Reviews (page 5 of 7)
This is another album that feels DATED. 20 years is maybe the sweet spot where things start to feel dated without having the shine of legacy. Overall I think NERD suffers from sounding SO MUCH LIKE NERD. I think they are eclipsed by the hits that NERD has done for other people. It sounds like a Snoop Dogg or Justin Timberlake song without those key stars.
;/ Not interesting for me, nothing on it feels original.
Pharrell Williams is such a renaissance man. 🙏
Never heard of this. The music was pretty decent but something about it just didn't click with me.
Define it however you want, but that was the sound of the 2000s. And lord could it be cringe sometimes. ⭐⭐
What if Weezer had a little bit (more) rap, keyboards and some funk? That’s N.E.R.D. Fly Or Die may as well be called Party Rock 2014. It’s sooooo desperately trying to be that. Every song has all the instruments but occasionally despite it all, it kinda works. I can’t decide if it’s an Ok album or the worst shit I’ve ever heard. 5.1/10
This is so 2000's, back when Pharrell was the man...but it did not age well. The music is still enjoyable. Good beats and rhythms that mixes styles and genres of music, making something different and unique to the changes in pop the rap genre of the 2000's. However it is height of douche bag, f@ck boy era. This would have been my high school era...how did we not expect more from the lyrics and dudes. Get over yourself and your wanna be six pack for two minutes and not just sing about a girls boobs and ass and spending time in the backseat. Didn't age well boys, not every internal thought should be made into a song.
I'm not really into this. I'm at a 2.5 with it and gonna drop it to a 2 for over using the hidden track bit.
So Pharrell Williams is in this group, interesting. I've never heard of N.E.R.D. There's kind of an immature feeling to it, and it’s less edgy than it feels like it could be. And I was hoping for more bop. And what's with three hidden tracks, lol. That seems a tad much, and isn't the point of a hidden track to be at the very end of a CD that surprises you when you think the album is over? I do want to shout out Thrasher though, that did have edge AND bop AND Lenny, yum. Overall not terrible, but not really my jam.
I tried, but it just didn’t do anything for me.
Güzel yani okey
Interesting, liked the mix of styles and influences. 3/5
I’ve definitely heard of N.E.R.D before, but I’ll admit I knew nothing about them. I didn’t even know that Pharrell Williams was in a band before going solo, so perhaps I live under a rock. After seeing that a super-popstar was involved, I didn’t expect the album to be as rock influenced as it was. It’s a fascinating mashup of rock, pop, with some hip hop tendencies too. The only other person I can think of with a similar sound to this is Lupe Fiasco, which is definitely high praise. I liked this album much more than I expected to.
This album is a lot of fun and is very vibe-heavy in a good way. Something you can listen to and jam with both as your main focus or while doing something else. That said, one factor I put weight on that I question for this album is its repeatability. I'm not sure it's something I'd want to listen to in full with frequency, whereas I could see myself revisiting individual songs more often. It also lacks some range/depth that can really hammer home the impact of certain tracks (and what I think really helps make an album "great"), opting for the aforementioned vibes instead. Even with these qualms, it's a very solid album. Overall: 3.4/5
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album, but this was a pretty good listen. I see the genre is listed as rap rock, but it definitely leans more on the rock than the rap to my ears. I would listen to this again.
I listened to this entire album and I'm not sure what to make of it. Does it blend genres? Yes. Does it bring anything new to the table? Not necessarily. Was it memorable? Not at all.
I can see why people love this, pretty meh for me. I never actively disliked it, some of the songs were just missing some oomph for me. Cool to learn more about Pharrell even tho I'm not a huge fan, I feel like I should've heard of these guys before Rating: 3.2
I think I like this album. It is definitely a sound of a time, and I appreciate it. I actually love more experimental hip-hop, but I’m not sure I would listen to this again. Still, I think that’s a personal taste issue (not my style of experimental hip-hop), and I can’t fault NERD or the album for that.
Top stuff, and a most excellent follow-up to In Search Of... Key track for me (and I suspect for many) will be She Wants to Move; it is impossible to sit still and listen to this, you will be grooving or your money back (lawyer's note: no refunds will actually be given). If I could give half-stars it would be a 3.5 from me, but 3.5 rounds up to 4, so 4 it is :-)
Lyrically not so great, but in terms of a mash of musical styles coming together to create something unique, it's worthwhile I suppose!
It would be difficult for me to be less interested in this album. It just bores me. 1 star or F+.
#540. I couldn't really find much on this album I really think is all that interesting, but at the same time it's not bad or anything. 3/5: acceptable.
It's an OK album, but pretty forgettable.
Tää oli mun muistikuvissa paljon parempi lätty. 2.5
Ligesom med The Roots er jeg ikke sikker på, at det er det her album, jeg ville have taget med, men altså man kan ikke snakke om popmusik i den her æra uden at have Neptunes med i snakken
Der var nogen bangers til at starte med, men synes langt det meste var skippable
Twas alright. Not very consistent stylistically or quality-wise.
I hate N/E.R.D. and I really can't stand Pharrell, sorry
custom_rating:2
Meh
I respect Pharrell a lot as a producer, but have absolutely zero interest in listening to any of his music! Multiple times on this record where I audibly went "wow, this sucks"
It's alright I guess. So this is where Pharrell Williams started off. Ok. Good, but very clean, production. Very reminiscent of Outkast but more rocky. It's all catchy, but no particularly memorable tunes. And a couple of irritating bits. The single passed me by without noticing.
Had to find this on Youtube as strangely difficult to find on a streamer Worth the search - constantly skips between generes and bounces with energy
Pharrell is cool and this is a great album. It's unique. It's fun.
The lyrics feel like a fifteen year old's notebook, written for other fifteen year olds. Luckily for my ears, there are some good sounds here and some interesting mixes. I really don't care for the Neptunes and their all encompassing sound of the early 2000s (ditto for Timbaland, if we're keeping score) and plenty of that shows up here, but there's a lot more experimentation on top of it. Feels a little bit like failed beats that they turned into their own stuff by adding things deemed unlikely to be commercially successful plus Pharrell's ridiculous brain. A lot here: beatles, queen, uhhh, shitty guitar rock; just no focus. Anyway, this shit kinda sucks, liked it way less than I thought I would, but I bet some people have fond memories of it.
