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Product Description
N.E.R.D. "Seeing Sounds" You already know the story of the Neptunes, Grammy Award winning producers and songwriters Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, but the N.E.R.D. trio consists of Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and longtime friend and creative wunderkind, Shae Haley. The album is a blistering mash-up of booming hip-hop beats and rollercoastering rock riffs, rumbling crunk rhythms and scintillating soul music. Whereas their first album, "In Search Of...," was an imaginative, exploration of identities, and their second album, "Fly or Die," sought out the range of genres and sounds that have influenced the group, "Seeing Sounds" grinds everything together, evoking a sound that is un-tethered by preconceptions and convention. It is also an album that amplifies the style and attitudes that have made Pharrell, Chad and Shae transcendent cultural icons. "The Neptunes is what we do, but N.E.R.D. is who we are. It's our life" says Pharrell. The three of them together combine for uninhibited explorations of sounds, emotions and truth, adhering to no agenda, subscribing to no rules. N.E.R.D. is the way they live their life, they way they see the world.
The title of N.E.R.D's third album, Seeing Sounds, was inspired by a TV show the ban watched about synaesthesia--the neurological disorder that causes people to experience sounds as colours or objects in their minds. The concept inspired the trio (Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, a.k.a. The Neptunes, and their rapping pal Shay Haley) to create a record as if it were a live show, as if the listener were really able to see the band playing. As ideas go, it's a dubious one, but it does give the band the opportunity to dive back into their musical ocean and splash noisily around, leaving listeners soaked and astounded. With the usual disregard for genre, Seeing Sounds opens with bass-heavy low-rider "Time For Some Action", before heading off on an intense roller-coaster ride that takes in the choppy, digi-drum & bass of "Spaz" and the infectious booty-bass of single "Everyone Nose" (a look at Hollywood's cocaine obsession) via a veritable kaleidoscope of colourful sound. "Sooner or Later" is all smooth Motown soul, "Kill Joy" is riff-heavy rock and "Anti Matter" has an Atari crunk feel. This breathless diversity is, of course, what N.E.R.D. are best at, and the good news is that Seeing Sounds can be considered a return to form after the nadir of Fly Or Die; though Whether it stands up to their debut or whether their new experiments ever get beyond the superficial, is another matter entirely. -- Paul Sullivan
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Customer Reviews: - N*E*R*D-3 geniuses at work
Phenomenal. If you are a true N.E.R.D fan like myself. You'll get lost in the wonderful sounds. Melodic beauty is what i call it. Every song is amazing. If you are not an N.E.R.D fan, you're missing out of some of the best music ever made....more info - Overall Good Album, Underrated Though - 3 ? Stars
N.E.R.D are on of my very favorite musical groups - band if you will. I think it is incredibly innovative the way the N.E.R.D. integrates the best aspects of alternative pop/rock and urban & hip-hop music. The concept should be genius, but alas N.E.R.D. do not have a large enough, consistent fan base to back-up what I consider to be genius. Sure, the Neptunes' spastic, manic production sometimes grows to be overwrought as opposed to just being ornate, but for the most part, the production is what truly helps to sell N.E.R.D.'s concept. The harmonic progressions are always 'out there' which is right up my alley. Pharrell's lead vocals are also always an anomaly in them self, though I think Pharrell's somewhat raspy tone and slightly-out-of-tune vocals is what endears him to the fan base. Face it, he's creative and SEEING SOUNDS receives similar treatment with a plethora of varied sounds making it in some ways more interesting than N.E.R.D.'s previous album, 2004's FLY OR DIE.
The album opens with a confessional intro within first track "Time For Some Action". It isn't a bad track, in fact it is pretty solid, though second track and killer single "Everyone Nose" is much more clever. The production is manic, though it is that maniacal nature that makes it so clever. The hook is sick, the jazz flavored bass is genius, and the old school hip hop sound effects make this track one of the best, though underrated hip-hop tracks of 2008. "Windows" is solid and enjoyable as well, though it doesn't quite possess the same sheer genius as its predecessor "Everyone Nose" did. In "Windows" defense, N.E.R.D. do an excellent job of contrasting the manic, hip-hop flavored "Everyone Nose" with a follow-up ("Windows") that leans more to rock & roll as opposed to hip-hop. Brilliant.
