Disco de Pharrell: “In My Mind [PA]”

I was first introduced to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are better known as The Neptunes, when they wrote and produced 2 tracks on SWV's "New Beginning" CD. The best song of the 2 tracks, "Use Your Heart" ended up being the 2nd single from that CD. Right around the same time, I also found out that they produced Noreaga's "Super Thug" and Mase's "Lookin' At Me". They weren't as well known at the time but before you know it they were jumpin' all over well known artists tracks and you saw their name all over the place. In my opinion, the best beat that they have ever produced was Clipse's "Grindin'". That track made producers all over the world step their game up. Of course, when you do a lot of producing and writing, the producers and writers themselves want to take a stab at the industry. N.E.R.D. was a group composed of Pharrell, Chad and one of their boys Shay and they released "In Search Of..." in the year 2000. Although, I hated "Lapdance" which was the 1st single from the CD, I did enjoy tracks like "Rock Star", "Bobby James", and "Am I High" w/Malice from Clipse. While producing, Pharrell would also rap and sing hooks for the artists that he was producing for and even went as far as having verses on some of these artists' tracks.

The best that I have heard Pharrell on the microphone has to be the original version and remix to "Drop It Like It's Hot". The original version was with Snoop and the remix also featured Jay-Z with Snoop and Pharrell. The Clipse's current single, "Mr. Me Too", also features a nice verse from Pharrell as well. Lupe Fiasco's remix to "Kick Push" had a decent Pharrell verse on it and last but not least was Pharrell's 1st real track on his mixtape with DJ Drama where he took GZA's "Liquid Swords" beat and had a nice freestyle over the track.

However, if you had told me that Pharrell was going to make a solo CD, I wouldn't have believed it. Anyone that has heard Pharrell on hooks or on his own tracks like "Frontin'" w/Jay Z or on the N.E.R.D. CDs, Pharrell thinks that he can actually sing. The brother is talented, he's definitely a top notch producer and he's a decent rapper, but he's a "passable" singer at best, meaning he can hit some notes but he is not going to be singing the national anthem anywhere.

The 1st single from "In My Mind", is a collaboration between Pharrell and Gwen Stefani, from No Doubt, entitled "Can I Have It Like That". After producing Gwen's breakthrough solo track "Hollaback Girl", you knew that she would appear on a Pharrell track sooner or later. The track is nice for the clubs, which most Neptunes' produced songs are, but the song doesn't make you want to go out and grab the CD. "How Does It Feel" ends up being an upbeat party song as well. Pharrell plays around with his lyrics but the sound of the track will still catch the attention of most people. "Raspy S..." falls along the same lines, but the track isn't as uptempo as "How Does It Feel". Pharrell also gives a better performance this time around as well. My favorite and most creative track on "In My Mind" has to be "Best Friend" as Pharrell talks about tough events in his life to a midtempo track. Pharrell appears to be classifying Chad Hugo as his best friend, but the song can be interpreted in many different ways. "You Can Do It Too" also continues the mode of a laid back Neptunes track as Pharrell gets better on the mic as the CD goes. If you look at Tracks 1-5, his best lyrical performances are "Best Friend" and "You Can Do It Too". Maybe he just needed to warm up as the CD went along. "Keep It Playa" features Slim Thug, who was blessed by many Neptunes tracks on his major label debut, "Already Platinum". The best Neptunes' track being "I Ain't Heard Of That". Pharrell and Slim Thug basically are letting the ladies know that if you want to come to the club and get your mack on, they can too. So ladies if you come to a club with a male friend and you want to flirt, get numbers, etc. Then men can do the same, so don't get mad or upset or try to cause a scene.

"That Girl" starts the transition from hip hop to the r&b side of "In My Mind" as the track sounds like a throwback 80s r&b song. The thing about it, is that the track would probably better accepted if there was a real singer on the hook and not Pharrell acting as if he is a legitimate singer on the hook. The rap lyrics to the track are nice and Snoop drops a decent verse as well. The track is real catchy and the song will grow on you after awhile if you didn't like it originally like I did. "Young Girl" continues the trend as imagine Prince allowing The Neptunes to produce a track on let's say "Purple Rain" or somewhere in the mid 80s. When you first listen to the track you're like what in the world is this and by the 4th listen you're singing along with Pharrell and enjoying the track. Jay-Z doesn't give his best performance on the verse but Jay-Z's worst verses are better than some artists best work. For some reason, Pharrell adds "I Really Like You" to the end of "Young Girl" instead of breaking the tracks up. The track ends up being pretty good though. Once again, I am thinking of Morris Day during the "Ice Cream Castle" days, but the song is still pretty good. Just when you think the r&b side of "In My Mind" is about to end, Pharrell hits us once again with "Take It Off (Dim The Lights)". You can listen to the track but you can't help wondering why Pharrell is rapping to what basically is a beat to a slow jam. However, the more you listen to the track, the more you will like it. "Stay With Me" falls right in line with "That Girl" and features Pusha T from Clipse. This time around Pharrell is singing again, but I can actually say that I liked this track the first time around. "Baby" which features Nelly sounds as if it was left off of Justin Timberlake's "Justified" CD and Pharrell replaced Justin's vocals with his voice. You will not want to hear this track too many times, trust me. "Our Father" ends up being Pharrell's dedication to God. The track is a refreshing break from all of Pharrell's talking about clubs, money and women for the whole CD. "Number One" features Kanye West and is the 2nd single from "In My Mind". While the track is pretty good as Pharrell sings and Kanye adds a verse towards the end, you can't help but to look for the disco ball and the lava lamps while you're listening to the track. Pharrell ends "In My Mind" with the best rap track on the CD with "Show You How To Hustle" which features Lauren.