Not bad! Obv love the production but not all of it did it for me
Yeahhhhhh. This shit BANGS. Also Pharrell invented tyler the creator damn.
Idk it was okay. Really want to give it 2.5
"Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride." Awesome. 3.75
I love Pharrell but not sure about some of the colllabs on this album
meh
She likes to move is a banger from I used to watch MTV all the time, but the other tracks are pretty mediocre.
The music seems interesting for a few minutes, but then gets boring and repetitive pretty soon. Lyrics are just awful.
It was okay. Beats were good, but the lyrics and rhymes were just alright. Also lacks a lot of real standout songs. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Perfect album for a sunny day
Very good, more rocky than I was expecting. Will listen to again
I liked this quite a lot, although I think it could have afforded to be ten minutes shorter. Strong three.
Wow, I knew modern funk rock was generally boring but this is a new low
I prefer to die.
Full of good musical ideas executed in the worst possible way. And it aged very poorly. Good lyrics and delivery would have also be appreciated. The best was yet to come for Pharrell Williams.
Pop rap. Some good stuff for the radio i guess.
Love the variety of musical styles
eh
I've always been skeptical of Pharrell. He seems like a pretty big phony. Very smug. This music hits the same chords. Just learned Pharrell is Timbalands cousin.
Not bad! I connected with a few of the not "insanely horny dude" songs like Maybe & Wonderful Place (fun key change & cool backing vocals). Another cool dimension was reading into Pharell Williams' journey and how the band got Quest Love and Lenny Kravitz to help them out on a few songs. Im not a huge fan of any of those dudes, but they are everywhere in the industry today Last note: they seemed like a band that had the determination and grit to go for it (apparently the group didn't know how to play many of the instruments used before the album started). 2.5 stars and rounding down because it was too long
Pretty annoying kind of music. I forgot about this era where everyone thought rap-rock was cool and innovative. I like Pharrell a whole lot more as a producer than a vocalist (side note: if I could remove one song from history, it'd be Happy. Fuck Despicable Me). The background vocals on this (like JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!) make me really mad. Who is this music for??? Was tempted to give 2 stars bc the production is interesting sometimes and they could arguably get some points for experimenting. But ultimately, I wanted to skip every song after 30 seconds – and I pretty much did
I hated just about every second of this.
Kind of average - Beastie Boys did it way better
An interesting album. Some cool grooves and arrangements.
3- Stars (7/15)
'Well god forbid / Something goes wrong / You call / The police'; 'Shit happens, hey, just blow it off, whooo'; 'You must think you're Orson Wells / And this is 1954.' Pharrell really is a genius, and there are a plethora of artists who'd never have come around if weren't for this mishmash of rock, rap, and funk: Anderson .Paak, The Internet, Tyler, to name a few. But the genre is inventive, and influential, while the album leaves me wanting more. There's no song here I'm in love w/ - not even 'Thrasher,' which boasts the get-you-going chorus 'Fuck him up!' Is it lacking perspective to say that I wish this album was 'braver'? It feels like an irrational demand, but it's all I can come up w/ - if not 'braver,' at least less trivial, more bound to realize.
Sounding ok, still nothing to add to favs
Meh
Was expecting a rap album but despite Pharrel William's pedigree as a producer this is straight pop-rock without a rhyme to be seen. Hendrix and George Michael influences permeate. Its fascinating to see how identifiable the Neptunes production is despite the change of genre. Don't Worry About It is blues number with a monotone bassline, stripped back percussion with occasional organs and psych rock guitars orbiting. The middle section smooths out with the addition of a chorus before going back to the stripped out style at the end. Fly or Die is basically pop-rock with some vaguely soulful elements. Jump continues the pop themes with a syncopated and anxious drum track. Backseat Love brings back the Hendrix influences with bluesy guitars, bass and hammonds. She Wants to Move is like an anxious Faith, combining acoustic guitars with rolling toms. Breakout is an indie pop number with almost pop-punk lyrics. Wonderful Place lounges into a crescendo in the chorus with a synth line to imitate the horns. The album takes a sampler's approach to influences. Drill Sergeant almost sounds like a Beatles track. Preservation has brief moments of Faith No More. Thrasher is one of the few tracks with a hip hop beat, combining honky-tonk piano with raw electric guitar playing the same chord. The Way She Dances is the standout with some nice diminished chord breakdowns. The back half of the album starts to recycle themes and ideas and its not exactly boundary pushing in the first place. That being said the production achieves a lot with a limited palette and the fact that they learned their instruments for the album speaks a lot to their raw talent.
This caught me completely off guard. I think I'd maybe heard of N.E.R.D at some point but I couldn't have told you anything about their music. I definitely couldn't have told you that Pharrell was involved. Now that really caught me off guard. This was such an interesting journey. I do mean journey. It's its own kind of trip through genre and attitude, moods and messages, seriousness and levity. There's rock, hip-hop, rap, funk, soul, R&B, and more all crammed into one album. That makes this so hard to compare to something else, to find context to fit it into because it differs so much from other things that I have personally heard. The closest things I can think of are the Beastie Boys (for the joining of genres) and a group like OutKast (for the fact that they truly seem to be a group, maybe even a band). There's some stuff here I really liked, stuff that scratched the rock itch but did so with enough innovation and variation from cliches and the norms of the genre that it made it interesting. Even on tracks where I thought the lyrics were lacking, the instrumentation never, ever was. It always gave you something to bop to, even if it started to feel a little repetitive by the end. Overall this was great, but I do still find myself lacking anything amazingly insightful to say about this. A second listen is warranted and necessary. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Don't Worry About It, Fly or Die, Jump, Breakout, Drill Sergeant
2.5
Interesting
interesting stuff
Honestly, didn't expect to find nerd rap. It's alright
80/100. Fly or Die by N.E.R.D is a great album that seamlessly fuses neo-soul, R&B, and rock into a unique and energetic sound. The production is top-notch, and the album flows effortlessly from track to track. The genre-blending approach keeps things fresh and engaging.