"Anti-Matter" is by far the best track of SEEING SOUNDS in my mind. Pharrell's rhymes are spot-on, the production is killer, and face it, this track is SICK. A number of lyrics stick out in the listener's mind whether it be the repetitive hook ("you so anti do not matter...")or the the funny, exhilarating concluding breakdown where Pharrell belts "motherf***er are you ADHD/ADHD...." while the hook loops through the background. I guess you'll have to listen to the track to get it, but believe me, "Anti-Matter" does not disappoint.
Similarly, "Spaz", constantly advertised on i-Tunes commercial is phenomenal as well with the catchy "I'm right here/ and I ain't goin' nowhere/ You can turn tables and you can throw chairs... Spaz if you want to, Spaz if you want to..." Again, the one-liners are among the most inspired I have heard Pharrell for some time, particular with some of his sometimes dry collaborations with other artists. He's still one of my favorites even when you think sometimes the Neptunes have "peaked".
"Yeah You" possesses a more urban, soulful quality than either "Anti-Matter" or "Spaz", which is a welcomed, clever departure. "Sooner Or Later" begins as a light, urban-poppy listen and turns out to be another winner for N.E.R.D. Intact with "hard drums", odd non-standard harmonic progression, and odd vocalizations by Pharrell, "Sooner Or Later" is an anomaly worth the listen. Its one detraction - it is a bit manic and lengthy. Sure, it always allure, but by the repetitive end, N.E.R.D. could have trimmed the track a bit. Again, minor quibble and I'm sure that fans will dig it. If anything, N.E.R.D. achieve some true angst particularly by the end of the song - in an urbanized way that is.
"Happy" has a rock & roll quality, yet again showcasing N.E.R.D.'s genre bending ways. Pharrell as always sounds strong, though the track pales slightly in comparison to the best and most innovative of SEEING SOUNDS. Again, it is 100% solid by all means. "Kill Joy" rekindles the momentum and the beautiful "Love Bomb" keeps up the pace. Closing tracks "You Know What" and "Laugh About It" are both solid, but don't possess the same gusto as the best of SEEING SOUNDS.
Overall, aside from a few drier spots, SEEING SOUNDS is a killer listen. It is ambitious (sometimes too much so) and creative. Aside from the explicit language, it is very much a cerebral, intellectual listen in certain aspects, which is always good. Not perfect, but extremely good and extremely underrated. 3 ? Stars. ...more info - Out of my element but the beats are creative
N.E.R.D. always takes me out of my element. I hear Pharrell on R&B and hip hop tracks, so I have to erase that from my mind when I hear a N.E.R.D. album. Make no mistake about it. I really enjoy the Neptunes, but it's N.E.R.D. that makes me say "What happened?" It always takes a wavy boatride through rock, soul, hip hop, and a little bit of blues. The lyrics are thoughtless (ex. "you punk b**ch*" on "Anti-Matter", "Everyone Nose" rhyming about women by the bathroom, "Do you have some black inside you? Would you like some?", "her a** is a spaceship I want to ride"). What? If people listened to most of the words on this album, it'd be stupid. But it's the creativity of the BEATS that attracts me to the music (ex. "She Wants to Move" is great for a model runway). Unfortunately, I can't buy an album off of beats alone. I need the lyrics to challenge me or at least be interesting. A lot of it sounds like a fun basement freestyling session, so if that's your cup of tea, this is the album for you. If not, you might want to listen to a preview of this one first to make sure it's something you'd want to relisten to....more info - NERD - Another Classic
Fantastic album of the usual NERD beats and breaks although a bit more mellow than their older albums. Can't say much more - Love it!...more info - Great, but In Search Of is still their high-water mark
This is probably more a matter of personal preference but I miss the original N.E.R.D. Like someone else said, they switched up the style. it's actually more of an evolution because you felt it on Fly or Die and it moved even more to that direction on this album. It seems more rock-funk uptempo. That's good but they should balance it out like they did on In Search Of. I just miss the breezy eclectic songs that almost felt like they laid vocals to videogame music. It was just so different, smooth, and out in left field, it obliterated everything else at the time. if you're a N.E.R.D. fan the album won't disappoint, but I HOPE they return to some of their classic form demonstrated on songs like Bobby James, Provider, Run to the Sun, and Stay Together. I hope they continue to make music for N.E.R.D. fans, and don't cave in to people who want them to sound like the canned commercial artists they produce. They can continue to make their money producing commercial artists for them and save the true genius for those who appreciate it....more info - Not bad, for what it is
As with many of my "Pop" music purchases, this one was made because it was Amazon's MP3 Daily Deal. I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to this particular genre (it all sounds like "rap" to me), so I read other opinions in order to gain some knowledge as to what I was listening for.
