Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Didn't really vibe with this N.E.R.D. album.
Disappointing
Ok
I thought the first half was really lame, and was prepared to give a two. Then I listened to the second half on another day, and thought it sounded pretty smooth. I don't really want to listen to the whole thing again, but it's nearly to a three.
• 2/5 • Sophomoric R&B: musically simplistic and lyrically inane
I fully understand this is an inherently wrong question to ask of art, but I can't help it here: why? What for? "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could [blend Prince and Red Hot Chili Peppers while reminiscing about that Aerosmith & Run-DMC song], they didn't stop to think if they should." ? There are some alright ideas and hooks here, in this, but for all the music that's so crammed full of 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧 and production tchotchkes these producer genie guys found in browsing their record and CD shelves, it's remarkable how hard and quickly the feeling of boredom hit me. As a bonus, an extra peeve: try reassembling the egg from the two shell pieces. Someone got paid for this, smh.
In the early 00s, I didn’t know enough about hip-hop to appreciate the importance of producers in crafting the sound. Around that time, someone who did, told me that “everything The Neptunes touch turns to gold” and this statement seemed cool and sophisticated enough that I faithfully parroted it for the next few years. So naturally I had to back this up by finding out what The Neptunes (two thirds of N.E.R.D) had actually produced and led me to buy their compilation ‘Clones’, followed by digging into the N.E.R.D albums. If this list allowed compilations then I’d fully understand and expect Clones to have made the cut over this record. I would soon discover that The Neptunes were at their best when channeling and featuring some of the best talent in hip-hop at the time and putting them at centre stage. What we get on Fly Or Die is essentially The Neptunes (and friend) cosplaying as a rock band, learning to play real instruments and putting themselves at the forefront. It’s not my place to tell anyone what kind of music they should make or gatekeep rock music at all. But music journalists are capable of hearing something like this and calling it what it is. The fact it’s included in the book of 1001 albums you MUST hear before you die is pretty embarrassing really. It’s decent in places. They do know their way around a hook and some tracks are memorable but it’s not an album I came back to for repeat listens and hearing it again after 20 years, I don’t feel tempted now. I’m sure there are less proficient artists in the 1001 who got away with faking it, but The Neptunes thankfully continued producing good records for other people while their side project has now disbanded. Do yourself a favour, pop this one back down and give Clones a listen instead.
Oh god oh god be obligated to hear this shit
It's cool that they played their own instruments on this - but I don't care for pop-heavy hip hop. Some of the songs are alright.
This was enjoyable to listen once through, but I doubt I'll remember much of it. Don't see myself returning to this album unfortunately, though I appreciate how it blends genres.
Really not sure why this is here. Is it to add diversity for the sake of diversity? Now I'm not an anti-DEI person, but this release is about as generic, bland, uninteresting, and out-of-its time as anything I've run across. It sounds like some folk that don't really know what they're doing but do know they don't want to be put into a 'bucket', so they do nothing interesting, toss an overabundance of foul language in, mix it all together, and spit out a release that fails to interest in any respect. There's talent here, but it's absolutely NOT on display - this garbage is anti-adult-alt-rock put out there to trick some white basement dwelling, chickie nugs eating, incel, vote for fascists because he won't stop thinking women owe him sex, jackass into thinking they're not racists since they listen to 'one of the good ones' black rock.
A very meh album, with a lot of "oh she's hot" songs. I'm typically down for a fun time in music, but yeah it's not that fun. Sonically it's minimalist but efficient, and coherent without being the same. It's not terrible, just lyrically very very poor, and the music isn't experimental enough to salvage the whole thing. Some moments are shining, like Breakout, but over all it's quite forgettable. The hidden tracks are a throwback for sure, but 3 is one too many. In the end, if feels like a producer's album, with very little to actually say and no need to be heard.
Very 2004, I don't think this aged well. It's attempting to be fun, but it ended up boring and shallow instead
Maybe I bigger this one up too much in my head before listening, but I left feeling underwhelmed
Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for this. She wants to move is great but didn't like the rest
1. Don't Worry About It - 5 It's okay. Lyrics are sometimes good, sometimes too generic. Instrumentally it's alright as well. Nothing phenomenal or terrible on this track. 2. Fly or Die - 3 Drums are really pleasant on the track but the lyrically writing is absolutely abysmal. Leave this track in 2004. 3. Jump (feat. Benji Madden & Joel Madden) - 1 This is as if the song should be on a Kids Bop album but the artist isn't a kid anymore and decided to be edgy by slipping a swear in or two. It's not very good. The outro in particular is horrible. 4. Backseat Love - 1 Way too repetitive and just not a great track in general. Lyrically it's incredibly bland. The background vocals are particularly very poor. 5. She Wants To Move - 3 Painful to get through the absolutely dreadful lyrics to enjoy the tempo beat and sound on the rest of the track. 6. Breakout - 3 The choruses before the constant monotonous repetition of "breakout" are very good but the verses are terrible and the bridge even more so. Instrumentally good, the track cannot recover from the awful lyrics on the rest of the song. 7. Wonderful Place (Contains Hidden Track/Waiting For You) - 5 Lyrically still very weak, the instrumentals are too loud and completely drown out some of the vocals throughout the higher parts of the song. Waiting for You is significantly better however and is quite enjoyable. 8. Drill Sergeant (Contains Hidden Track/Preservation) (feat. Lenny Kravitz) - 3 Significantly better song but still lyrically not the best thing on the album, or even that enjoyable. Preservation is however not a great sound no enjoyable in any sense. 9. Thrasher (feat. Lenny Kravitz) - 6 Guitars are great on this track as are the added strings. The constant "ohh" is rather annoying but other than that it's a pretty solid track. Verses and choruses are a lot strong on this track. 10. Maybe - 7 Hands down the best thing on the album. A complete track. I'm not cringing at some of the lyrics and the instrumentals burst with sound at just the right moments in order to supplement the lyrics so well. The busts of guitar riffs in and out is great. 11. The Way She Dances - 2 Lyrically this track is horrible. They ruin any enjoyment from the rest of the sound on the track which isn't bad but nothing to really exalt either. 12. Chariot Of Fire (Contains Hidden Track/Find My Way) - 0 Really unenjoyable. Find My Way isn't great but it's more in line with a She Wants to Move in terms of the quality. Chariot of Fire is the worst piece on the album. Really forgettable track on what's been a forgettable album. Average Rating: 3.25 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 1.63 Rounded Up: 2 Stars
It's fine. Whatever.