I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but seeing this album doesn’t exactly make me think I will be listening to a masterpiece. Also reading that Pharrell Williams is in this group doesn’t really give me high expectations. At times, the album certainly exceeded those expectations. Some songs are incredibly catchy and there are some nice jazzy moments in it. There were also songs, however, that I just couldn’t bring myself to like (Fly or Die, She Wants To Move). The features by Lenny Kravitz didn’t do much for me either. Favourite songs: Don’t Worry About It, Breakout, Wonderful Place, Maybe
Found a new love for NERD although there was some parts of this album I was a bit BORED favs Don’t worry about it Jump Backseat love She wants to move The way she dances
Weird one. Music was pretty good but the lyrics were all pretty vapid. Didn't mind listening to it, wouldn't change it if it came on, but I also wouldn't play it on purpose.
Not my cup of tea. The songs seemed repetitive and simple. I found myself skipping through song after song hoping to find something interesting but unfortunately I didn’t.
Didn’t go quite hard enough.
Okay I mean. I liked it and then it got weird and then I liked it again. The songs with the features were the best.
sounds a bit of an anomaly now, saw them live one time and they were a bit all over the shop
Can’t believe this was made by a man made out of legos
Gostei
This was a jam, very clever and innovative stuff IMO. Also reminds me of 2004 which is always a good time.
Die
It's a catch 22. His voice doesn't work for the music they are playing. And I think he knows it. He tries to hide how smooth and soulful his voice really is when he tries to growl out some of these lyrics. But at the same time without his voice it would just be a generic band. It's. Ok.
not bad as I thought
Favorite Track: Breakout
I'd never heard this album before and it's genuinely unique in sound. The rock blended with the lyrical flow is very different. But still not mind blowing for me.
I like the genre bending, but I’m not sure I liked any of the songs. The jazzy tones bore me and the lyrics were shallow for the most part.
Truly: Phine
Disappointing after loving the singles
This album kind of settles into a groove somewhere in the middle, it took me a couple tracks to really get into it.
Tylsä levy ja todella matalamielisiä lyriikoita. 2/5
Hendrix : Kravitz :: OutKast : NERD Incredibly repetitive songs that get boring 1 minute in. Smug eclecticism that dabbles in a lot of genres without going beyond the surface of their sound, so you get lots of boring fuzzy guitar riffs, generic jazziness, bland RnB horns, corny rap bravura, perky charmless britpop jangle, and annoying emo melodies. A good argument for keeping the producers behind the boards.
Not what I was expecting, enjoyed more than I thought I would…
As a Tyler the Creator fan I really enjoyed this, as I see bits and pieces that influenced some of my favorite songs by him, like "Okaga, CA" It is a eclectic album, as I hear rap and r&b, but also progressive pop. Very good definitely will listen again.
mehhhhhhhhh
2 - This felt like it was trying to write hits through the whole album. Super processed and not much soul personally
I don't think the sound has aged super well. Some songs like Drill Sergeant sound super corny - maybe they always did. But generally the hooks are undeniable, the Neptunes production chops are there on full display. The early 2000s feels like the new 80s. Catchy songs with a sound that has aged badly, rife for guilty pleasures. Fave Tracks: Fly or Die, She Wants to Move, The Way She Dances 3.2/5
Nuria: 3 Jaime: 2
What a disappointment, given the musical talent making up N.E.R.D. Didn't resonate with me. High 2*.
It’s good and I love that Pharrell gets some love from this list. He’s one of the most exciting songwriters working right now. The rock-rap thing was established by the Aughts; this is a great example of it. I just liked N.E.R.D.’s first album more.
Its not horrible but it is forgettable. One and done.
The music is okay but the longer I listened the more dumb the lyrics felt. I get the concept of merging rock and hip hop but this did not work like the Linkin Park/ Jay Z album.
Very creative & energetic, but feels disjointed. I don’t love the musical palette.
Started off great with Don’t Wooty about it and Fly or Die but got to the low point mid album with sophomoric Backseat Love and She Wants to Move. Luckily it ended ok so overall a 3
PHARELL WILLIAMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
🎧I recall liking She Wants To Move as a kid. Today, not so much. Nothing particularly noteworthy or memorable here. I hope to never hear Jump again. Favorite track: Maybe
я на 100% забыла что они существовали. они норм но не мой жанр
Really really good, not what I was expecting
This is honestly one of the few albums on the list I don't have an opinion with either way. I'm disinterested and really I would categorize this as mediocre and not essential at all and though there are some redeeming qualities in some the songs, it wasn't enough for a second listen. I'm sure if I listened more carefully, I might get more out of it. I don't hate it, but it's not good.
Never knew how Pharrell got his 'start', but I am not surprised he is so widely respected and acclaimed after listening to this gem. N.E.R.D I have heard of in passing, but I've never actually heard of their stuff until now. Super cool, exactly what I would expect from a younger Pharrell. The songs tell stories in more ways than one - Pharrell's vivid lyrics, the constantly changing tempo, wide variety of instruments, etc. I liked it A LOT, from beginning to end. No one song really jumped out at me... but still, good times.
Was familiar never heard now I have not too bad
It’s funny because I’m really familiar with the vocals on this album from hearing all the remixes over the years, but I’ve only listened to the original tracks a handful of times. Overall, this is a fun, enjoyable album if you’re looking for something light, easy, and surface level. It’s upbeat, playful, and full of unpredictable shifts, crossing over lots of genres and keeping things danceable throughout.
This isn't an album i would have chosen to listen to but glad I did, that's the good thing about this album generator. It takes you out of your comfort zone by getting you to listen to stuff you otherwise wouldn't. I thought the album was very well put together both musically and vocally
No strong feelings about this, some fun songs but didn't leave much of an impression on me. The mix of rock and hip-hop is cool though.
Not available on UK Apple Music it seems ... and that always makes it a bit annoying to listen to. I've never really got the NERD hype. Pharrel obviously has a golden touch ... but the universal love in for NERD always confused my slightly. It's OK. Expertly produced, poppy, catchy ... a bit bland? It's OK.
< In Search Of (by far)
Hearing such a young Pharrell make waves across the industry is interesting. Album screams 2004 and though is not to my taste, it is a sample wonderland. Many of my favorite moments are the "hidden tracks," which are inaccessible due to format without the surrounding track they are hidden inside of. 2.5/5
Fine, I guess.
No, sorry. This is too bad. I hate this. Urrrrrr, some of this is not that bad, but it's overall just weird in a bad sense. And the sound is not very pleasing. It's probably a 1.5/5.
