Reviews (page 3 of 7)
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".
Good solid pop hip-hop album with a little dada-ist streak, and only a slight smidgen of misogyny, which is refreshing. Had a good time listening to this record, funky, clever, and fun.
I liked the rock hip-hop hybrid at the time, but hadn't listened to n*e*r*d since about 2010. Still appeals. I think the rudimentary funk rock guitar without too many clever noodling combined with good drumming is what attracts me. I'll give it a low 4 as it's not very special, but I do quite like it.
Really fun to listen to. Nice blend of genres
I had never heard of this before, but I enjoyed it. From what I learned, they learned to play the instruments do they could perform live. It was a fun listen so the way through with a good rock/rap vibe and some funk should in there.
An extra star for Pharrel
dude what is this? The rap is pretty bad but the music itself is wild. It's almost like listening to lyrics from a sound cloud rapper mashed up with a totally disassociated band. Compels me though.
I had no expectations for this album and I was pleasantly surprised. Unique sound, very fun, and super catchy. Not something that I would listen to every day, but for sure I will be coming back to this. 8/10
A great organic alternative rnb pop album with live instrumentation.
Ga de albumgenerator een roer draaien door niet deze, maar 'In Search of...' te reviewen: TOP plaat, VEEL beter dan hun latere werk zoals 'Fly or Die', waar ik maar 2 sterren voor zou geven.
Lekker hoor. Hoera voor pharell!
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.
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.
I enjoyed it as something outside my norm but probably wouldn't add to my rotation
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-
Not bad.
This album takes me back to college, when I first listened to and really enjoyed this album.
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.
J'avais très bien reconnu Pharrell caché derrière ses doigts contrairement à eltrapeze qui n'a qu'un sur dix aux deux yeux. Bigleux.
Les N.E.R.D me semblaient être un nouveau boys band rnb des plus homosexuels, il n'en fut rien, la troupe de Pharell s'est mis en tête de nous baiser la gueule pendant une bonne heure.
Really close to hitting something so strong, but it feels like almost every song was nearly groundbreaking. Not strong enough to get the 5 for me, but definitely a great album.
00’er hiphop/pop, lidt rocket, energisk, pharell
Very good production and arrangements. Pretty into it
She Wants To Move // Breakout // Wonderful Place // Drill Sergeant // Maybe // The Way She Dances // Find My Way 3.5/5
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.
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.
This album has a lot of the same problems Pharrell’s later stuff has: weird awkward sounding lyrics. Otherwise pretty good though
4
Album that is very different from anything in its genre, somewhat ahead of it’s time by giving an alternative feel.
Pretty hot. I think it could have been edited down some to its benefit, it's a long album and drags at time. But overall great.
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
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).
Rock alternativo.
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?
Really good and fun and catchy!
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.
Damn, that Pharrell is one talented dude. This is a pretty great yet unheralded album. Totally dig it.
Mixed bag. It sounds great, probably because of Pharell's talents as a producer. But the lyrics on this are mostly fuckin lame, and it's so early 2000s, aged very poorly. A fine listen but not one i care to hear again
Very mid-00s
You could hear the Pharrell influence. Not bad but not really my style. 5/10
Fun
Bit of a guilty pleasure album im thinking (still not very good to be clear), trashy lyrics but its pretty fun and groovy. Standouts are Don’t Worry About It, She Wants To Move, Breakout and Drill Seargent.
It grew on me a bit while i was listening, but it was very forgettable
Interesting, raw, kind of swing-y sometimes, had the classic “She Wants to Move”.
This album is really good but the fact that N.E.R.D.'s first album " In search of.." is not on this list is the biggest miss that I have seen so far ( about 300 albums in) but I am sure there will be many more miss' by the time I get done this list. Anyways, this is a 4 most days but I am sour about no "In search of.." so minus one star.
Well, I didn't know Pharrell was in this, so I got to add that to my lore. It's fun hearing what would grow into his sound, but it's not something where I'm coming back for more
Album sympa, mais sans plus (la cover de l'album est horrible)
Fairly cool band, not sure if there’re hi Hop or not really, but decent songs
it's funky, but I can't get into the vocals
This is a pretty fun album It isn’t anything crazy impressive but when it comes to hip hop there’s a lot worse and this album kept me pretty entertained 3/5 Favorites: drill sergeant
Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride
This is a tough one. The production is great, it’s Pharrell. But, I can’t tell if this is serious, or just a joke. “Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride”, and “like the Michelin man, she swam with such might”. You lose a star for that alone. Still, they returned to this band over several decades, maybe it was genuine.