It's so much of its time that it hurts but at least it's not yet another country album or a boring ass singer-songwriter.
Meh
Reasonably pleasant. A bit too smooth (saccharine?) at times. I liked “Don’t Worry About It” far more than either of the singles; it just had some edge, and relatable(?) weirdness, that the rest of the album lacked. This probably wasn’t one of the best 75 albums of 2004; there’s simply no way it should be on this list. I’d give this 2.5 stars if I could.
I can appreciate the merging of several different styles of music, but the execution makes for a discombobulating experience. It's like pop-rock combined with smooth R&B, but with slightly bigger drums. It's like if you mixed two recipes: Beef Chili and Chicken Noodle Soup, and then topped it off with MSG-encrusted pork rinds.
Together Chad and Pharrell are one of a kind. The make tomorrow music that can also sound like yesterday. Sometimes that works amazingly well. Other times it’s a miss. This one feels like a miss.
Not a fan. Not quite hip hop, not quite r & b. Just pop with not a lot of pizazz
This album just didn’t do it for me, despite it being a Pharrell / The Neptunes record. “She Wants to Move” is incredible - still sounding as unique as it did 20yrs ago, but the rest is, despite some talented guest appearances, a bit of a let down. “The Way She Dances” is a funky joy with a great guitar hook. I suspect I would have much better enjoyed an album in the same vein as those two standout tracks. I also expected more from a producer of the talents of Pharrell Williams when it comes to track length - he, if anyone, should have the ability to craft and execute a tight pop song in less than 4mins. No need for any of this 8 and a half minute nonsense.
I was forgetting this faster than I could listen to it. I'd already forgotten the last track before I'd even got to the second half of this astonishingly unremarkable album. I'm going with an unremarkable score of two stars.
2. It is quite average to me. The melodies aren't really my type whatsoever. I can tell that there is good thought put into the songs.
Mid
Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. It’s cool and was the start of the singers eventual command of the pop industry but.. meh. Won’t listen again most likely
Album 851 of 1089 N.E.R.D - Fly Or Die (2004) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Not my usual genre, but this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It didn’t lean into the aggressive, macho posturing that sometimes turns me off in this space. Instead, it offered up some fun, laid-back tracks that felt like they came from a group of good-time, good-hearted guys just enjoying the music. I’m not rushing to recommend it, but if you find yourself giving it a listen, don’t despair — you might just enjoy it more than expected.
Certainly an album. Not really sure what it was trying to be at any given point.
2.1 Better than expected?
Disappointing. Take away the fact that it is Pharrell and it felt like a well-produced demo disc that you may listen to once and forget about.
A lot of cool musical ideas, unfortunately mixed with a lot of lackluster ones. Fantastic production, as to be expected from Pharrell, but the vocals, lyrics and most of the hooks leave a lot to be desired. The lyrics definitely being the worst offender, saying a whole lot of nothing but still trying to sound so artsy while doing so The whole album also has a strong smell of the mid 2000s, which is definitely nostalgic for some but in my opinion tarnishes it's ability to age very well There was definitely a lot of moments that I personally didn't like, but I can understand why someone would like them so they don't lose any points for those, but still overall a much weaker album than I was hoping for
This wasn’t bad, but wasn’t spectacular either, some decent songs and some clunkers in there too. I’m not likely to revisit, but I would not leave the room if someone put this on, 2 stars.
Including The Neptunes in a list like this is a must, but we could have done Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse instead. I can only hope that In Search Of… also is here because that one is significantly better. This is just kinda meh to me. Favorite songs were Don’t Worry About It and Maybe.
I found it really hard to enjoy this album. It's disjointed and seems to be trying way to hard to be avant-garde and interesting. Had I heard this prior to Pharrell's more recent successes I may have had a different opinion.
So Pharrell basically…
Band of the hour…not decade…not good enough for the list imo
Not really feeling this, though was interesting enough
N.E.R.D does some decent work here. N.E.R.D is probably most well known as Pharrell's old band, and they are a neat combination of hip hop, rock and RnB. The more "Pharrell-y" songs on here show a lot of promise, and are generally pretty good. However, the production choices, and some of the songwriting in general sounds kind of dated, especially on the more rock leaning tracks. This did kind of slowly win me over during the course of its runtime, and by the end I was having fun, but I don't think I'll really revisit it, and even the best songs here are only fine by my taste. This is a hell of a lot better than the CeeLo Green album I had earlier with Pharrell on it, to the extent that this almost makes it make a little more sense. However, I'm still only so into this.
I hope that the earlier “In search of…” is also an album on this list. To me that was a much more satisfying and enjoyable album. I bought this when it came out on the strength of the previous one but did not buy anymore after being disappointed by this one. I feel the same this many years on.
cross-genre goodness
Thank god Pharrell improved his production and writing skills
What a fucking weird album. I didn't give this a fair shot I'll admit. 2 stars.
Ihan hauska tunelma albumissa i guess
Not a very good album
Sounds like an unpolished Timberlake album, which isn't a surprise. Good energy, but execution isn't good.