The basis is a looped (minimalistic, John Cage influenced) track very common in hip-hop, rap, techno, dance & other pop music styles. There are original lyrics, although the tendency is to repeat phrases over & over (also part of the minimalistic influence?).
The first track is probably the most original of the entire recording. You can see that the artists made a real effort to leave the listener with an unanswered question in their mind, and that's what good music does... asks questions... sometimes resolving/answering, and sometimes not.
The second portion of the album gives almost some old-time Marvin Gaye or Isley Brother influenced vocals, with gentle crooning, nice harmonies, and easy, driving beats. But there is definitely a modern jive to the thing with more of the electronic mastering throughout the album.
I read the sentiment that listeners would prefer that the two styles were combined, but I am unsure how that would be done without creating an unpleasant chaos. I actually like the different styles. It helps to keep my attention on the music.
Good job. Don't know that I'd buy from these guys again, but it was worth the $3.99....more info - all kinds of sounds
are coming from this CD by the guys in N.E.R.D. But for the most part each of the songs on the cd will have your bobbing your head to the beats that they create. But also sometimes the wordplay will get you a few songs, it has been awhile since their last effort. They don't show it on the cd as "Seeing Sounds" makes for a great listening experience for fans of NERD both old and new. ...more info - If I could give it more stars I would
Let me tell you when I first heard the song Everybody Nose I was upset because I thought that N.E.R.D lost their touch but still bought the album because I am a big fan of their music. Yes Everybody Nose is the worst song on the album the chorus is stupid and the song is boring and repetitive but ignoring that song this is N.E.R.D s best album so far its soooo amazing I cant even tell you every single song besides one was made so completely perfect and their lyrics are more mature its sounds like they really care about their music a lot more than they used to with this masterpeice the sounds and amazing lyrics make this album worth the money right their. I reccomend this album to every N.E.R.D fan and anyone who appreciates amazing music. Please note though this and every other album by N.E.R.D consists of Explicit Lyrics and sometimes with them thats putting it lightly but with that aside this album is AMAZING N.E.R.D keep up the great work!!!...more info - They're Back!!!
N.E.R.D. finally makes it back into the deck with this one! If you are a N.E.R.D. fan...BUY IMMEDIATELY!!! The musical talent on this album is unbelieveable!!! The instruments and creativity is unmatched! They really switched the style up a little, but the beats are crazy and interesting and keep you on the edge of your seats with amazing original rock guitars, perfectly laid on top of bangin' hip hop beats! A definate must buy! ENJOY FANS! And welcome back N*E*R*D*!!!
-Star Trak V...more info - N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds 6/10
Given the amount of work and wide disparity of ideas the Neptunes have done and thought up over the years in the realms of pop music, it comes as little surprise that their slightly more rock-oriented side project N.E.R.D. (with rapper friend Shay) is about as cohesive as a jar of silly putty. With Seeing Sounds, their third album, N.E.R.D. has created a colorful stew of random pop detritus marinated in a simmering combination of divergent genres. The theme of this album is it has no theme; each song is as different from the one before it as Miley Cyrus is from Trent Reznor.