Never heard of this or knew Pharrell and the 757 guys had this project. Not my normal genre but really not too bad.
Reasonably fun
Very 2000s - it's both its strength and weakness
I wanted this album to be better. N.E.R.D. and Pharrell Williams were such MASSIVE influences on the sound of Hip Hop in the early 21st century that I really wanted this to be a banger. In reality, it's ok, but honestly a bit forgettable. It's like they saved all of their best stuff for other people. It's sad Williams and Hugo are beefing. They really did some great things together.
Not terrible
Skön vibe i princip rakt igenom!
Though there are some era defining songs on here, it didnt age as well as some of Pharrell/neptunes' other work did
This is not my style of music anymore, but I can see if I were decades younger, I would really like this music.
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
Someone once asked Len Houmous Fly or Die? He said both. What a reply! 2.6 5/12 She Wants To Move
“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.
Naur
Bunter Mix aus Funk, Skate‑Rock und Neptunes‑Pop: stilistisch frech, aber oft zerfasert. Ideenfeuerwerk ohne klare Linie.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Beatles rock with a touch of rap. Decent, and I like the ad libs. 2.5/5
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.
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
Solid album They still do great things as a band on this project but I prefer ‘In Search Of’
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
Debería escucharlo de nuevo, me gustaron algunas cosas pero después me aburrió por momentos.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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 know these guys have been active so long! Exceptionally good beats, just like Don't Don't Do It
nice!
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.
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.
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.
Elusive fun.
“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.
Hard to find on streaming sites but what I heard was well produced music with nice layers.
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.
Pretty nice
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 enjoyed this. I like Pharrell’s voice. The songs were entertaining. I liked the song Drill Sergeant the best.
It’s not the best Album from NERD, but it’s a fun listen
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.
C’est bien mais je m’attendais à mieux avec un jeune Pharrel. Bien aimé The way she dances.
It was fine.
Fehlen leider fast alles songs bei Spotify Eig coole Mischung von rap, Funk, punk. Macht ganz gute Laune
нормалек, без негативчика. (фаррела по фото не узнал, только из комментов)
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.
Bom
Not really my cup of tea
Kinda kool album, different but similar
I quite enjoyed this album, pleasantly surprised!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
chop nigga
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.
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
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
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 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.
3.5 stars. Better than most, but I have Hippity-Hop Fatigue.
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
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 album.
Some good songs :). 3.4
I liked it
So 2004!!
Like the Michelin man
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.
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
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.
This was pretty cool. Interesting to listen to at least.
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.
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.
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
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.
Ok
I don’t know if I could be friends with Pharrell, at some point I’d have to ask him what colour my farts are. Anyway solid album, holds up
Unsure why this is only available on Youtube, but it was okay. A bit of early 2000s rebellion made it quite comical. Defo not pharells best work but some of it sounded fun
OK, but nothing special
So this is what Pharrell was up to before he produced nearly every pop song of the last decade. Not what I was expecting. It doesn't really fall into one genre and some of the tracks are pretty fun, but it started to wear on after a while.
This started so well and I loved the live instruments…. But then got slower and more annoying…. Overall maybe averaged out…
This was fine. I didn’t hate anything, but I didn’t feel much of anything either. It seems really slight to be included on this list.
3/5 - This had a good variety of sounds and samples and was pretty listenable. I had heard their name before, but was not at all familiar. I don't mind a band that doesn't take itself too seriously, even if it strays into silly at times; better than the other way around. Fun music.
You hear prog rock hip hop and you expect a certain level of cringe. A good kind of cringe. But this album veers too often into cringe for my liking.
Or float?
The genre variety on this is juicy, but unfortunately it doesn't always land. I think the sound overall just hasn't aged great since 2004, which is a shame because on paper a prog rock-influenced hiphop album sounded fire. There are nonetheless some very fun tracks here and there, and at the very least the production quality is consistently great! Standouts: Breakout • Thrasher • Maybe
I expected there to be some fun tracks on this one but I also expected it to annoy me more than anything. Yea, it was very evident that this was an early aughts release but you know what? It was still pretty good, it was entertaining, had a good mix and the production was clean as fuck. I’m not gonna return to this but for what it is, it’s pretty good. I do think they had the skill to toss in a couple hardcore tracks, that really would have elevated this to another level. She Wants to Move, Thrasher, The Way She Dances are all standout tracks. It’s not quite a 4 for me as I don’t see myself returning but it’s a strong 3 stars
I liked this one, thought I wasn't going to as it was called hip-hop and rap, but pleasantly surprised
Not bad at all. Not sure what I was expecting, but this was a decent album through and through. Not good enough for a 4, but a high 3.