Everything that sucked about early 2000s music in one album.
I loved this when it came out and was excited to have a follow up to their impressive debut. Sadly it has not aged so well for me. Whilst the production values are undeniable and the Neptunes were pushing boundaries in the 2000s - everything they touched turned in to a hit - lyrically this album has not aged well. Backseat Love and She Wants to move being particularly cringe worthy efforts, even the collaborations on this seem to have aged badly…The Madden brothers anyone?!? It was still fun to relisten to this album but I’m happy to leave it behind in 2004, somewhere it fits perfectly, safe in nostalgia for a different time in my life and when what they were doing felt so unique.
Agressivamente OK. Nada aqui se destaca, nem de forma positiva nem de forma negativa. Todos os elementos são decentes, a voz do Pharrell, a produção dos Neptunes, é tudo formidável. Mas é o tipo de música que entra por um ouvido e sai pelo outro. Esquecível. 2.5/5
Note : Release Date 2004 Don't Worry About It - *** (Good intro to mixing staple sounds for different genres, really sets up for the album) Fly Or Die - *.5 Jump - ** Backseat Love - *** She Wants To Move - ***.5 Breakout - *** Wonderful Place - **** (Most Cohesive and smooth for listening (doesn't require active listening) Waiting For You *Hidden Track* - ** Like poetry slam but with orchestral background idk Drill Sergeant - ** Preservation *Hidden Track*- * Thrasher - **** Easily the best track on the album Maybe - **** The Way She Dances - **.5 Chariot On Fire - ** Find My Way *Hidden Track* - **** (Another smooth easy listen compared to most on this album)
it’s fine but i was fine not knowing about it, too
2,4/5
Oké, niet verwacht, maar dit is voor m'n horizon te verbreden. She Wants to Move is iconisch, maar de rest niet (en voor een reden denk ik). 1.5
I like the idea behind this album/sound more than I really like the results. Sort of a progressive pop rock that implores a variety of influences and instruments. The music is well made with interesting arrangements, deep layers, bouncy rhythms, and good sound. The songs flow and progress smoothly, pivot naturally, and parts come in and out of songs seamlessly. But the lyrical concepts and topics I don’t care for much. Overall I feel like this could be cool if tweaked in certain ways, but just doesn’t end up being as interesting as I think it could be.
This is a weird album. It’s at a crossing point of genres/influences and generally I found it ok but it’s weak. I assume it merited inclusion as it attempted to do something weird and eclectic but it fails to fully lean in - lazy experimental music makes it a bit of a miss.
Not really my thing
Wtf was that drill sergeant song?
Sounds unfinished and lacks polish. There's a handful of catchy riffs along the way, but they don't really develop into anything. Often an annoying overdub clutters the listening space, not to mention the irritating vocals. I noticed that The Neptunes produced this. They missed an opportunity for some mentorship to get this material out of demo territory and refine the arrangements into something release-worthy. The mixing needs more work. Now that I know Pharrell was part of this project, I can hear the seeds of his later career. Maybe there was some reason in 2004 to put this on the list, but in 2025, it's yet another "strike this from the next edition."
You'd think with some of the big names working on this (i.e. Pharrell, the Good Charlotte guys, Lenny Kravitz) that the result would be a whole lot better. It gives "background music you'd hear on a shitty MTV show" vibes. She Wants To Move was a pretty solid song and one I've heard somewhere before. I think that saves it from 1 status to get into the 2's.
Not a huge fan of this. Feels like this style has legs, but it's lacking a lot of polish. The falsetto voices aren't doing it for me. A lot of the later songs sound like a precursor to Anderson Paak.
I've heard of Pharrell Williams side projects but never really listened to any of them. Halfway in and I'm pretty happy I hadn't before this. This is some bottom tier Rock/Hip-Hop when it comes to the genre. Just laughing at Drill Sergeant. Can definitely hear Lenny Kravitz all over this record, and while I liked aspect of his solo album we had this kinda falls flat. Going high 2 here because some of the instrumentals worked, but found myself pretty bored throughout.
This album is a mix of rock, hip-hop, art-pop among others, and it's very well produced (by The Neptunes/Pharrell Williams) which is a plus. It has an unique sound yet I couldn't really get into it and none of the songs stood out. It was an OK listen, but nothing more.
2/5
Not too sure what to make of this. It’s a bit different to what I was expecting - poppier, goofier, more playful and more all over the place. But is it any good? I think it is in places... There’s talent there, and some originality, which I rate, but the quality is patchy - it’s not exactly one of the standout albums of the noughties. That Pharrell chap might have a future, though. 2.5
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.
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.
I tried, but it just didn’t do anything for me.
Tää oli mun muistikuvissa paljon parempi lätty. 2.5
Twas alright. Not very consistent stylistically or quality-wise.
Meh
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.
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.
meh
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.
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
2.5
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.
sounds a bit of an anomaly now, saw them live one time and they were a bit all over the shop
Tylsä levy ja todella matalamielisiä lyriikoita. 2/5
mehhhhhhhhh
2 - This felt like it was trying to write hits through the whole album. Super processed and not much soul personally
Nuria: 3 Jaime: 2
What a disappointment, given the musical talent making up N.E.R.D. Didn't resonate with me. High 2*.
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.
🎧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
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.
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)
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.
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.
Meh.
It sounds like they had a lot of fun making this album. That being said I don't think it was all that good.
Fine. Don't think I needed this in my life though.
1 banger Lots of mash
An uncommitted reprise of In Search Of (which ought to be here instead of this).
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.
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.
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
..
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.
På förhand var jag bombsäker på en etta. Efter lyssning så blev det i alla fall en tvåa.
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.
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.
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.
