. Part two is somehow even worse. That opening guitar sequence sounds like the worst of the modern adult alt Starbucks compilation dreck of the era. Then we get super generic R&B verses in between that travelled forward in time from 1996 or the sole purpose of boring me to tears. HIGHLIGHTS - "Jump" - "She Wants to Move" - "Waiting for You" MIDLIGHTS - "Don't Worry About It" - "Fly or Die" - "Breakout" - "Wonderful Place" - "Drill Sergeant" - "Thrasher" - "Maybe" LOWLIGHTS - "Backseat Love" - "Preservation" - "The Way She Dances" - "Chariot of Fire" - "Find My Way" FINAL THOUGHTS This was not a million miles away from the sound on In Search Of, but they leaned WAY harder into the rock and live production sounds on this one and it just didn't work for me. As an example "Lapdance" or "Rockstar" from the first album both sound like so much more considered and fine tuned ideas than anything on here. at first album is also more varied, and danceable in parts than this. This was not a dumpster fire by any means, it just pales so much in comparison that I find myself questioning it's selection over the first one. And on top of that their well of hooks seems to have mostly dried up. Or maybe by this point they were farming out all their best ideas to hotter artists and collecting fat royalty checks. A big fat disappointment. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Ugh... not sure I'd even want to revisit the highlights anytime soon. Maybe "Waiting for You" will get some love. FURTHER LISTENING - In Search Of by N.E.R.D. - Stankonia by Outkast - Gorillaz by Gorillaz - Bastard by Tyler, The Creator
What a disappointment this album was. I was going in blind having never heard it, however, I am quite aware of The Neptune's reputation. Also, a friend mentioned being high on 2002's "In Search Of..." which lead me to believe there would be more quality on here. After listening to a few select tracks from "In Search Of..." I could hear the Warped Tour energy at work on that album. Those tracks had a rebellious enthusiasm to them. Full of alternative rock riffs that could swallow the vocals when needed to keep the party going. "Fly or Die" seems to leave all of that behind for a more juvenile experience. The sound on this album is boring. Also, the songwriting and vocals add nothing or at worst are a net negative. Maybe on a few of these tracks you could extract the vocals the underlying instrumental sound would be worth jamming with, but its not worth effort. There is certainly a polish to the sound, but ultimately it is an album devoid of any wit, in the songwriting or music.
I wasn’t really familiar with N.E.R.D. going in, but I recognized Pharrell’s voice almost immediately. This album is such a peak 2003 time capsule. The guitar parts all over it are awesome. It also cracked me up seeing the Madden brothers pop up on a track, because that is about as 2003 as it gets. The whole thing has a great mix of rap, rock, funk, and pop. Favorite song: "Fly of Die"
moderately fun on occasion but not much more
I liked this. Different vibe.
Musically this was interesting - I liked the variety of styles and mixing of genres. But I couldn’t figure out the lyrics or point of anything. The singers voice didn’t fit. And is he making constant jokes? Is this parody or just trite. And halfway through - is that Lenny Kravitz - and why is he involved. In the end I found it confusing, underwhelming, and easily forgettable. 2/5
This was pretty boring. I've heard much more interesting stuff from Pharrell. I'm not sure I picked up on the "celebration of nerd culture", either.
Apart from the repetitiveness of some of the lyrics, it was okay.
Well produced rock rap. Inject it into my veins
3.5 stars. Better than most, but I have Hippity-Hop Fatigue.
love NERD. Lots of great features, too.
Super surprised to see this album on this list! In Search Of… must be on here too then!
6/10… funk rock / hip hop / *2004
Not great and I really wanted to like it
Not my style.
Some nice songs
This album starts with a banger but unfortunately the lyrics do not keep up. Way too much repetitive speech but the music is quite good. Couldn't quite stretch it to a 4 but if we were allowed to score a 3.5 this would be that album.
Good energy, well paced, and just a fun album.
This was a surprise. Sounding both eccentric and eclectic, these guys blend funk, rock and hip-hop in a way that I haven't come across before. Lenny Kravitz plays guitar on selected tracks and the guitar work is as funky as you can expect. On other tracks, the band play instruments that they've only recently started playing. This gives the album a raw element on an otherwise polished record. On 'Jump' they enlist the brothers from Good Charlotte and get something that's more interesting than the majority of that band's discography! I only really know of Pharrell Williams for the big pop hits and I never really cared for them, but this record showed me what a talent he is. He has an excellent voice that can be both playful and soulful. Don't let the atrocious album art fool you, this is actually quite good!