Słuchając tego myślałem sobie, że może czarni ludzie powinni zostać przy czarnej muzyce, a biali przy białej. Przeczytałem potem, że pracując nad tym albumem chłopaki *zaczęli* uczyć się grać na instrumentach, żeby móc wykonywać własne utwory na żywo. To by tłumaczyło ten nudny instrumental. Jakby nie ma nic jednoznacznie złego w tym albumie, ale jest po prostu nieciekawy.
I had to listen to this album twice because i forgot i listened to it. And for once it's not my fault. This is THE POP MUSIC album. The poppest, safe, easy to sell with edges that look like perfect orb, perfectly medicore. I gained nothing and I'm 2 hours closer to my death.
Kind of all over the place. Not terrible but not really my style.
This band feels like they're trying to do way too much at the same time. There's too many influences informing their music that don't work together to me.
This was ok, not my favorite but did grow on me as it went
Meh.
Absolute vibe.
Pharrell’s Boner Jams ‘04.
Blatant cash grab riding the 00s rap rock wave, but the ride is not unpleasant.
Surprisingly fun rap rock album by Pharrell and those other guys - at least until we’re halfway in, at which point N.E.R.D. seem to lose focus and produce one boring middle of the road song after another. Still going to be kind to Fly Or Die due to the blast that is the first half.
It sounds like they had a lot of fun making this album. That being said I don't think it was all that good.
Interesting. Will likely return to their stuff.
If you don't like this you hate fun.
hmm. this one was hard. I like some tunes, like Fly or Die and Drill Sergant and a few othes, overall, it's just not really my style I gues.
Fine. Don't think I needed this in my life though.
NERD, the band that refused to be "genrerised" (is that a word?) Similar to Outkast, echoes of Prince, shades of Hendrix, shades of Flaming Lips...in it you find you've got jazz, you've got rock, you've got hip hop- just so layered with all sorts of music, noises and gear shifts. Pharrell obviously going on to pretty big stuff since.
1 banger Lots of mash
After getting the Neptunes in small doses throughout the list, here they finally have their own album! Often fun and funky, has a kind of bar band atmosphere that wears thin by the end. I bet I’d enjoy this album more in the summer! December 23, 2024
I mean, its not great. But its not terrible, either - Its pretty decent. 3/5
Unexpectedly better than I thought it would be
An uncommitted reprise of In Search Of (which ought to be here instead of this).
If you want to be reductive, N*E*R*D was the jumping-off point for Pharrell Williams' career after The Neptunes failed to materialize much success. If you want to be cool, N*E*R*D was the goofy intersection of R&B and rock music after both genres proliferated in an industry that effectively siloed the two. Fly Or Die is an unconventional representation of youth culture in a post-9/11 America: upbeat, restless, and desperate for hope. Is it the most musically coherent album? Far from it. Much of Fly Or Die feels more like messing around than actually executing a complete artistic vision to the fullest extent, but there's certainly some merit to the music these guys made. I can't hate too much.
First off nerd is just a rubbish name for a group and making it into an acronym of no one ever dies makes it worse. I kinda just thought Pharrell popped out of the ground with doing happy. You can tell it’s him through the voice which is cool, but he’s almost too smooth for the heavier cuts on this. For the poppier moments the album actually has quite a nice sound. The suggested artists on Spotify for this group is interesting to me as there’s things that are quite good like a tribe called quest then the abhorrent annoyance that is missy elliot! I honestly felt that the first three tracks were good then then it dips for two songs (including the albums biggest track) breakout then picks it up a bit then the whole thing of multiple songs on one track doesn’t work as there’s no medley or anything so while the songs are actually good here that pissed me off, it kinda goes into a sea of mediocrity but maybe is an absolutely amazing song. 3/5 in total though
This album was really a let-down after that amazing first album by N.E.R.D. I mean, this really isn't bad, but they played if safe, never reached the heights they can achieve.
Emo Hip Hop? This sounds perfect for US college radio, with its mix of guitar and beats. A little too perfect, as it sounded formulaic to me. Pleasant enough, but not one I would revisit.
I wasn't expecting this to be so guitar heavy. It was refreshing to hear lyrics that I could understand, and also had a social conscience. Oh. Hang on. Just heard: "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride." Scrub that social conscience. The Daisy Age this isn't.
Really thought I was gonna like this, but it was hot trash.
Algjör þristur. Ekkert slæmt við þetta, en múvar mig ekki á sama hátt og margar aðrar plötur frá þessu tímabili. Þetta eru flottir strákar og miklir tónlistamenn. Pharrell og frændi hans Timbaland eru flottir pródúserar. Gaman að fá smá Lenny Kravitz.
Aldrei heyrt þetta. Pharell er ágætur. Sum lög fín, önnur ekki eins skemmtileg.
Never heard of this band (collective?) before. Was not expecting much but I liked almost every minute of it. It has an indie/soul (is that a thing?) feel to it. I can't imagine this made it to top 40 radio in my market but I don't know that for sure. Harkens back to old school soul music from the likes of Al Green, The Temptations or Curtis Mayfield; all great touchstones for me. Very enjoyable. 4 stars
Oh my God. I love this album so much and did NOT expect to see it here. What a great surprise. I didn't know that anybody really knew about this album. Pharrell's funk rock album. It's just awesome. It's cool to see other people recognize it as special.
Masters of production, they likes girls
am i crazy or did this suck. the track Maybe didn’t seem so bad, but that might’ve just been the stockholm syndrome at that point
Not really digging the lyrics. The beats and rhythms were good. Pharrell did better as a solo artist with his pop music, at least in the singing.
C'est peut-être pas un album révolutionnaire, mais j'ai trouvé sa fusion de rock/hip-hop assez intéressante pour un point bonus
I remember this fondly and was glad to revisit it. I enjoyed this first time around about 5 years ago, and was mortified to discover it was actually 20. The birth of Pharrell as a super producer seems like a valid entry to this list and the quality of arrangement, production and feel are all top notch. There isnt much in the way of rapping and song writing but its still fun
Like a few albums that came out around the time the first edition of this book came out, I think Fly Or Die has benefitted from a generous helping of recency bias with its inclusion here. I think this album has aged like milk. It sounds incredibly dated. Trying to do a bit of Prince, a bit of Aerosmith, and not really as satisfying as either. 2 stars solely for She Wants To Move, or it would be a 1 all day
..