Funky, very 2000s sounding album. Interesting to see a new side of Pharrell Williams. Probably wouldn't relisten but was interesting.
Not completely repellent but nothing I would listen to again. I think I understand what they were going for. They didn’t get there.
Interesting musically. Hints of Hendrix both vocally and musically. Not what I expected. Better than Dylan
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
Ei ollu erikoinen.
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.
Idk
Fine but uninteresting
Voice sounds strange
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.
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.
I was excited about this one! Remembered loving them back in the day. I only like "She Wants to Move"
Meh. Their first album was better.
She Want's To Move is good, but besides that it's rubbish.
How can something so boring also be so irritating?
Meh.
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.
Standard, every day pop music, just with actual drums and guitars. Some catchy hooks but pretty unremarkable.
Lacks energy in the recording. Maybe would be more fun with different production? This album should sound a lot better than it does.
Hmm hvorfor er den her på listen
decent
Maso
Thought I would like this one but nothing really jumped out at me
This is really, really bad. 1.5 🌟
it’s like some reasonably talented high schoolers and an 808 machine
I went back and forth between mild enjoyment and boredom. This album has elements of hip-hop, rock and pop; I normally like cross-over but in this case it didn't really work for me. The lyrics did not save the day. OK for a few songs but not an entire album for me. Not sure if this is a must-hear album.
Revolutionary production
I always thought NERD would be right up my alley. I'd heard so many good things about them. But you know how it is - you listen to an album and it's not bad, but it all just slips right off you. That's what this is like - it sounds like talented people playing around with a lot of ideas and equipment but there's nothing here that I'd put on a mix, ya know?
A decent album but not as strong of an outing as their first. There are some decent songs and collabs on there but for the most part it just kind of disappeared into the background. Unfortunately not for me.
lastenmusiikkia... pikku kakkonen päälle ja katellaas... mikä päällä jaa pelle hermanni... ei aina tarvi innovoida... david gilmour vocals? yksittäiset biisit hyviä.. kokonaisuus, rikkoutuu.. pirstoutuu. hei kuunnelkaas heh: taitaapi . pohdiskelee lentääkö vai kuolee.. taitaa kuolla.. ei lennä heh........Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do...... breakout
Welp, this album is a hot mess. I wanted to like it but couldn’t. The genre crossing is almost cool but comes off cheesy. I’m giving Fly or Die a two because the mix is good, solid production. The actual project is terrible.
probably 2.50-2.75. always thought i should be more into them than i was could i write poetry to this? n
The songs with Kravitz are the best of the bunch, but even those are just OK.
It was ok. Felt like it was from the early 90's rather than the 2000's...and not in a good way.
Le premier morceau, terriblement répétitif m'a pratiquement fait arrêter l'écoute. Les morceaux suivant s'améliorent, et quelques morceaux originaux (trop peu) m'ont fait augmenter la note.
It’s not bad, just that I was bored listening and kept contemplating turning it off 2.5/5
I was surprised to see this album on the list, I vaguely remember this being kind of a flop at the time. The only notable track was "She Wants to Move", which didn't blow up the charts, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall I'm left a little confused as to the inclusion. The music is, fine, but the lyrics are a particular weak spot. There is a creepy tone to the singing and lyrics of "Backseat Love", and the line "Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride" on "She Wants to Move" was cringe at the time, and has only worsened with age. Overall it comes off as an album from some talented producers who made an album out of boredom without anything interesting to say.
I know this rating seems crazy but there is 1 MAYBE 2 songs I will ever listen to again on my own accord. if it wasn’t for Maybe; it might have gotten a 1. would ask if anyone could change it if it was a small group setting.
Not my thing.
These lads were shit.
Fine
Passed me by unmoved. The first track sounded vaguely like some sort of James Brown tribute, but after that I don't remember anythin at all. I only 'woke up' when spotify started playing random artists after the album ended.
"Her ass is a spaceship that I want to ride" Not serious, but a fun album that mixes R&B and pop punk. Not super blown away, and I don't think I would return to it, but it was OK for the listen.
Tried to find some joy with this one but only a few interesting moments. Is it rap? Is it hip hop?
2.5
I didn’t like all the repetitive almost shouting bits at all but I liked wonderful place
Not for me
2/5
I can't, in good conscience, give this a 1-star review even though I hated nearly every minute of it. Pharrell is such a blatant, sell-out poser. The intro for "Fly or Die" is right: "this is for the kids." It's so juvenile. The lyrics are idiotic and the performances are straight amateur hour. The only - and I mean ONLY - good thing about this album is the production. Production is on point. Too bad nothing else is. Hard pass.
I applaud their originality but the offensive lyrics toward women and purpose built strangeness triggers eye rolls.
Fly or Die is the second album by American rap rock band N.E.R.D. The band actually learned how to play the instruments needed for this album instead of using outside musicians like on their debut album. It was interesting how these rap geniuses were able to make a decent multi-layered progressive pop album. It has been certified gold in Australia and the US. For the most part I enjoyed this album. It's not normally the type of music I would listen to, but it did pass the time. It's worth a listen for the uniqueness alone.
producer pharrell > frontman pharrell
I don't know, it's not terrible I suppose. Just not really hitting me either. Definitely a couple good songs though. It's probably like a 2.5 for me.
