This album felt like a classic as soon as it started playing. Drenched in soul, love, and a constantly simmering anger towards the establishment.
This album is the definition of getting slept on. It's a good one too, if you don't listen to expecting it to be another In Search Of... like most people do. Don't buy this thinking you're going to hear 10-15 [depending on what version you buy] new smash hits produced by The Neptunes, because this is not an album by The Neptunes...this is N*E*R*D. A lot of these songs are influenced by classic rock and funk music and aren't about pleasing the masses who listen to Top 40 radio. If you have an eclectic taste in music then I would without a doubt recommend this album to you. Pay the few extra few bucks and get the Deluxe Version, because the added songs are just as good as the first 10 songs on the album. As long as you go into this knowing this isn't an album by The Neptunes and not comparing it to another N*E*R*D album then listening should be an enjoyable experience.
Do yourself a favor. If you like NERD make sure you also download "Ride that Thang" (amazon exclusive).[...]
It's one of the best songs on this album! In my opinion, I think "Seeing Sounds" is slightly better than this album but "Nothing" is still good though. Enjoy!
I will always support and purchase N.E.R.D albums because I'm a huge fan, but this album was a disappointment. Maybe it's partly nostalgia but nothing will compare to their first album. There are a handful of songs that I could listen to everyday (I've Seen the Light, Hypnotize U, God Bless Us All, Life as a Fish), but some of the others I still haven't played all the way through. I would have been better off just buying the songs I like individually.
N.E.R.D. has always been a band I've respected. Not only for their diverse and distinct sound, but for the fact that they never pack it in. Pop rock band Spymob provided backing instruments for their debut classic
. But shortly after that Pharrell and Chad learned to play all the instruments so that they could play these songs when they wanted to and how they wanted to, forging a very different sound than their production team The Neptunes. And so the sound of N.E.R.D. is born.
Another relatively classic CD followed,
, and the legend of N.E.R.D. was fully realized. Anticipation was high for their third album, which took four years to be released, but, sadly, it didn't live up to the anticipation.
is not a bad release in any stretch of the imagination, but it's not as good as the first two and really suffers as the album progresses. There's no 'Rock Star' or 'Stay Together' found to close out the album or 'Maybe' or 'The Way She Dances' to keep you listening. There's only the likes of 'Love Bomb' and 'Laugh About It', nowhere in the same vein as the closing tracks on the other releases. But all that's been expunged with the release of Nothing.
Nothing is another classic in the same vein as
and
. Remarkable in its original sound and consistency. It certainly makes up for the lackluster bits found in
. Here's my track by track analysis of each song.
1. Party People 5/5 - the perfect anthem to get you going. All doubts about the quality of the release are gone a few bars into this gem.
2. Hypnotize U 4/5 - a very good song that only suffers from the slow tempo of the track.
3. Help Me 5/5 - another great song that works its way into you. Not as impressive on first listen but keeps you coming back for more.
4. Victory 4/5 - a good message track. Works into you much like Help Me but it doesn't keep you coming back as that track did.
5. Perfect Defect 4/5 - another classic N.E.R.D. track that makes you feel at home.
6. I've Seen the Light/Inside of Clouds (Interlude) 5/5 - definitely the highlight of the first half. This and the next track are my absolute favorites. Even with the somewhat familiar structure.
7. God Bless Us All 5/5 - N.E.R.D. doing what it does best. So different from most anything from their first three CD's. Definite favorite.
8. Life As A Fish 3/5 - could be my least favorite track on the album, it's more religious than the others but the biggest problem I find with this track is it's slowed down and forgetful nature.
9. Nothing On You 5/5 - a fast paced song that makes you want to get up and dance.
10. Hot-n-Fun 5/5 - the overall sound is great, plus the use of an advert from Old Spice makes the song worthwhile
11. It's In the Air 3/5 - the first of the bonus tracks, it's definitely political and that the biggest suffer. It suffers in the same vein as Life as a Fish. Both songs take a touchy subject and spend too much time crafting a song about that subject.
12. Sacred Temple 4/5 - a different N.E.R.D. sound much like God Bless Us All but not as memorable
13. I Wanna Jam 4/5 - the classic N.E.R.D. sound that, for one, jams, but doesn't do it enough to make me get up and move.
14. The Man 4/5 - a good closing track (unless you count the bonus song). Good, but not great. the use of
theme and the horses give it a different flavor.
15. Fuego (Bonus Track) 5/5 - a great, fast, rhythmic, upbeat song. The energy on this song makes it one of my absolute favorites on the CD.
Highly recommended, if you're a N.E.R.D. fan you should already have this. If you like good, different, distinct music, go out and pick this up.