Seeing Sounds, in effect, comes off as the epitome of throwing everything and the kitchen-sink into what can only very loosely be called a rock album. Just listen to the opener "Time For Some Action": it starts off a `50s sitcom string part (which, by the way, strangely kept reminding me of the work on The Sims) and Pharrell's spoken-word tale about how he started, uh, seeing sounds before a mean drum `n bass beat comes in and Pharrell reminds us to "turn this bitch up here we go."
On "Time For Some Action," this mad-scientist amalgam of different sounds and styles works. Other songs pull it off as well, such as the magnificently poppy doo-wop of "Windows" and the club banger "Anti Matter" with its very millennial chant of "you jump around like you're ADHD!"
Pharrell thankfully keeps the rapping to a minimum on this record, and he tends to shy away from the falsetto that can easily ruin a good Neptunes track. Nevertheless, N.E.R.D. are at their best when they're making a relentlessly hypnotic jam like album highlight "Spaz," which bounces around on loose, ricocheting snares, a horror-show synth, and an irrepressibly memorable chorus.
With all the ideas Pharrell and company pump out on this record, it should be no surprise that a good many of them fall flat. First single "Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The Line For The Bathroom)" has a Neptunes-worthy beat and some of Pharrell's best lyrics on the album. But the criminally annoying titular chant kills any momentum the song might have had.
Seeing Sounds can almost neatly be divided cleanly down the middle, with the first half generally consisting of more Neptunes-ish dance tracks and the latter more funk rock-ish material. Not surprisingly, the second half is weaker all-around, disrupted by half-baked ideas or poorly executed designs. "Sooner or Later" sounds like a second-rate Ben Folds song with an out-of-place guitar freakout at the end, and "Kill Joy" resembles early Red Hot Chili Peppers, in a very bad way.
By the end of the album N.E.R.D. seems to lose steam, the last few songs stuck in various ideas that fail to develop much beyond their origins save for bright spot "You Know What," a disco-tinged tune that is a welcome breath of relaxation amidst the walls of sounds around it.
N.E.R.D. have certainly accomplished making a record that is more wildly diverse than their Neptunes work and even their previous albums, but they have yet to master the pop chemistry that makes the Neptunes the kings of music production. Just because you can throw everything into a song doesn't necessarily mean you should, something the Neptunes learned long ago but that N.E.R.D. seem to have forgotten in their excitement at being able to put to record every random musical thought they were never able to use....more info - Dope rock/rap/R&B fusion from NERD...........
Only slip up was adding track 11(A American Boy like record. Other than that this is a very solid album.
Top Songs:
Anti Matter
Spaz
Sooner or Later (Tour-De-Force, killer guitar,the song starts off slow and then builds up to this mind blowing finale)
Happy
Kill Joy
Love Bomb
Laugh About It
...more info - Instruments Have Colors!!!
To be Honest I never respected the Neptune's Until I heard Pharrell cover an Old Beatles song on a Award show. This is when I first realized that these guys have talent but I was so use to the repetitive beats they were making for people but I digress.. SEEING SOUNDS. The first couple of tracks were ok but from 5-12 the album is really good.The album as a whole is an eclectic rendition of a Beetles album that touches on real life situations all while the music is making your heart race& keeping it fun. Now You have to like more than 2 genre's of music to enjoy this album for it is a fusion of hip hop, rock and pop but I defiantly say buy this album New (not used)sooner or later this album will be on the list of must hear albums.......more info - Punk-Funkster's Unlimited
The new millenium's punkfunkster's are back with an even better infusion of hiphop, rock, R&B and a House beats, rhythum's and riffs. Eventhough, Pharrell has said he hates house music he has a lot of house in him. This is a clubheads dream with All The Girls Standing In the Line For THe Bathroom, a hook that just won't quick and is sure to send crowds to the dancefloor. This is just one of the chorus hooks that are present throughout this project that will your mind will repeat after listening to this joint. You just got to love the innovation, energy and free spirit nature of this project. Pharrell, Chad are simply some of the hottest producer's on the scene and it is evident with this project; I would be honored to work with such creativity.