This is a fun album, but it’s not perfect. I am tired and am too lazy to write an actual review.
2/5 kinda bad
How the hell has Pharrell managed to get his finger into so many pies over the years? It's a fun album of jazzy rap-rock, but I do feel that after an hour it starts to get a little tiresome. I don't think the tracks are strong enough to carry it for that long. If you like Pharrell a lot you'll probably enjoy this a lot. I thought it was alright.
Liebe das Album. Backseat Love immer noch ein Hit.
På förhand var jag bombsäker på en etta. Efter lyssning så blev det i alla fall en tvåa.
At one point, I think that I liked this album, but on a re-listen, I'm not so sure. Not a big fan of Pharrell's voice.
vid första lite slarvigare lyssningen så gillade jag det mer men sen vid nogrannare hörlurslyssning så gillar jag det inte alls. men en pluspoäng för att dom spelar själva och att det verkligen är nyskapande och att lyssnaren inte fattar vilken genre det är. men skit ner dig nu.
N.E.R.D. will always have a space in Hip-Hop lore because of their versatility. The way this album has so many different genres flowing through it is what makes it so great. They did a lot of different things very well on here and they also made it make sense. I understand the low ratings because people in general have a hard time with things when they can’t find a box to place it in. So they reject it because they just can’t compute it. I implore you to put what you usually think something of a certain genre should sound like and try to listen with an open mind. It might sound way different to you plus that’s what this project is all about! Fantastic album, legendary collective, 757 forever!
This was fun
I think I first heard N.E.R.D on a sampler album from Adidas that I got from a mall shoe store. Remember malls? I liked the single well enough to buy a couple of their albums. I basically never spin them up in their entirety these days, but I enjoy it when the songs I've liked come up on shuffle (particularly "Fly or Die" and "Thrasher"). The whole album holds up a little better than I was expecting. Good stuff. 4.2
It was fine.
Pharrell and co have been very influential in modern music but this album just isn’t good. I would have maybe expected their first album to be the one on this list.
Pretty solid. Unsurprising that Pharrell is goated.
Fine, funny in parts, but overall pretty boring.
This had aggressively mediocre side project energy.
unfortunately i find Pharrell rly annoying and that cast a pretty major shadow over this
I didn't hate this but I also didn't particularly enjoy any of it
This is #day97 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to another record from 2004 that I didn't know about. Nothing is outstanding here, except learning there's Pharell, whom I've always found extremely annoying. Again, what's the significance of this album to earn its entry on the list? This is nowhere near must-listen, not to mention must-listen before you die. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5 solely due to my sentiment for the year it was released. Looking forward to #day98.
I was looking forward to this since I like some of the newer N.E.R.D, but this is not the best. There's something about some songs that just sound off. Overall, not bad, but not as good as I was expecting.
Funky, very 2000s sounding album. Interesting to see a new side of Pharrell Williams. Probably wouldn't relisten but was interesting.
I liked it a lot. Worth listening to several times and added some to my faves playlist. It was a surprise find. I’d heard of NERD but had never listened.
The hell is this? Hip hop? Pop? New Jack Swing? Cross-over? Whatever it tried to be, it failed. This is, without hyberbole, one of the WORST albums I've been served on this 1001 list. Ive at least finished listening to all the 1 star albums - here I just found myself skipping every song. SH*T
This was strange 2.5 stars
Kinda weird, but not terrible?
She wants To move 🕺
Nice enough
I heard breakout randomly whilst working out 2 years and probably listened to it over 100 times that year. first time listening to any of the other songs but they were all right. liked Lemon and Jump the most aside from Breakout
Exceptional rock rap infusion. Very well done.
Chad and Pharrell were always fun to keep up with back when these N.E.R.D. albums were coming out. Plenty of nostalgia when going back and listening to the first three ground breaking albums. As time has gone on Pharrell seemed to embrace Curtis Mayfield’s vocal delivery and songwriting style, there’s only hints of that on here. These songs have plenty of originality and forward thinking creatively while wearing their influences on their sleeve. A lot of Pharrell’s production style is on full display here. He always chooses dryer mixes reminiscent of Stevie Wonders albums. Tight drums, dynamic bass, guitar and keys with lots of movement. Rarely are his songs anywhere close to being overly lush or ambient or beaten up with compression. 4.5
I never really got into NERD's first album, so I never really knew they had additional albums. I'm phamiliar with Pharrell, but I couldn't tell you any song that I like of his. He is regarded as a great producer/performer. So far, the title track is alright. I was going to say this has a slight Lenny Kravitz vibe, then I see that he makes an appearance, lol. Drill Sergeant is is groovy, then it turns into a Flash Gordon tune. Strange and interesting. I enjoyed this album. I give it a 3.4
I know some of the N.E.R.D. singles and the Pharrell solo tunes, but I haven't heard a full album. This feels a bit like either Jamiroquai plus distorted guitars, or TV On The Radio plus jazz keys. Upbeat and catchy with groove and momentum, it's easy to enjoy and fun even if it stays a bit shallow and on the surface. The first half is musical junk food. You gorge on the confections and get a sugar rush, but ultimately, you realize the empty calories don't offer much real sustenance. The second half expands on the sound and direction and takes a bit more chances, though they are a bit too calculated and cautious to fully embrace much deviation from the formula. "Drill Sergeant", "Thrasher", and "Maybe" are highlights here.
Eclectic, energetic, fun, party music. Strikes a balance between creative and slick.
Bouncy, pitchy, goofy pop rock. The songs are kind of hit-or-miss, but I can appreciate this. It’s pretty fun, and Pharrell knows how to write a hook. Best song: Wonderful Place
76% Best: Don't Worry About It; She Wants To Move; Drill Sergeant/Preservation; Maybe; The Way She Dances Must-Hear? Not quite
I thought this was newer than it was. Anyway, it was pretty decent. I thought it was accessible rap for people like me who don’t really like rap. Kinda reminded me of OutKast but less eccentric. Not something I’d return to but I didn’t mind it.
Much better than I thought this would be. Some banging tunes.
I wasn’t expecting to like this album. Fell into the classic “ don’t judge a record by its cover” but I enjoyed it. Will I listen to it again… maybe!
