N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds
[Polydor]

No one can deny The Neptunes can write a good tune - a fucking great tune in fact. By now it's near impossible to count how many hit singles and albums they've produced for other artists - yet, when it comes to their own offshoot N.E.R.D, significant success to rival the dayjob has eluded the group.

In truth, much of 'Seeing Sounds' is no departure from 'In Search Of' or 'Fly Or Die'. Any mention of LP number 3 made by the band last year talked of a "concept record" - so cue the instant worry that this new album would be an overblown pretentious vanity project of biblical proportion. But no, N.E.R.D. are in usual form, creating what they know best: rock-fuelled, funk-tinged hip-hop and R&B, that sits nicely alongside the first two LPs.

Highlights are the obvious choice of single 'Everyone Nose' (watch the video), the glam-hop and clap-happy 60s pop of 'Window', the experimental 'Anti Matter' (which gets a bit drum'n'bassy in the climax) and the stuttered-jazz and glitch beats of 'Spaz' - an apt name considering this comes across like a hip-hop version of Squarepusher.

Thankfully weaknesses are far and few. Only the teen guitar-chug and snot-punk of 'Happy' (wtf were they thinking?), or the token piano ballad ('Love Bomb') and inane lyrics of 'Kill Joy' ("Little Red Riding Hood, we're riding our bikes...just because it ain't grandma's house, don't mean that it's good") really bring on the disbelief that these could come from such talented minds. Such a waste of valuable vinyl inches could have easily been dropped from an otherwise flawless record.

N.E.R.D are not going to be selling millions of copies of this album, but then do they actually care? The band are fortunate enough to be in a position where they can really do what the hell they want and it shows - there are areas of experimentation, playful genre-crossovers and best of all, Pharrell and Chad sound like they are enjoying themselves for the whole ride.

Seeing Sounds Tracklisting:

1. Time For Some Action
2. Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In Line For The Bathroom)
3. Windows
4. Anti Matter
5. Spaz
6. Yeah You
7. Sooner Or Later
8. Happy
9. Kill Joy
10. Love Bomb
11. You Know What
12. Laugh About It
13. Lazer Gun (UK bonus track)