If you are looking for something off the driven path, this one will take you there.
...more info - Too inside, too outside
Spread out all over the place.
The influences and styles here, while commendable, are run through the ringer too much. The result is an album made up of songs we don't know what to do with: bob heads to, sing along with, dance to...almost none of these songs is one you can sit back and enjoy. The production is, as always, flawless, and they are to be commended on their ever-challenging push to uncover a new aesthetic. Unfortunately, this record consists of a navel-gazing vibe; it's simply too inside and not enough consideration has been offered the audience.
A strong effort to generate something new, but it mostly fails as entertainment....more info - SOONER OR LATER
SOONER OR LATER EVERYONE REALIZES THE GENIOUS OF N*E*R*D ITS A FACT. WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT I DIDNT GIVE THEM A CHANCE BECAUSE OF THE ROCK ASPECT BUT I WENT TO THE GLOW IN THE DARK TOUR WITH THEM KANYE LUPE AND RIHANNA AND THEY BLEW MY MIND. AS SOON AS I GOT HOME I ORDERED THE FIRST 2 ALBUMS THEN WHEN SEEING SOUNDS DROPPED I BOUGHT A COUPLE COPIES OF IT. SEEING SOUNDS IS EPIC LIKE A MOVIE WITH EACH SONG BEING A DIFFERENT SCENE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ALBUMS THAT WHEN YOU FIRST BUY IT YOU NEED TO TURN THE VOLUME ALL THE WAY UP CLOSE YOUR EYES AND LISTEN TO IT. I SWEAR I WAS SEEING SOUNDS YO NO LIE....more info - Awesome
Did I say that this was awesome? Interestingly, this CD contains a track titled "Love Bomb" which shares a title, but nothing else, of an obscure album by the Tubes, circa 1985, which had a bit of the same vibe as this collection. ...more info - This CD is awesome!!
How can I put it, Pharell and Chad did an ultimate great job on this project. This sounds like a mixture of 1980's Hip-Hop, Hall and Oates, Prince, Michael Jackson, and just a touch of psychedelia circa Around The World In A Day by Prince and the Psychedelic 60's. I put this in the same camp as Maroon 5's It Won't Be Soon Long Before. But frankly I didn't like track 4. And I also like how they utilize real instruments on this album. I like Pharell and Chad better with N.E.R.D., the ultimate Rock-Hip Hop fusion. If you love N.E.R.D., then check out Gym Class Heroes, Common, Gnarls Barkley, and The Roots...more info - Innovative
At first Listen this album can seem cluttered and invasive, however after a while you can see the focus... with this vision the tracks successfully blend and create a listening experience like no other. This is something you come to expect from Pharell and he doesn't disappoint. I definitely admit it may be hard to digest, but after a few listens the driving beats and melodic vocal riffs stand out with shay's rapping. a good listen for anyone who loves music in general....more info - We need a love bomb to just blow us away!
First I am a huge fan of N*E*R*D. This cd tops their last album with flying colors. Chad and Pharrell have added so much ingenuity to this album. At first i thought the whole idea of seeing sounds was kind of questionable but when i listened to the whole cd while just kickin it in my room I actually felt like i was in another place. The album starts off with "time for some action" and it kind of kick starts the album then by "yeah you" and "spaz" you really find yourself envibed in the sounds and instruments. These superproducers are amazing and this album gives you nothing short of an hour or so of pure music enjoyment.
I recommend it to anyone who loves music and actually appreciates hard work....more info - "PHA-REAL" has done it again!!!