Sorry what even was this!? I recognised THE one song but the rest of it was just highly irritating. Couldn't bear it. Particularly the weird song about a baby judging it's mother. Another weird paternalistic song singing about a trouble mother.. how many similar songs for men are there? Does my nut in
Absolutely not. So many weird, misogynistic lyrics here and generally just crap. Backseat Love is just a rape song right? Look at these lyrics: I was walking, down the street Saw this girl, she smell so sweet Hey, baby She start running, so I gave chase How they get them sapphires in yo face? Hey, baby So we start walking, and holding hands But she don't know, that daddy got plans I'm gon' get her in my car In the backseat and show her a rock star WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!
I'm not sure if it was my mood, but I thoroughly detested this album. It feels like low-grade pop rock, and yet another album that makes me question why it's on the list.
Not completely repellent but nothing I would listen to again. I think I understand what they were going for. They didn’t get there.
This didn't seem to age well. Even the singles seemed tired at this point.
I'm not sure it deserves to be on the list, but I didn't hate any part of this album. Pretty standard pop/rock with some hip-hop influences. It was completely fine.
Mixed feelings about this. Varied, interesting styles, and not as "gangsta" as the cover might suggest . A bit misogynistic especially in the opening track which set the wrong tone for me, but it picked up. Bit of an Outkast vibe but generally quite listenable, though I'm unlikely to seek it out again.
1. uuorry - 0 2. fly - 0 3. jump - 0 4. love - 0 5. move - 0 6. breakout - 0 7. place - 0 8. drill - 0 9. trazher - 0 10. maybe - 0 11. dancez - 0 12. fire - 0 I GIVE THEM A ZERO RATING BUT NOT AN OPTION. FUCKKNG SUCK BALLS !!!!!!!!!!!
Album is aight. Kinda sounded like pharrel
Obviously afflicted by the same early-00s hip-hop shirt drought that hit Outkast on the Stankonia album cover. Casual sexism aside, this is pretty good, just three guys goofing around and having fun with beats and guitars.
Oof, this one was a tough listen for me. I really didn't know what Pharrell's background was, to me he showed up in like 2013 singing on "Blurred Lines" (very bad), "Get Lucky" (ok), and his own "Happy" (also bad). Apparently he was part of a production duo called The Neptunes, and then him and the other Neptunes guy formed this rap-rock band called N.E.R.D (No-one Ever Really Dies). That's the history. I'll be honest, I was already little negatively polarized on Pharrell (though him making Maggie Rogers famous was cool I guess), and this didn't really help. The rap-rock thing can occasionally work for me, but here it just felt like barely rap combined with completely uninspired pop-rock beats. The lyrics were rough too, it feels like something an 18-year old might write, but he was 31 when this came out. There is the occasional catchy beat here and there, and his vocals are fine, but the good parts are few and far between on a fairly long album. One of the things that people give them credit for was learning the instruments so they could play this live (which I guess they didn't for their first album). I guess that's a little impressive, but maybe just stick to your thing next time. Favorite song: She Wants To Move Other: Breakout, Maybe 10/24/24
Not my favorite N.E.R.D album, but still solid.
Amazing, never heard it before, was enjoying every song
Interesting musically. Hints of Hendrix both vocally and musically. Not what I expected. Better than Dylan
This was pretty good. Had never heard of this group before. Overall a solid album.
Before listening to this, the only NERD song I knew was Lapdance, so that’s what I was expecting from this album. It was way catchier than I expected and to nobody’s surprise, my favorite track was the one with the guys from Good Charlotte. 3.5 rounded up to 3.
Another I thought I’d like more than I did. Pharrell is one of those behind the scenes guys whose music he does or writes for other artists (e.g., Senorita by Justin Timberlake) I usually enjoy. This had some interesting stuff, but only merits a 3.
This was ok
See why it's here. It's inventive and no doubt has been a huge influence on many artists but weirdly I've heard those same artists do it a bit more consistently across an album. Saying that the album really picks up on the second half. Maybe is a great track, The Way She Dances too. Couldn't shake the word patchy from my brain as I listened. I love The Neptunes stuff and the first N*E*R*D* record but this one left me a bit flat and cold. However there is stuff here I would revisit though so going to give it a 3* in the hope I change my mind over time? Think I expected more from such boundary pushing producers.
I pretty consistently enjoy these albums more when I listen with headphones as opposed to just from my phone speakers, and it's extra noticable when I end up splitting an album half speakers/half headphones... Which is what happened with this one. I enjoyed the second half (headphones) much more than I was enjoying the first half (speakers). This was better than I was expecting based on the album art and wiki summary! It's an interesting mix on genres, and doesn't sound super 2004 like I was expecting. The two Lenny Kravitz collabs were the best tracks on the album, but the other songs weren't bad. Some of the lyrics definitely had me 🤔😂 though. Pleasantly surprised but not blown away.
Liked it more than I thought. First half of the album is strong but it does drop off in the latter half. Still, I'll probably revisit this one in the future.
Surprisingly fun Black Eyes Peas-ish album.
The André 3000 x Andy Samberg collab the world didn't know it needed
Mjoah, ganz ok, aber nicht meins
Hab etwas mehr erwartet. Bin aber auch kein Fan von Pharrell. Kein lied Erinnerungswürdig außer she wants to move
Alrigjt
Not bad. Didn't expect to like this album.
I don't like this album as much as "In Search Of...", but it has a fair share of good tracks. There's a couple of notably weak ones, too, mind.
2.8
My first impression of this was pretty good. I'm not a fan of hip-hop and the rock parts were simplistic to say the least, but the singing was good and the sound felt fresh, even though the concept has been attempted many times before. But really, as cool as it sounds to learn instruments just for one album, we can hear that you really can't do very much with it. This album could have been way better with experienced session musicians and not limiting instruments to being played as simply as possible. Songwriting also seemed to taper off on the second half.
Yllätyin positiivisesti ja nasta kun mukana on oiket soittimet. Reilu kolmonen tälle!
Ei ollu erikoinen.
Decent, had some nice songs, there were misses too though
Lyrics and grooves were good. Kept me interested throughout the whole thing.