2.4/5 Best Track: Drill Sergeant
Hate him or love him, Pharrel Williams is een belangrijk persoon in de muziekindustrie. Als artiest en producer heeft hij meermaals bewezen dat hij een sleutelfiguur is, vooral bij de wat experimentelere hiphop. Hierbij laat ik de twee andere kereltjes van NERD ff buiten beschouwing, niemand weet toch wie zij zijn. Er wordt best geëxperimenteerd met rock, hiphop, funk, etc. Maar dat je dit moét luisteren voordat je doodgaat, hoeft van mij niet per sé. Zo zijn er zat artiesten die het genrebenden in dezelfde tijd (beter) gedaan hebben: Kanye, Tyler, Andre3000/Outkast, Frank Ocean. Liever daar een albumpje van dan van Pharrell. Rating: 6,5/10 Highlights: She Wants To Move, Breakout
Dit is - net als het reeds gereviewde album van OutKast - echt een voorbeeld van hoe hip hop zich na de eeuwwisseling los heeft gewrongen van het 90s stigma, dat het een genre is dat onlosmakelijk verbonden is met street life, gang culture en achtergestelde communities. Een muziekstijl dóór en vóór de hood. Wat het absolute einde van de eeuw al voorspelde met een transformatie van pure hip hop naar een fusie met R&B, wat een breder publiek trok, werd het genre steeds sterker door de mainstream mee gesleurd. Niet alleen werden er thema's gecommuniceerd die klikte met de midden- en hoge klassen van de US, maar deze werden ook bijgestaan door samples en instrumenten vanuit andere hoeken dan de traditioneel zwarte stijlen als jazz, funk en soul. Dit album bijvoorbeeld heeft qua thematiek en instrumentarium meer voeten in de aarde in de pop punk wereld dan in de klassieke hip hop. Dit voelde je direct, en het werd volledig bevestigd toen twee zangers van Good Charlotte insprongen bij 'Jump'. En ook al is pop punk een genre wat me koud laat, ik respecteer de nieuwe en creatieve invalshoek. Later op het album doet ook Lenny Kravitz nog op een tweetal songs een duit in het zakje, waardoor de brug naar de pop rock wereld werd voltooid. Ook deze nummers raken niet de juiste snaar zoals de rappende rockers (of rockende rappers) als de Beastie Boys of Rage Against the Machine dat vaak wel deden. Misschien zijn het ook wel gewoon de ietwat cringy topics die worden bezongen, waar de coming of age onderwerpen niet ver verwijderd zijn van die van high school punk bands als Blink-182. Voor het onbetwiste hoogtepunt moeten we luisteren naar 'She Wants To Move'. Het is ietwat cheesy, en ruikt enorm naar Black Eyed Peas, maar de nostalgie neemt de overhand. Die hook heeft zich vastgegrepen toen ik het nummer vroeger op m'n MP3-stickie had, en ik merk nu dat hij nog steeds op z'n plek zit. Andere songs die zijn blijven hangen zijn 'Maybe' en 'The Way She Dances'. Die eerste klinkt heel John Lennon-esque, brengt een Britpop vibe, en etaleert de waanzinnige drumkunsten van Questlove. De tweede heeft een aanstekelijke groove. Het hele album - en dit nummer in het speciaal - heeft overduidelijk artiesten als Bruno Mars en Justin Timberlake beïnvloed. Hoewel de productie en de samenwerkingen een nieuwe stap richting de 'Hip Pop' van vandaag zetten, en het moedergenre weer een stap verder verwijderd van haar roots, is N.E.R.D. vooral een kennismaking met het exceptionele oor voor hitjes van Pharrell Williams. Echter kan ik zijn stem vaak moeilijk hebben, vooral in combinatie met die ultra-positieve teksten. Vandaag de dag zijn de meeste producties van hem bijna maniakaal vrolijk, maar ook hier schuurt het al een beetje met mijn muzieksmaak. Daarnaast zijn de elementen die worden geïntegreerd vanuit andere stijlen niet echt mijn pakkie an, en vind ik het vele malen minder uitgevoerd dan een ''Stankonia'', wat wel degelijk ook een breder publiek probeert te bereiken. 5,5/10 Highlights: She Wants To Move Maybe
Musical taste is really something.
At least they tried to be different.
"Her ass is a spaceship I want to ride." 🤮 I'm not impressed with the lyricism (there were multiple moments where a line made me say "Wait, what?") and many of these songs are too long, but this is fairly well-produced and (most of) the vocal performances are fine. I can understand why somebody would really enjoy this. Personally, I am unconvinced of needing to hear this before I died. Highlights: Don't Worry About It, Breakout, Thrasher Songs with particularly baffling lyrics: Wonderful Place, Drill Sergeant, She Wants To Move, The Way She Dances, Chariot Of Fire
so bland. 2 stars
It felt too all over the place.
Would have been a 4 star rating except for the weird rapey car backseat song
Not bad.
In a nutshell: rap rock meets…jazz? It’s shown its age but it also shows how talented Pharrell, Chad, Shay and co are. The opening track reminded me of Prince a la Darling Nicky. As to if it’s Pharrell’s intention to sound seductive, I don’t know. Some catchy drumming (noted that Questlove appeared on Maybe) and bass. Overall: 3/10
It’s an interesting album. Seems like early 2000s where so much was changing with everything. Wouldn’t recommend but there’s a few good songs. Not my thing tho.