The only problems that you will find with "In My Mind", in my opinion are 1) Angel. Once you hear this track you will be glad that this was a single overseas and not the 2nd single for "In My Mind" in the U.S. This track is an album killer. That's how bad it is. You will never want to hear this track again when you hear it the 1st time. 2) It seems as if Pharrell knows the production is tight so he slacks off of his lyrics on some of the tracks. Although the production is definitely an A +, if the lyrics would have been better on some tracks, many people would feel alot better about this CD.

Overall, this is one CD where I feel there will be various opinions about this CD because of the fact that you respect The Neptunes for their production and you love to hear them on r&b and rap hooks. However, can you tolerate Pharrell for a whole CD? That question is what will make and break the opinions about "In My Mind". I rate this CD, 3 and a half stars, but if you judge this CD on just one or two listens, you may have a lower rating than I do. "In My Mind" took awhile to grow on me, so it may take awhile to grow on you too.

James' Top 5

1) Best Friend

2) You Can Do It Too

3) That Girl w/Snoop

4) Show You How To Hustle w/Lauren

5) Stay With Me w/Pusha T of Clipse

Im sorry but some people just don't truly understand this dude talent. Of course this aint no young joc or young jeezy or young whoeva da f**k most people are into nowadays. Pharrell iz on a whole nutha level. He just blends different genders of music together...almost like he's paintin a picture. Another thing i want to point out iz the fact that his rappin has stepped up...he has gone from producer to producer/rapper 4sho. The album to me is exactly what i expected...pharrell being creative wit his beats and his lyrics. Songs that i absolutely luv iz...How Does it Feel, thats the song i play when i first come out da house ready to start my day; You Can Do it To iz a song i really appreciate cuz I also luv to make beats on my computer and by him makin that song he lets people know how his lifestyle changed from back in the day compared to now and that lets me know i have to be patient cause...i can do it too lol. But my fave song on there iz...Best Friend where he talks about bein a kid from virgina without any kinda direction and how his grandma directed him in the path of music...he also talks about how he met Chad in the process and how Chad was there since the beginning. Stuff like dat makes him so different from other artists cause the way i see it i aint always tryin to bang out...i wanna let my car seat back and coast or bring my girl along and put a luv song in her ear that will make her smile. This album offers all dat meaning i aint gotta change my disk out anytime soon cause he got a lil street music, and r&b. But he did miss me on a couple songs like dat song wit nelly...i like it but nelly didn't benefit that song at all, just a bad collabo to me. the otha song iz Angel...im tryin to feel it but its gonna take some time overall u should definitly buy it cause he just got some contagious music im sorry. I been followin him for years...ever since kelis first came out...he still goin strong. I got three words..Buy It Now.

This album's release date kept getting pushed out. It should have continued to be pushed out so he could make something listenable. This is utter garbage. Nothing at all like the two NERD albums, which are, in MY mind, superb.

A general rant - why do recording artists "feature" upper echelon artists on their album tracks, but upon further listen, the featuree only has a very minor part, almost a cameo, in the whole song? Other than Gwen's breathy singing of one line in the first track's chorus, that's it. The music is okay in that song, except for the breaks where the beat cuts out and some stupid horn sample comes in. The Snoop track? If you're dying to hear him saying "that girl" and nothing else throughout the song, then you'll love that track. I didn't even know Jay-Z was in "Young Girl" until I looked at the tracklisting again. I do have to admit that "Baby" with Nelly and "Number One" with Kanye are decent, but the remaining 13 tracks more than sour that sweet taste those songs bring.

This is unimaginative, less than ordinary, and very boring. Go listen to "In Search Of..." if you want to hear Pharrell at his best.

Most of this album is unlistenable. I like the first single "Can I Have It Like That" with Gwen Stefani and the second single "Number One" with Kanye West, but the rest of the album doesn't hit it off. The production and guest apperances are top notch, but the lyrics and the SINGING of Pharrell just don't do it.

I am completely biased, let me admit first off. I own just about everything P has ever done -- N*E*R*D, Neputunes "Clones", Kelis first two CDs, the Clipse, Philly's Most Wanted, and then of course, all the countless singles.

P has several different and diverse sounds, the one that predominates on IN MY MIND is the lush, 70s/bossanova style as exampled on the Jay-Z track "Allure", "Frontin", and the N*E*R*D

track "Backseat Love".

It's eerie -- this is what Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones might have sounded like if they were working together in the year 2006.

Yes, it's that good. It's not so much about beats, although there are plenty of those. P creates a mood of party time on the Mediterranean, and sex with dangerous women, and its all good.