Classical Pharrell - hip hop w/ rock and pop
Catchy but i found myself wishing i was listening to something else
This is way more varied and interesting than I was expecting. There's some funky tunes in here, some laid back grooves, and a great array of instruments. The album as a whole is generally pretty cool, and it's well put together.
2.5/5
This album was pretty cheesy but I gotta say that they blended genres pretty well which I was not expecting. All of the songs sound a little different and non-cohesive which makes this feel like a playlist instead of an album. Despite this, the contents were pretty dull and not memorable.
Love Pharrell but always thought he wasn’t great on the vocals. Just preference. Obviously production off the charts. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not typically my type of music, but generally infectious.
Very nice
It's a weird album, and I've enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Funky, R&B vibes with heavy rock. 4/5!
Cool
all over the place. the rap songs were very bad but the funk/soul stuff was pretty good. sounded childish gambino ish at times
Idk
Fine but uninteresting
I think I really liked this album a lot. I ended up listening to it on repeat about four times while on the computer just unwinding. There is an era of music I think this fits neatly into and that 2004 date does not surprise me at all. Its hard to get into the technical aspects because it overall just took me such surprise. I read some reviews which I don't want to do for any other album but something I saw the idea of these musicians subverting the expectation by creating such a different style of music than they normally do. I don't know if it was that exactly or the lack of sleep but I greatly enjoyed this album all the way through, I mean my god, Lenny Kravitz. Amazing.
The lead guitar and drums make this album incredible. The songs on the surface level seem very standard early 2000's but the drums and lead guitar bring everything to another level and keep it groving throughout the album
I liked this album way more than I thought I would. I don't usually listen to Pharrell and I'm not as familiar with the other band members, but I liked multiple songs from this album. I do think the first of the album is stronger than the second half, but I didn't hate the second half. Sorry not sorry 'Jump' is an absolute banger. Going to look up their other albums and listen to more by this band for sure.
The album is listened as hip hop but I felt that rock suited this project much more. It’s got a blend of genres and I see the masterful production behind each track. I did not feel particularly energized by the tracks even though that was clearly the objective of the project.
Voice sounds strange
Easy to listen to but no real standouts.
There's plenty of great production on this album, but Pharrell is his own enemy here. He has negative charisma, negative sex appeal, and comes off like a major dork who doesn't realize he's a major dork. There's also like, three hidden tracks? What's up with that? I'm cool with one at the end, but there's two smack dab in the middle of the project, back to back even. Weird.
This was barreling towards *1 territory until the two tracks featuring LK came up. These were not banger tracks either, but I was able to find enough of a groove to keep this out of the basement.
At first, I thought this sure does sound like a band trying to emulate Prince and Lenny Kravitz, only to then see that two tracks feature Kravitz. Those songs probably keep it out of 1* territory. But as I paid more attention to the ridiculous elementary lyrics I thought this must be what Spinal Tap would sound like as rap band. Tough listen. N.O.P.E.
Those who can’t do, teach. I think Pharrell’s talents fit much more behind the mixing board than they do behind the mic.
I hated the vocals on this. Like literally the way their voices sounded. And the mix. And their breathy and weird inflections. Very amateur. A shame because I thought some of the songs had potential. Although there were a couple moments where I was like “wait, isn’t this just a Pharrell song? Get lucky? Or happy?” I don’t care enough to look up which songs. I also thought Maybe “borrowed” some parts from popular songs.
I like the vibes and NERD generally but this album fell a little flat to me. I couldn’t help wonder throughout, “when’s that Happy song gonna come on?” lol 3.5/5
Haha this really kinda sucks. I had a favorable impression of NERD from the only album I'd ever heard by them, and still quote rhyming on top of a cop car all the time, apropos of no appropriate situation. I respect that they learned instruments or whatever, but it starts boring and only the weird fishing vignette, and a couple more catchy ones at the end save this from a one.
Immediately hooked by the funk and the vibe keeps hold. So much talent in this group making cross-genre songwriting and instrumentation seamless and groovy.
Yo... this guy kinda sounds like Pharrell Williams. Although the first couple of songs didn't get me, the rest were enjoyable. Just as is the rest of Pharrell's projects. 3.5/5.
I was excited about this one! Remembered loving them back in the day. I only like "She Wants to Move"
Good album, I enjoyed the funk style
Certainly different. mix of a lot of things and that makes it good. Fun and inventive.
Meh. Their first album was better.
- Irgendwie ganz cool. Habe noch nie von denen gehört. - Klingt ab und zu als hätten sie sich manchmal sehr von RATM inspirieren lassen. In anderen Songs geht der Flair wieder komplett verloren. - Das Durchhören hat Spaß gemacht, bestimmte Songs sind aber nicht hängen geblieben 3,5/5
Rubbish
Jájá, hreint ekki slæmt. Gæti alveg hlustað aftur.
I don't think I've ever heard of N.E.R.D. before, but I'm familiar with Pharrell's production work. This sounds like it could be an interesting album, so I'm excited to jump into it. This album was a pleasant surprise. I didn't listen to a lot of current music when this came out, and this isn't the type of thing I'd gravitate towards today, so I was shocked that I enjoyed this. I think Pharrell is an excellent producer, and his skills were on display here. This album had a really unique style, and the deeper I got into the album, the more I enjoyed it. I wasn't a big fan of the lyrics, but musically, the songs were really catchy, and I never found myself getting bored with it. This isn't the type of album that I'd probably go back to, but I appreciate its unique sound and the quality of the production work.
T.U.R.D. …just kidding, a bit. It’s not bad, but it’ll wear your patience thin.
A weird one. Tries a lot of stuff, mostly trying to blend pop with a ton of other genres, to various successes. I remember "She Wants To Move" being on MTV a toooon back in the day. It's still probably my favorite song on here, but mostly because I didn't find many tracks I truly "loved", mostly just some I appreciated. Call it a 2.5. Favorite tracks: "She Wants To Move", "Thrasher"
N.E.R.D heeft een aantal hele gave nummers, maar ik heb nooit de behoefte gevoeld om een album van ze aan te schaffen of, zoals dat vooral ging in die tijd, te downloaden. Daarom vraag ik me vooraf een beetje af in hoeverre ze in deze lijst thuis horen. En ik vraag me af of "In Search Of..." geen beter album is voor in deze lijst. Dat is het debuutalbum nota bene. Maargoed, we gaan Vlieg of Sterf luisteren van Niemand Ooit Echt Sterft. En dan blijkt dit album toch best aardig te bevallen. Het album klinkt alsof het z'n tijd een aardig stukje vooruit is door onder andere de Thundercat-achtige baslijntjes. Niet alle tracks zijn even geslaagd (Jump), maar al met al toch wel een lekker album. Heeft wel een klein beetje het Outkast syndroom, dat het allemaal wat lang doorgaat en dat het soms wel heel creatief maar niet per se fijn is. Tussen de 3 en de 4. Ik hou het op een 3. Doe mij toch maar gewoon Rockstar, Lapdance en She Wants to Move in een playlist-rotatie.
