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by Tim Cashmere The Neptunes about a year ago were the hottest producers in hip hop. They were also among the first producers to cross over into mainstream songwriting with their project N*E*R*D and have such huge success. The best part of this album is undoubtedly their departure from hip hop. Of course it is still an element in the group, but from the guitar heavy opener, 'Don't Worry About It', it's difficult to resist something a little different. The biggest factor in The Neptunes sound is taking punk rock's careless messy chaos and polishing it up for a pop market. The title track 'Fly Or Die' is a prime example with shouted vocals with no real pitch or singing quality or pitch! This punk/pop combination is proven further with 'Jump' featuring brothers Joel and Benji Madden from Good Charlotte. The first single 'She Wants To Move' is irresistibly groovy with a solid beat and bass line grappling with your inhibitions in a desperate struggle you simply cannot win! 'Maybe' features ?uestlove of The Roots on drums and soul master Lenny Kravitz on guitar, but once it's been fed through the Neptunes machine, the result isn't quite what you would expect from these guests, although it is about the most soulful tune on the album. Most fans of any band look forward to new albums so they can hear how the group has changed over the past year or so. N*E*R*D have made the perfect progression, with an album similar enough to please the fans and different enough to stop boredom in its tracks. Give it a shot, but don't be afraid of the rock! Track
Listing Label
: EMI |
NERD : Fly Or Die