Very eclectic, but not entirely my thing.
3.5 stars
Another unexpected treat. I knew nothing about these guys. Not a lot to say. Just enjoyed the music.
6/10
ja ganz cute aber so richtig abgholt hats mi iwie nit
non male
This was fine. Different even. Not sure what category. Very easy to listen to. Nothing overwhelming though.
Many many influences. Bit harsh in places. Glad that Pharrell got to be Happy.
It’s pretty good but I got sick of it towards the end of the album
Is any song different?
Expected to hate this one and was pleasantly surprised. It was alright. A nice cross-genre exploration.
I remember a house mate loving this album when it came out. Pretty good, but still not clicked.
Pharrell is one seriously talented dude.
Cool, fun and unique
Take a shot every time Pharrell says mum
Medium mediumness with medium medium.
Where was I in 2004? How'd I miss this one?
Sounds so 2000s. I’m sure the production is groundbreaking for the time but some songs just didn’t hit for me. Low 3.
Cool I guess. Not as much of a chore as some of the other ~1 hour albums
skroz neloše, ugodno iznenađen! ipak malo predugo i nedosljedno, ali stvarno dobro
the lads are good at music
estou mega surpreso desse álbum estar no livro. sei que o pharrel williams é um grande produtor e tal, mas achava que ninguém ligava pra essa banda (mais). achei bom, é tipo outkast porém mais rock, mas, ao mesmo tempo, é totalmente esquecível, não senti que merece ser parte de um cânone desse.
A bit of a weird own for me. Some aspects of this album of felt I deserved a 5 and others a 1. Some interesting things going on, but nothing that really stood out or will make me want to revisit this album. Likely wouldn’t change the song if it came on the radio but also wouldn’t seek it out.
In Search Of... er bedre. Men et par bangers her.
Heilt greitt.
3-4, kommer til å høre mer på det. Catchy, variert, kult.
Funky 3/5
Catchy tunes, but nothing memorable
*Ok hip-hop album
I always felt like I was supposed to like N.E.R.D. more than I did, but they were always hit or miss for me. Can't explain it.
First time that I'm aware of this band/album. Decent. I'm tempted to go 4 as it has a unique sound, though it was overall unspectacular.
Idk if Pharrell deserves a pass for NERD
Solid production and very catchy. Fan of their earlier stuff and had never dabbled in this album. Enjoyable! Cheesy lyrics and a tad too long though
I don’t usually listen to hip-hop at all, but I’ve always had a soft spot for N.E.R.D. Maybe it’s because their music was everywhere when I was younger. With mix-rock being popular at the time, songs like “Don’t Worry About It” and “Breakout” didn’t even feel like hip-hop to me — I just heard them as part of that mixed, rock-leaning sound. When the album leans more toward danceable, straight-up hip-hop, it doesn’t really grab me. Still, “She Wants to Move” is pure nostalgia — it was played absolutely everywhere back then.
Acceptable mix of chill and annoying
Never heard of this before, didn’t realize that Pharrell had done stuff like this. More rck based than I was expecting and it was pretty easy to listen to. A couple of the longer songs got a little boring, but really pretty good over all.
Funky :D
Love the production, lyrics are kinda awful
First introduction and I thought it was interesting. I listened to their first album as a result (In Search Of...) and preferred that
I’m sure the editors were psyched when they got to add this.
this was nice, but not sure it went above 3.
meh
Wasn't familiar with it but immediately put don't worry about it on my personal playlist
Cool different gave me Beastie Boys vibes from Check your Head
Hey... Questlove's in the house...
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this at times, it was a lot better than I expected. Quite a fusion of different styles, as well as a blast from the past with that ‘she moves’ song. There’s not enough for me to return, it’s not entirely my thing, but it is canny good
Pharrell is a hell of a singer, really showed it in the first song. Thought this album was going to be really good. Because of that I was a bit disappointed that the rest of the album didn't keep pace. Doesn't have the bite of the earlier stuff really, rockier side of things is stripped back a bit. Pretty enjoyable for one spin but not enough to come back.