D.U.M.B. I heard that Tyler The Creator and Frank Ocean love N.E.R.D., the funk-rock-rap brainchild of production duo The Neptunes, i.e. Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. Guess that... a) Pharrell is probably a friend of Tyler and Frank by now. And since, outside of this particular project, he's still a gifted producer with gold in hands, it's tempting to find the same sort of genius in an album such as this one. Except that nothing's really "genius" about it. It's more like: "let's throw everything we have onto the wall and hope most of it will stick the landing". Newsflash, boys: a lot of it didn't. b) Given the number of genres or subgenres that are tackled in *Fly Or Die*, you could forgive Tyler and Frank for thinking this is the sort of album that opens minds and break barriers for many listeners. Heck, good for them if this record played that specific part in their respective musical upbringing. But the sad truth of the matter is that large chunks of this record are borderline unlistenable today. Actually, N.E.R.D. were already borderline unlistenable in 2004. But thanks to the "power" of catchy single "She Wants To Move", target demographics among general audiences gave Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo--plus whoever that third guy in the band was--the benefit of the doubt. At the time, N.E.R.D. were also helped by critical pundits, who sent tons of unwarranted praise their way--confusing creativity, dynamic production and open-mindedness with derivative endeavors, sloppiness, and lack of meaningful inspiration. Just like its horrible cover, *Fly Or Die* is filled with copied-and-pasted ideas that don't match each other very well. With sometimes a copied-and-pasted attitude *within* the album, which adds to its grating aspect. For instance, one track towards the end of the album, "The Way She Dances", is basically "She Wants To Moves 2", with callbacks to that single so obvious that you might want to roll your eyes at your hi-fi speakers. "She Wants To Move" is not that interesting as a single anyway--it was supposed to age badly, I guess, but it actually aged even worse. It's a hot mess. It's always been so. Not that each and every track in the album sucks, mind you. Right before "The Way She Dances", there is a string of cuts that fare far better, already saving this record from a 1-star grade. They are the Britpop-inspired (!) "Drill Sergeant" (along with its more hectic coda), the Naughty-By-Nature-indebted rap banger "Thrasher", and the moving ballad "Maybe". Lenny Kravitz and The Roots' Questlove helped Williams and Hugo on some happy moments within those particular songs, which might or might not explain why they're tighter on both compositions and performances level. And if you go back to side one, the fast-paced hypnotic and jazzy stomp of "Jump" is also quite good! Unfortunately, everything else is dumb. The faux-Prince meanderings of opener "Don't Worry About It" is dumb. The faux-rock of the title-track is dumb. The faux-blues-rock of the Jimi-Hendrix parody "Backseat Love" is dumb. And whatever the endlessly plodding tracks "Breakout", "Wonderful Place" and "Waiting For You" really are--"faux" or not--they're just dumb as well anyway. Worse, the performances on those cuts sound forced. And just as in most other songs, the lyrics are unfocused and/or hackneyed. Shall I continue up until the very last minutes of this interminable record? Or do you get the picture? By the way, I went to the Wikipedia article related to *Fly Or Die*, and to me, its "reception" section looked like propaganda. How come Pitchfork's scathing 3.something-out-of-10 review for this album is NOT mentioned in the article? How many other negative reviews of the record are thus kept in the dark there? I've never been a *huge* fan of Pitchfork, yet this review is quite hilarious, so I've copied and pasted a link to it under this paragraph. If you don't like this record, and have five extra minutes on your hands, give it a shot. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5749-fly-or-die/ Not giving a grade as terrible as the one Pitchfork gave, though: It's gonna be 1.5/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums"--rounded up to 2. It's not as bad as the one given by Pitchfork, because said grade translates differently for more general purposes. You add that 1.5 mark to a 5 point score signifying that, if you made it to this list, you already have a certain modicum of talent and inspiration (not to mention luck)... So my end grade for *Fly Or Die* is 6.5/10. With only 10 reviewers giving a 5/5 mark to this thing on this app, and only 10 or 15 reviews "liked" by the users--whatever the grades in the reviews are--it's obvious that folks are not wild about this record anyway--even to *hate* it. So objectively speaking, there's nothing essential in *Fly Or Die*. Heck, I even wonder how I could write so many words about such a tedious record. Probably because I'm a *real* nerd. A music *nerd*, that is. That's something I could share with fans of this record if they were a little more demanding in their tastes. But I'll leave the door open to them and their own takes. Another reason why I won't give the minimum grade to those other "nerds" here breaking out of their American egg. Number of albums left to review: 269 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 322 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 180 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 234p5 (including this one)
It's fine. Significantly more varied than expected, but nothing particularly great.
I am starting to wonder who picked this list.
Like some of their other tunes but this album generally fell flat.
Perfectly fine, just not for me
Started out looking forward to it, and while it is a unique blend of rock and hip-hop with impeccable production, they just aren't (or aren't yet) suited to the role. Still learning instruments, going off more vibes and energy than melody and musicianship. This was not an easy listen.
Me gustó! Bien! No lo compraría, pero es bueno.
Never heard of them (seems a common theme). It's not terrible but it's not enjoyable. Too much Pharrell falsetto. Lyrics don't speak to me. Nothing catchy.
Apparently these guys must be brilliant producers and musicians. For me as more rock oriented person it is just too slick, too cheesy, too smooth.
2/5 nope
Expected something and a lot more than what I got. Hesitantly rounding up from a very hard 1.5 if not it should probably just be a 1⭐️
I'm giving this two stars, instead of one, for the purpose that while I think this is a cringe-worthy album (lyrics especially), it certainly does have its audience. That audience being teenage boys between the ages of thirteen and fifteen; I am not among that demographic.
It’s ok.
Better then I thought, but still - I could die without listening to this one.
Find it very lightweight
I'm the first person to heap praise on Pharrell and his ability to be all over everything production wise (JT's debut being the obvious example) but wow was I disappointed by this album. So middle of the road and boring.
🤓
I like the vibe, but most of this album doesn't resonate with me. Standouts include Don't Worry About It, Breakout, and Maybe.
A worthy attempt at a unique sound, blending hip hop and rock. Though it sounds a bit dated now, kinda cringy. But creative, sure. Gave some Lenny Kravitz vibes at points. Good Charlotte on track 3 was cool.
A mix of genres lobbed into a stew. It sometimes works but mostly seems juvenile to me. And the lyrics are some of the worst adolescent poetry I’ve ever heard.
Not for me
Okay, but NERD improved significantly on Seeing Sounds.