Good album.
mehh
Some good songs :). 3.4
I liked it
the "Waiting for You" hidden track really fucks up the vibe.
So 2004!!
Like the Michelin man
It was fine. Nothing special.
Catchy, sharply produced, funky and rocking in equal measures… but a little bit too silly/ lightweight for its own durability
This album feels like its from a universe where Weird Al Yankovic invented rap
album #28 pros: i enjoyed the genre blending aspects, and i do think more albums need to be comfortable with not fitting into a specific 'labelled' genre. cons: a lot of the album gives off a teen incel vibe, especially backseat love. that and pharrell is a rotten zionist so fuck off! ꩜ average track rating: 2.4/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): jump, drill sergeant ꩜ least favourite track(s): backseat love, wonderful place ꩜ album rating: ★★☆☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,061 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 14 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 6 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 22
Great listen, odd but fun mix of rap, pop, and r&b
En funk/pop rock-gruppe med Pharrell som vokalist. Vanvittig catchy og lekent. Det er dog noe amatørmessig over dette, som trekker ned totalinntrykket litt. Top 3: Breakout, Fly Or Die, Thrasher
A lot better then what the album cover looks like
Fine, nothing standout. Good production but nothing revolutionary to me.
Me gusta la voz de Pharrel pero está bien aburrido este peo, muy boneless la música
A fun soulful take on the classic hip-hop genre. Or a bizarrely hip-hop-ish take on soul. Either way, it sounds pretty good. Backing vocals in Don't Worry About It really sell the song. Great for listening during a morning walk. I keep hearing the "she's bad, bad, bad, bad" lyric as "cheese, blam, blam, blam, blam". (I can't be the only one.) Cool synth- and guitar-work in Fly Or Die, though the "group vocals" could use a lot of work. Singing definitely works better than rapping in this genre-mix. Later on the record, Wonderful Place/Waiting For You does much better in this regard. Especially the second half: wacky, weird, wonderful orchestral arrangement (mostly strings and triangle), like a much more modern version of The Trial (Pink Floyd). That chorus in Jump is utterly horrific. Same with the following track, Backseat Love (and the classically distorted guitar doesn't do much to come to its aid). Where the album really picks up again is with the glowing, poppy She Wants To Me. Great choice to use that heady, in-your-face acoustic guitar riff, along with clapping and a killer bass timbre. The vocals aren't the best, though, partly as a result of the words themselves. I'm fairly certain we should be taking these guys' lyrics at face value. With that in mind... "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride / (sci-fi laser noises)". Oh, god. How did we go from Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, the Beatles... to whatever the heck this is supposed to be? The only other song I know that's called Drill Sergeant has very different lyrics ("Your ass belongs to me now!") but that one is still better. N.E.R.D.'s one suffers from a mismatch between blaring synths and terrible whispery vocals. At least the first half is catchy. But the hidden track, Preservation, confuses me at best. The return to decent musicianship with Thrasher / Maybe is so, so relieving. Nice piano parts. 3/5 Key tracks: Don't Worry About It, She Wants To Move, Wonderful Place/Waiting For You, Maybe
это было круто
I had Outkast on Monday and honestly couldn't tell the difference
Highlights: Don't You Worry About It, Fly or Die, Backseat Love, She Wants to Move, Drill Sergeant, Thrasher Expected a bop and got something okay. The record is a great time mostly thanks to the production. Very trailblazing for it's time. However, it often dragged on a bit. There are some songs that are just too long, and others that are a bit too low energy for my liking. But yeah, overall it was a good one, but it could have been a bit better.
beh.. I LOVE Pharrell but only in small doses when he's N.e.r.d. - some tracks great, not enough to keep me interested - although quite sperimentale and innovativo, back in the day I had this record for 'she wants to move'
This reminds me of the cool guy in high school. He was somewhat centered and operating at a higher level of awareness than his peers. He seemed to dress better, say things that took others by surprise, and have a glint in his eye. Smart in that way, outspoken; the one you knew that would do something interesting in life.
I give it two Pretzel Logics. The exact exchange rate of that assessment is nebulous - but it can't be good. Fun as it would be - I am not here to relitigate the artistic merits of the Dan. And I don't really want to spend any more time on this album - which similar to the Dan - has so many elements I find compelling but I just get the final output. Blah.