Fairly familiar with NERD but probably never listened to an album before. She wants to move was huge at the time. Not sure how much I like that track, but I thought the album was pretty decent if not quite my thing. Think I liked drill sergeant was my favourite. 3.5
It’s a good album but not really my taste
not rap enough imo
Surprised I've never heard this. Very catchy in places, especially Breakout. A bit inconsistent though.
Some albums are on this list because they’re considered masterpieces in their own right and some are here because they represent the start of something new. This album is certainly in the latter category. I don’t think the album stands on its own very well (I do like Thrasher and Maybe - which sounds like an Oasis cover), but in every song you can hear something that will become a part of popular music over the next two decades. Whether it’s outer space keyboard or the drums or even Pharell’s vocal style, I keep hearing Timberlake or Jay Z or whatever star has been touched by the Neptunes (and almost always sounds better than NERD themselves). Even the genreless nature of the music that was unique then sounds normal in 2026. Anyway, I like what NERD meant to music in the 2000s a lot more than I like the actual music. Maybe that’s why I bought one of those NERD hats off eBay in university but never actually wore it.
N.E.R.D. I’d never even heard of them before. Went in bracing for disappointment, but wow, those catchy pop vibes completely won me over. I genuinely enjoyed it. Not sure how it’ll hold up to repeated spins yet, but I’m eager to find out.
Fly or Die surprised me in a good way. Even with the odd hidden tracks, the album flows well and balances rap, pop and rock influences without fully committing to any one genre. Pharrell and Lenny Kravitz help anchor the album and give purpose to its experimentation.
not my bag but it isn't bad.
I felt like this album tried to be a lot of things and really wasn't anything. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either.
Temas interesantes pero se sale de mis preferencias.
This album starts fun and funky and I suppose it remains that way throughout but it wore out its welcome for me especially with the extra long tracks toward the end.
So this is what Pharrell was doing before he became a full time part ranger or whatever the fuck he is doing with his park ranger ass hat collection. 6/10
Better than i thought.
Favorite Track: She Wants To Move
Great musicians.
This was certainly an original and unique listen. I had only listened to Pharrell and The Neptunes before listening to N.E.R.D so I was a bit surprised with the direction this album went in. After a few listens I gotta say even with the great production and neat features the album as a whole felt underwhelming. Some of the songs felt samey and it didn't really push the buttons for me. It wasn't bad at all. I just wasn't expecting what I got. 3.00-3.50/5
Dreaded this, but it was actually OK. Probably not notable enough to make the list really.
Decent listen.
I don't think this is one of N.E.R.D's best albums, intersesting choice of these for the list!
Never heard of these guys before. Pretty good, I liked the back half a bit more. The content was a bit on the raunchy side for me to wat to play on a speaker in my home, but still...pretty good.
Like the rhythms. Good instrumentally. The lyrics are not good and vocals nothing special. I do like the energy of much of it. Maybe and Drill Sargeant are my two favorite tracks.
good funk hip-hop pop album
There is some really cool production here which would be expected with Pharrell. There are some reminiscence of gorillaz or outkast, but not on there level. Can hear some tropes that Pharrell would popularize later in the next 10 years like some clap track.
Couldn’t find this on Spotify so it gets a 3 by default
A pleasant surprise. Almost a 4 but not quite.
It was alright. Thought I’d like this more.
Interesting - never really heard anything like this. But also not many big standout songs. Great production!
I guess I had high expectations knowing this is basically the start of Pharrell but this was disappointing. 2.5/5
I bought this album when it came out because I liked Maybe. Which is a fun song. The rest of the album has some fun moments, but the lyrics are often horrendously cringey. I'm not usually one to be too bothered about the lyrics, preferring to let the music wash over me but "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride". Really?
N.E.R.D. was an interesting project. Formed by both members of the Neptunes, an already iconic record production duo for many R&B and hip-hop acts at this point, all of the duo's creative juices are on display here. This artsy, proggy, pop/hip-hop sound is thanks in part to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo's writing, as well as Shay Haley's contributions. This trio is the whole band too, as they play pretty much everything live in this specific album (save for some guest help here, including Lenny Kravitz and Questlove). It's an interesting lens into the R&B/Hip-hop era of music production in the 2000's and whether or not people think that has aged well is up to them. Kinda wish we had decimal rating, this feels like a 3.5/5 for me due to the production displayed here.