2/12, 17%
not my vibe
Sounds like it’s been made by horny teenagers
Musically great but not into the lyrics. Feels dated
Hasnt aged well...
Thoughts before listening: I remember Pharrell being in this group, but this album cover is not one that I recognize. From what I remember about them, they have kind of a rap/pop/rock mix to their sound and were pretty popular at the time. I'm pretty surprised this is on the 1,001 list though as I don't remember it being highly touted at the time. Review: Yep...this is basically rap/r&b with rock guitars. Definitely not rap metal ala Limp Bizkit...and better for it. This is okay...a lot of this sounds like Happy-era Pharrell meets like Maroon 5 or something...very poppy style rock. According to Spotify listen stats She Wants to Move is the hit here and that makes sense. It's definitely the catchiest song with kind of a Santana-style guitar solo going underneath the music. There are a couple other songs I like fine, but overall this isn't for me.
A couple of good songs.
Listenable but pretty weak. Probably the least deserving of the top 1001 albums on the list this far
Fun and fairly solid funky soulful pop rock, but I don’t care for it
OK, but pretty bland. Very unexceptional musically, awful lyrically, lacking creativity or any other reason to stand out. One reasonably entertaining hit in an album of meh. Don't understand it's inclusion in any best of list.
Obviously well produced, but not really my thing.
OK, some catchy choons
Not for me. An accurate representation of 2004
This album is like a sinking ship I want to bail from it
Huhm
Started off good… then deteriorated. It was fun till it wasn’t. A concept that could have been really good, but missed the mark for me.
Felt like early 2000’s boy band hip hop. Every song sounded the same.
Some fun songs here, but a lot of cringed, undercooked lyrics and sameness in the music adds up to a disappointing affair. Pharrell certainly has a great voice, but that doesn’t save this record. A few attempts at anti-war sentiments are well-meaning but don’t quite land.
I have remembered this album as much more entertaining than it apparently is. Maybe my musical taste changed, or it's just a mark of time, but this record is absolutely miserable and I had a really bad time trying to listen to it all. I didn't like the beat in any song, it wasn't particularly rock, but it wasn't a classic rap beat as well, flow of the songs was just not there, at least Pharell Williams was keeping some composure and a certain level in his singing/rapping. Never again I will mention NERD as a band I used to listen to.
Here's another one that makes me wonder how this list was put together. Didn't suck, but give me an hour and I could come up with 10,001 other albums that didn't suck.
This album seems disjointed. I feel like Pharrell is trying to be personal and introspective but his lyric writing isn't up to par in that area. I don't think these songs are bad but I'm not revisiting them again. Easy 2 for me.
Tired rap-rock. About as memorable as an interstate mile-marker.
Tja, ik heb best wel een zwak voor Pharell. Maar ik vond dit nou niet echt heel indrukwekkend.
Slick, but shallow
Hip-Hop meets .... music?!? The opening track is alright, the rest didn't really gel for me. 2/5
Knew nothing about N.E.R.D going in. By the album cover, I assumed it was going to be rap. Apple Music even has Hip-Hop/Rap as the genre. It didn't sound like it to me. Funk rock maybe? Either way, I wasn't really feeling it. Cringe lyrics didn't help. I thought the drums sounded good on a couple of the tracks. Best track: Maybe (maybe?)
I'm not a huge fan or anything, but this isn't even their best album.
Very few rap-rock bands have anything to offer me, and unfortunately N.E.R.D. is definitely not my thing. It's not bad but I find it kinda cheesy.
I liked this at the time but wow, really hasn't aged well
wow, i really wanted to like this album but it just... wasn't good. none of the songs ever really went anywhere. when i liked the instrumentation, the vocals sounded awful and vice versa. the lyrics weren't interesting for the songs i was reading along to. i listened to the album twice and change just to make sure. the madden bros even made an appearance (it was 2004 so this is understandable) and just didn't add anything to that track. didn't even notice lenny kravitz and he was apparently on two tracks?? also i don't think you can call these hidden tracks if they're just... in the middle of the album??? what. just... baffling and mediocre all around favorites: fly or die
I could not get into this at all. Something about it seems so superficial; it was just kind of lifeless from start to finish. Even the song that was supposedly about being high felt like it was written by someone who's only ever seen drug use in late 90's sitcoms.
Didn't really care for this one. It was fine, but I'd never turn this on. 2.25/5
Oh wow, this one’s got the Joel and Benji Madden feature on it. That tells you everything you need to know. This album is peak early 2000’s rap and emo dominance. You had to choose which genre was going to form the base layer of your shitty teen identity: rap/hip hop or emo. There were only two choices, and all of us were obnoxious and rude to our parents regardless of what we chose.
Solid album
So much different than I thought it would be. Still, bad lyrics
All the songs are mid or skips... pass.
2/5 Really was not my preference of music which I found unfortunate because I liked the idea of nerd rappers. It was just aggravating which made it unpalatable sadly.
A vaguely interesting mix of styles, which others have done both better and worse. It's not bad, but didn't make me want to listen to it all.
Listened Before? N This one wasn't as bad or as good as the other reviews made it out to be. It's solidly mediocre, and fairly dated. I read it's been removed from the actual list now, and that's probably for the best. Not sure how the #18 album of 2004 made it to a list of records I MUST HEAR, but it's whatever. It is what it is. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Don't Worry About It
this album was okay. not as attention grabbing as it could be, truth be told. i found some similarities with n.e.r.d.'s fly or die with the beastie boys. whereas the beastie boys leaned more into hip hop with rock tendencies, n.e.r.d. focused more on rock with sprinkles of hip hop. a good combination, but it couldn't do enough for me. really cool to see pharrell williams' origins! he's like a baby here, and he learned to play drums for this album?!