This ain't objective in the least. I am a hardcore Neptunes fan and generally give all their stuff high reviews (See: Kelis' 1st and 2nd cds, both Clipse cds, Pharrell's solo cd, Chad's work with Kenna and of course, the first two N*E*R*D cds)
Seeing Sounds is, again, great stuff. While it can't be summed up in just a few lines, I can tell you it's more of typically laid-back grooves given a tough backbeat with a cocktail of sarcasm-and-decadence-lyrics on the side. Not as great as In Search Of or as hard-rocking as Fly Or Die but this is a better-than-solid third effort.
Everybody Nose: Probably the most "hateable" track. The chorus sounds like bad Miami bass rap from the early 90s mixed with drums n bass. But then P brings in a killer keyboard riff and the whole thing suddenly makes sense.
Love Bomb, Windows, Sooner or Later: Pharell and Chad embrace their inner Beatles again.
Time For Some Action: bass-heavy opener. The closest to hip-hop this cd gets.
Anti-Matter, Spaz: Savage fuzzed-out guitar anchors this drums n' bass lite track.
Yeah You: similar to Frontin'. On this and You Know What, Pharell is Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones combined!
Happy: An 80s hard/soft rock/soul track that could have been a collabo between Journey and the Eurthymics.
Kill Joy: They rip off themselves beatboxing "She Wants to Move" and copping the underlying rhythm for this track. But it was so good the first time, you won't mind hearing it again.
I loved it at first listen.
...more info - 4.5 out of 5 stars
Just like the previous two NERD albums, this one has its own identity...If you liked the previous two albums, give this one a few listens to grow on you and you will not be disapointed. Its not their best work but its still NERD!
Standout tracks: Track 7 and 11...more info - Vivid sounds!
Opening cut "Time for some action" has a minute long movie-like narration by Pharell sounding like he's going to make some profound statement, before turning into a funky club banger, in which he assures "This is not love/it's lust". At least he is honest!
And with that, Pharell, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley, better known as N*E*R*D return with their third album. Unlike it's mostly Rocky predecessor "Fly or die", this is a mish mash of styles; Funk, Dance, and Rock, sometimes interlacing all in one song.
Similar to the opening cut is the bouncy "Everyone nose...". "Windows" sounds like "Around the world in a day" era Prince, a clap-filled pop/rock song with Pharell even throwing in some Prince-style squeals. "Anti matter" has a buzzing riff with rapped verses and drum & bass in parts, followed by the similar "Spaz".
"Yeah you" is one of my favourites, groovy R&B, as is the Chic-sounding "You know what" complete with scratchy guitars and remniscent of the song "She's not me" Pharell did on Madonna's new CD. Both will definately get a club jumping.
"Happy" is a sunny rocker which wouldn't sound out of place on "Fly or die", "kill joy" (with a rap about Little red riding hood and Prince-like harmonies) is a Funk laced upbeat song with a James Brown feel, while closing cut "Laugh about it" pairs chunky beats with driving guitars.
Slowing things down are the piano ballad "Sooner or later" with lovely harmonies (remember "Maybe" from "Fly or die"?), and "Love bomb" (piano and guitars, eerie flourishes and chunky beats in the chorus).
So there you have it, their most musically adventurous album yet. A fun album with a little something for everyone....more info - N.E.R.D seeing sounds
A beautiful blend of punk rock and soul music, it's ear candy for the open-minded....more info - This album is "ok"
OK now I'm going to keep this short and sweet. For all those buyers out there who are about to cheese it on down to i-tunes because of the rave reviews this album has been getting.
If you're the type who enjoyed CDs like "The clones" and " kelis was here" that had more of a smooth hip hop feel, this may not be for you.
Whereas if you liked the more rock and roll experimental stuff scattered throughout N*E*R*D's other albums, you will probably like this one.
For me, I gave it a 3 out of 5 because with all the other stuff out right now " seeing sounds" just didn't bring it like I expected. I fell in love with the Neptune's amazing beats.....not Pharrell's mediocre singing voice, and unfortunately that is most of what this album delivers. : / ...more info
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