Rap meets Art Rock / Progressive Pop; Mojo music magazine said "This is an enthusiastic hymn to the terminally uncool, an un-ironic celebration of nerd-culture". One of the members of N.E.R.D. is Pharrell Williams which I guess is why this album sounds like it could be the soundtrack to one of the Despicable Me movies. It's OK but not great, and it became boring after a while.
N.E.R.D. hits that spot of rap rock managing to be listenable. I prefer some of their other stuff more, but this was still a pretty good listen. Pharrell and The Neptunes were unstoppable for awhile there and it shows.
Wish this was Seeing Sounds! This album is… okay? The Neptunes were an incredible production team but N.E.R.D. were an okay rock band (and they are mostly a rock band). There’s definitely some good tracks on here but overall it’s not a very good album. They’ve definitely put out better (including In Search Of and the aforementioned Seeing Sounds).
I don't know if it's supposed to be half-urban-funk-rock, half-prog-rock. Confused by the inclusion of military songs along with more relationship-type ones (3.5).
As good as this pop/hip-hop album is, it's hardly essential. Their debut album is 100% important as an example of the eclectisim of this production group, this is not - it's got some tunes as these three were pretty much unbeatable at this point in time, but... Best Tracks: Don't Worry About It; She Wants To Move; Maybe
Interesting range of influences, some funky bits. Starts off pretty strong but tails off towards the end.
Not bad! Pharrell Williams
I actually really enjoyed this to start with, I thought it was going to be a 5. Songs very quickly got boring and repetitive though. And the album was too long Didn't realise this was Pharrell, that was a nice surprise. I did end up recognizing a few songs which were a major throwback 3 ⭐️
That first listen felt a little bland, so I put myself in a different headspace, gave it a second shot, and it got a little better. I really like the influences, there's classic Beatles-like rock, there's funk and soul, honest urban influence. It's a well spiced piece of work, but I do feel like there was extra dedication for some standout tracks that hopefully hook you into continuing your listen. It's a fault of the CD era, where singles were exploited to sell an album. There's a few skippable tracks here. Also, all these double tracks in the middle of an album. Attempting to force the listener against skipping tracks on an album like this can be both ironic and cruel. I feel like the purist in me doesn't mind, but it doesn't make me want to add it to a Spotify playlist either. Otherwise it's a pretty solid effort, lots of respect, maybe too varied, so there's not a lot of hashing out on any one particular vibe. I see the potential for something stronger in a handful of songs. 3.4/5
not my thing but catchy songs
pior que foi triste viu o in search of... merecia estar aqui no lugar desse. não que seja ruim, mas falta algo. não eh dos melhores trabalhos deles não...
Vet album
definitely different. the group concensus was it was like ska without the horns
Ever have an expectation of how an album will sound and then end up with something completely different. Having listened to Lemon I expected more like that, so I am kind of disappointed.
3.5?
I took a few days off from the 1,001 list for what I thought was going to be a fun weekend in South Carolina. That did not happen and this weekend was a perfect storm of suck. So, I don’t know what else to do, but distract myself by writing about the Fly or Die album by N.E.R.D. You know N.E.R.D., right? It’s Pharrell Williams’s attempt at being a rock star, even though he technically was one, I guess. The group was also known as the Neptunes when producing hip-hop. N.E.R.D. is composed of Pharrell and his producing partner Chad Hugo. Fly or Die is their second album and for this album, the dudes decided to learn how to play the instruments needed to make the album rather than hire a band like they did for their first album. I respect that. I didn’t put too much faith in this album being good. I figured it would be a lot of crappy rap rock that was a thing in the early 2000s. This album came out in 2004. The first few songs were kind of generic, I guess. It sounded like what a band that just realized they like rock music would sound like if they started a band and had just learned to play their instruments. The music sounded great production-wise, but the songs weren’t blowing me away. However, as I continued listening, I kind of got into the songs. This isn’t just the same old rap rock. Pharell is a really good rock singer and his voice meshes well with a rock groove. Plus, I heard some Led Zeppelin and the Beatles in there. Some of these songs are pretty interesting. The group also used their connections to bring in some special guests like Questlove and Lenny Kravitz to pitch in on some of the songs. I know some people don’t like Lenny, but I’m a fan from way back, Are You Gonna Go My Way is my jam. Also, did you notice right away that Are You Gonna Go My Way seemed to be written from the perspective of Jesus Christ? I thought that as soon as I heard it. Just looked it up and it’s true. But I digress. Some of the songs are big, over-the-top, kind of theatrical productions, but I’m a fan of musicals, so it works for me. I got Big Elf vibes from the songs Thrasher and Maybe. If you don’t know Big Elf, find them now and listen to Cheat the Gallows or Into the Maelstrom. Both are great, fun albums. While the songs on Fly or Die mostly sound good, a lot of the lyrics aren’t written from the perspective of Christ but from the perspective of a teenager. Which seems weird because Pharrell and Hugo were both around 30 when they wrote this album. Nevertheless, Fly or Die wasn’t an album I thought, “Thank God I got to hear this!” It was more, oh, that was a bit unexpected. If you like Pharell’s music, but want to hear it more with a rock groove behind him, then you’ll probably dig this.