It’s funny because I’m really familiar with the vocals on this album from hearing all the remixes over the years, but I’ve only listened to the original tracks a handful of times. Overall, this is a fun, enjoyable album if you’re looking for something light, easy, and surface-level. It’s upbeat, playful, and full of unpredictable shifts, crossing over lots of genres and keeping things danceable throughout.
Not a Pharrell fan but this is better than his solo stuff
Ah, so this is why Pharrell is a star… Enjoyed this one a lot. Big fan.
God awful singing. Unremarkable
Diverse, funky, captivating
Pleasant listening - super light, rap-influenced hip-hop and pop, a bit of R'nB. The album cover accurately represents the college boy sound within. Bet this was a big hit in the frat houses.
pharrell williams what are you doing here!!! estuvo bueno 7.5/10
还阔以
not my bag but alright. Real good melodies, not abrasive... just nothing special to take away from the listening experience
Loves the single from this. The rest of the album is fine, not sure it needed to be in this list though.
She Want's To Move is good, but besides that it's rubbish.
Catchy, smooth, and cool. Much better than I expected.
How can something so boring also be so irritating?
8/10. It was very interesting, and not what I expected in a hip hop album at all. The first half was really interesting, and cool, while the album wore off as it progressed. :)
I'm not sure what this album was supposed to be.
Much more boring than I thought it would be.
Possibly a worse cover than Casanova by The Divine Comedy. 2004. Another one where I say "Why is this on the list?" Also, more hip hop? I suppose it's popular. Pharrel Williams is in this band, and that guy has become more successful than all but 3 other people IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET. At a previous job, we would have an all-hands meeting with some teams under a director, whose meeting this was. After the song "Happy" came out, this director (a 60 year old woman) would play that song at the beginning of every all hands, while everyone came in to the meeting room. Every meeting. What a nightmare. A real Office Space moment. So, between that and this album cover, today's listening is already tainted. But, we press on, don't we. A lot of people don't like Yes or Pere Ubu, either. Uh, this guy (Pharrell) is a good singer. Like really good. Songs are legitimately clever for the most part, interesting and have a bit of variety. And they rock, I am loathe to admit. Or maybe it's low key parody? Why not both? Pleasantly surprised. Couple mainstream reviews calling it prog-pop? Not bad.
A great effort went into writing and producing this album. Points for vocal harmonies on several tracks. Good job by the rhythm section. Still a bit limited with tracks sounding like copypasta.
This was really good ! 3*
Meh.
At first sight, I judged a book by its cover and thought I would hate this album, by track 4 I was hooked I knew some of these songs, fly or die and she wants to move. Massive tunes!! This album has it all. Hip hop, Jazz, pop and even more. Favourite song: she wants to move Least favourite song: all good Album cover: Good cover
I'll admit, I'm pretty shocked how much I enjoyed this album. Pharrell Williams may be a bit of a laughing stock in the general conscious because of his work on many a pop song in the mid-2010s to a ridiculous degree, not to mention his close work with Illumination, but can the man produce. This is obvious to anyone who has heard a hip hop album in the last couple decades, but it is clear on this record as well, where it really makes a lot of the tracks. Kudos to Chad Hugo as well. I think the album can be great when the listener is just stewing in the vibes, which is why my main flaw with this album can be such a dealbreaker: the lyrics. Some of them are just plain bad, and most of them make you kind of just wish there was solely harmonizing going on. The lyrics add nothing, and most of the time they're just so weird and a special brand of 2000s uncomfortable, it can really take you out of it. There is enough good instrumentally for it to be ignored and allow the album to glide through to the end with no major hiccups, and in the end I can call this album good because of that, but just be prepared for a few eye rolls. Otherwise, a pleasant surprise.
I was looking forward to this as I had heard good things about N.E.R.D and there first album In Search Of ... This one was ok it jumps about a bit encompassing hip hop, pop, jazz & rock at various different places and honestly none of it is that great, so yeah that's about it nothing really more to say on it.
A fun album through and through. I have no real reason not to give this 5-stars, other than it doesn't FEEL like a 5-star masterpiece. Just good music. The bonus tracks are a bit annoying - I wish they would just make them their own tracks.
Wasn’t on apple or Spotify so 1 star from me
I like Pharrell, but this one wasn't good
Nahhhhhhh - no thanks
Some sounds are marvelous fusions of other genres. I found this not bad, but I don't think I would like a steady diet. 12 tracks were a bit much
It's always fun to hear what Pharrell comes up with. If memory serves, this album was released shortly before he became particularly well known, but he was already well established within the music industry. 'Fly or Die' doesn't have the perfectly crafted earworm pop of some of his later work, like 'Happy' but it clearly displays some of his evolution as a writer, performer and composer. Particularly noteworthy is that the group learned to play the instruments for this album, something admirable but not strictly necessary within a genre that liberally uses samples and guest appearances. It's a good album but truthfully it's just a taste of what Pharrell would accomplish later in his career. Side note, the DFA remix of 'She Wants to Move' is fantastic.
Really was surprised by this. Also Pharrell??
Musically somewhat interesting in spurts. Lyrically, sounds like a bunch of 13 year old boys wrote it. Overall, couldn't wait for this album to end.
Hey, even though some of this is a little loose musically, I love the fact that they are trying to do something different. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but it jumps around and has different styles and personalities throughout which makes it fun. It kind of reminds me of Pixies in terms of its complete disregard for convention. Like, they're just doing their own thing and for the most part, that works for me!
Standard, every day pop music, just with actual drums and guitars. Some catchy hooks but pretty unremarkable.
Like an older soul album. Funky, great