This was pretty cool. Interesting to listen to at least.
Ok
1001 albums to hear before you some kusic produced by the neptunes 60# I feel like this is the Tribe called quest from the 2 thousands. Just some guys having fun trying out a new sound with difficult to catch inspirations. Pharrell, is this where he started? Cul start I feel like this should not sound this good. It almost sounds bad and quirky. I don't know how they do it but it ends up hitting
This album is very hard to rate from an unbiased perspective or without context. I get what the critics say about the unmixed, bedroom sound. But the sounds derived in a small VA studio drastically affected the sounds of the 2010s &20s. Even if I were listening to this in a vacuum, it'd be clear to me that this band has something. They mix genres that hadn't been considered before, and serve as a link between modern pop & hip-hop. I get what the haters tho about it's lack of cohesion, though. It's the only reason I can't give it a 5. Highlights: Maybe, Drill Sergeant
I can appreciate the blending of genres and styles but overall, it's just not really my thing. 2.5/5
Definitely a weird album. Kind of like alternative rock. Interesting if nothing else.
Pish
Definitely a great rap-rock album. Definitely underrated. It incorporates Soul, R and B, Rap, and Rock, which are all genres that I am a fan of. Criminally underrated.
Qué discazo!!! Siempre fue una combinación que me gustaba. Escucharlo entero de una tacada lo hace hasta más disfrutable pasado el tiempo. Reconozco que tenía muchas guardadas como favoritas, pero hoy he metido casi todas las demás. Un 5 estrellas *****.
I think I got whiplash from listening to this off the back of a run of brilliant albums. Maybe I was just hot and tired when I listened to this. I really dislikes this, which surprises me somewhat because the blend of punk, hip-hop, and pop sounds so interesting to me. But unfortunately I just didn't get anything from it and found it actively annoying at times. Sorry :( Favourites: Thrasher?
Not sure why this album is on the list. most songs are pretty sophomoric. Voices suck, often unintentionally offkey. Some guitar but no real memorable riffs. The songs wander around several different genres but doesn't really commit to any particular theme, leaving the listener pretty lost and disappointed. Maybe this is only memorable as an early Pharrell sighting.
As rock-rap goes, they aren’t as gifted musicians as Red Hot Chili Peppers and the hooks aren’t as catchy as 311. But I would not be embarrassed to be caught listening to them again.
The odd melding of soul and hip hop. Most of this was really fun sounds. 3.5
I had never heard of this group or album before - so I had no preconceived notions, which is nice. But - yikes. After the first track, which is a pretty decent rocker, I haven't heard anything of quality. At all. There's a mix going on here of rock, hip hop, and Pharrell Williams's production style, and I have to say I hate it. This record sounds the way old Saturday morning cartoons look. Over stylized, fake, corny. I'm not digging this. I'm still listening to this but goddamn it will take a miracle to pull this away from TWO STARS
Catchy enough, grew on me, didn't love it or hate it
A professionally crafted crossover that blends funk, rock, and pop with the signature "dry" production of the Neptunes. While the technical separation of instruments is commendable, the album lacks the structural complexity or emotional resonance to elevate it beyond a solid mid-tier effort. It feels more like a studio experiment than a definitive artistic statement, resulting in a competent but ultimately unexciting listen for those accustomed to more rigorous genre-bending masterpieces.
This was actually refreshingly fun. A different album, a genre fusion, a fresh take. Maybe not something I'll want to revisit, but I'm really glad I got to hear it.
A lot of fun. A mix of hip hop, rock, pop, and even a bit of jazz. Maybe a bit too long.
Cheesy meets catchy
It's not like it was necessarily bad, but it was really boring.
Now this is Party Pop! I was liking it more in the beginning but it started to wear on me. Seemed like they ran out of ideas before they ran out of tape.
I really enjoyed NERD's debut when it came out, but my god this follow up is boring.
I am a nerd so I guess that explains the positive rating
I appreciate that this is different but all the songs just kinda suck.
Ok
2.5/10
Music is listenable. I don't really despised vocals that much here and it would be maybe 3*. But lyrics... Man... Disgusting af.
I forget NERD exists, it's happened more than once, and I'm always pleasantly surprised to rediscover them. This is a fun album, almost impossible not to dance along with. It's a good mood album, there aren't enough of these around. I've had a fun afternoon with it. Can't wait until I forget then re-remember NERD again.