A fusion of jazz-rock, prog-rock, and funk. It's a fun ride with a lot of different ideas. Probably not an album I'd put on again but I like Pharrell, so I enjoyed hearing him in a different mode than usual.
N.E.R.D. are awesome. I really enjoy this softer hip hop sound that focuses more on flows, beats, and production rather than hard hitting rap verses. I do love gangsta rap though but this is just a nice respite. I have vivid memories of hearing this in the hallways of high school, so I have an unfortunate connection of associating the songs with a year of my life where I was notably uncomfortable and annoyed with my day to day life. This record is a nice listen, but it's only a 3/5 for me. After "She Wants To Move", the stand out track, there are a bunch of songs with good ideas but not enough in each to give memorability or any kind of lasting impression.
Surprised how much I enjoyed it, though I don't think I really want to listen to it again.
Maybe not versatile enough for its length, but it's charming, fun, and dude just works at the Barnes & Noble store
The Neptunes, es decir Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo y Shay Haley, es decir No-one Ever Really Dies, son una banda de rock y hip hop que solventan el cruce con elegancia y buenas canciones. Este es u disco más popular y razones no le faltan. La apertura indica por dónde irán los tiros fusionando ambos estilos. Fly or die se expande en ambas direcciones : más guitarra y más melodía. Jump podría haber sido un éxito en manos de los Black Eyed peas. Destacan She Wants to Move (que anticipa y de quñe manera a los Vampire Weekend...) , Breakout y en especial la Maybe con Lenny Kravitz aunque ya se habñian acercado bastante en Wonderful place/Waiting for you. 12 temas y 3 más ocultos intercalados entre ellos. Jugada maestra desde la que se lanzó a la piscina ya Pharell en solitario...
Nojaa, ei oikeastaan millään tapaa ihmeellinen levy. Tosi mid taas, muttei kuitenkaan huonoa. Aika letkeää rokkia oikeestaan. She Likes To Move tuttu biisi radiosta. Parhaat: She Likes To Move, Trasher, The Way She Dances
I’m sure some people hear this and think “wow! Neat! I never would’ve heard this if not for this list. Thanks, list!” Not me though.
Great sound, great song writing, varied nuanced styles, just no bangers.
This isn't bad per se but it isn't something I would choose to listen to. There are some songs I actively dislike though, like "Backseat Love"
This album hits hard at first and then gets less interesting the more I listen. It sounds like a music guy record made by music guys. That album cover is weak. Good to put on and groove to but not my favourite listen.
I tried to like this album so much that I listened to it 3 times but apart form their main single I didn’t feel any excitement
I'm more familiar with their first album. I think I prefer that album to this one. This isn't bad, I just kind of like the more raw sound of the first album.
There were songs I absolutely loved and others that just didn’t get there. I listen to it a couple of times which helped me understand it better
This was like a weird mix of every artist that was popular in the early 2000's. I think that's a good thing?
weird and eclectic and (unsurprisingly given the name) unashamedly dorky. probably not something I'll revisit on a regular basis but I'm happy to have heard it
Ouais pas mal je m'attendais pas à ça, je m'attendais pas forcément à aimer mais j'ai tout de même passer un bon moment donc c'est positif
I prefer N.E.R.D. when they're more grr and less la-la-di-da 3.5
I was surprised this was the album of choice. Some funny lyrics but only a 3.5 star rating from me
It was fine. Should have picked their first one. Still, it was better than KISS’s 1998 18th studio cancer “Psycho Circus”.