This album was okay, but it had its interesting moments. There is clearly some rap-rock influence here from groups of the 90s, but they find a way to make it their own. There is definitely a unique, cool funk sound and vibe to this album, too, especially noticeable on "She Wants to Move". These aspects definitely sounds like signature Pharrell Williams, demonstrating that his style goes back further than just his solo career. Speaking of, I had no idea that Pharrell Williams was involved in a band (let alone two bands!) prior to his solo career. That was fun to learn!
2/5
The fact that the band all learned how to play their instruments for this album is truly impressive. It does show in the sense that some of it is fairly basic but I can't fault them for that. It's a pleasant listen as well, although somewhat unremarkable in my eyes.
Poor, he qlways seems overarated to me, nothing new here.
"Fly or Die is the second studio album by American rap rock band N.E.R.D,…" Tis neither rap nor rock. 2/5.
The music is pretty good, but I find the singing is more of a distraction than a benefit. The singing seems out of tune and almost unrelated to the music... a feeling that just because you're trying to sing smoothly, that it's going to be enjoyable. Maybe seems to be the best and everything else is a step or two below it. Was happy to have this over.
I wanted to like this because the idea they were going for is cool. The rap/rock combo is fun but none of the songs really did it well. Good idea, not well executed.
not gonna revisit Neptunes
2.7 - A fun, upbeat energy is the only thing saving these dumb-as-rocks songs. I do like the first part of "Drill Sargent" where he's complaining about an asshole boss but that soon descends into a violent fantasy.
Not natural poets are they? The horny teenage boys of hip hop
2-3
the 2000s were so sleazy.
Average at best 2.5
Not as good as the following albums, sry
The target audience for this appears to be middle school, which is great, because somebody's going to get that sweet, sweet preteen money and it might as well be you. I just couldn't turn my brain off enough to enjoy it. Best track: Find My Way
not for me
Good
Only listened to part of the album. nor did I give it full attention. What I did hear was OK but not great.
Nope. Bored. I can see that this album has been expunged (rightly) from the latest edition of 1001 Albums. Pitchfork writes: "Debating the validity of Pharrell Williams' bandname seems like a contentious trifle, but the dude continuously positions himself as a wide-reaching musicologist. In the press, he seems convinced that merely mentioning the fact his record collection contains Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Stereolab, and EPMD coupled to his role as producer of tracks for the likes of Britney Spears and Philly's Most Wanted makes him a pop prodigy crossover messiah. The name "N.E.R.D." arrogantly admits to a higher IQ, while excusing Williams' potentially embarrassing prog-R&B; hybrid as a goofy cult experiment. Sadly, like a tackle-shocked J.O.C.K., Fly or Die is stupid and boring." Agreed; stupid and boring.
I see little of virtue in this album. Nothing, actually. Seems like the curators here are clutching at straws.
While I can appreciate the ingenuity and creativity of this album, it’s just not my jam. At first I thought it was a decent album to listen to in the background with my kid around, since the beats and different effects are pretty good, but after listening to some questionable lyrics, decided that the only plus factor for me in that regard, didn’t matter much if I didn’t want my kid listening to it. They are artists of their generation, so I’ll give them that! Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: Worst Song:
Bland derivative rap
Još veći užas od zadnjeg užasa. 1/5, 1/10
Music for nerds (not in charming way). Trying to get out ahead of it by calling yourself NERD doesn’t work either.
It's like if someone made an album of funk music overlapping with rock music, overlapping with hip hop, and then left it to play somewhere deep inside a grain silo. What the fuck is happening here?
Nope
Either I am being too critical this week, or I am in a long run of stinkers. This is so dumb. Vocals are icky.
torture. please delete this @ band
Excellent musicians are reduced to making music for kids TV
Between fly or die, I think it is clear which one they chose
wtf is this shiet
Meeeh...
I disliked this even more than I thought I would.
I'm not sure what this is, and I don't need to find out. Next.
ok, it finally happened. after 50 albums i finally got one i just could not do. nope. made it two songs.
Rubbish
Not Even Rubbish. Donut
Feels like 101 other things I've listened to over the years and I'm left asking what's the point of this album? Dull proggy-like rock which does not hold my attention.
Awful mix of rap and rock. Couldn't find anything to enjoy.
These lyrics are shite
Not awful but didn’t connect with it
Interesting to see the Lab that created and then set leash Pharrell and inflicted him upon the rest of the world. I do not believe they have been held accountable for that crime against music and guess I have a new cause to fight for. I am astonished that an album that is so sonically upbeat can be so goddamn boring. I was going to give this a two before I realized how annoyed it was going to make me to give this a two. Pharrell owes me that hour of my life back.
A far-worse "Arrested Development." The lyrics, in general, are asinine.
“T.U.R.D.”
I started to write a review about these dorks in the moronic fascism easter egg. It included my usual jabs at millennials (album voted most likely to be pined for with reference to listening while using cannabis. Cannabis referred to as "tasty bud" by hypothetical reviewer). That was about it. I didn't get that far. I don't know if it's the change in the weather, as summer starts earlier and earlier each year, or if it's just the unyielding day-in day-out purgatorial anguish known as being forced to work for others to remain housed but this record made me want to chew glass. I don't know if that is in a "self-mutilation way" or a "quell internal vitriolic rage" way. Dealer's choice. Fuck this record and everyone who had anything to do with it. May the United States and the memory of dim-witted mid-oughts rap evaporate into a fine red mist to be inhaled by the atmosphere and disappeared from our collective psyche. I choose DIE. 0 GENRE: Made up band in Harold & Kumar movie.
This is what you get when a producer thinks he’s an artist: bland, boring, Disney channel garbage.
Me gusta la voz de Pharrel pero está bien aburrido este peo, muy boneless la música