The new N.E.R.D. album

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Just gave the new N.E.R.D. a first listen - and it strikes me as somewhat lame. They still have some kind of edge in their lyrics (at once straightforward and weird) and general pushiness, but the sound is just so boooring! Actually, weren't they already (artistically, certainly not commercially) doomed the moment they gave in to this wack-ass authenticity idea of playing 'real' instruments (or letting tired ol' Spymob do it, anyway)? I mean, when they ditched the brilliant, original version of 'In Search Of' in favor of trying to be a 'rock band' and rerecording it with analogue gear?

In their press release, they say that it was "more honest" to play ol skool instruments. I think that is nonsense: The world won't remember Hugo/Williams as musicians, but as brilliant producers and auteurs. And if they feel that way, that's even fine with me. But insisting on releasing stuff made that way - why should we bother?

Inputs?

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Monday, 15 March 2004 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

yea, nerd have always sucked.

― jkhj, Monday, 15 March 2004 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Calm it, lairy.

― Barima (Barima), Monday, 15 March 2004 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

If this sounds anything like the re-recorded In Search Of, Jay, you'll be very on the money.

― Barima (Barima), Monday, 15 March 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

If this sounds anything like the re-recorded In Search Of

Or indeed the N*E*R*D track on "Clones".

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 15 March 2004 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Is the original version of "In Serch Of.." a rare thing now?

― Nik (Nik), Monday, 15 March 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Very. It's on slsk but it's quite hard to search for.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 15 March 2004 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

No, i have it (copies of), but was wondering how much of a "lost masterpiece" status is had attained since its release.

I presume its deleted?

I blame Virgin America and the yahoos that didn't know how to market the NERD sound to America.

― Nik (Nik), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't Pharrell and Chad pull it though?

― Nick H (Nick H), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

They are yahoos.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It really is proof that their tastes are um occassionally somewhat dodgy. Why anyone would consider the US version an improvement over the UK one is beyond me.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

her arse is a spaceship I want to ride. L to the A to the M to the E. I can't comment any more because I could not get past that line, it's an embarrassment to the community

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 00:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Miccio, sometimes people think something is crap for the simple reason that it IS crap. I don't care about that spaceship line. I'm not a huge Neptunes fan who was disappointed. I'm not reflexively knocking down the 'kings of the moment. I just don't think it's a good piece of music.

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:03 (twenty-two years ago)

man I totally resist posting on this thread and I STILL get shit on it.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

boohoo, you love it, hence the endless expounding on a totally nothing "theory" on the other thread. not the first time, won't be the last.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

oh I wasn't crying. I just get tired of putting haha's at the front of everything.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

though the fact that people can't just say "Anthony, you're talking out of your ass" makes me think I really must have hit a nerve with that particular generalization.

(anyhow, this isn't a thread about me! it's about an album that I'm pretty curious to hear!)

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha I haven't heard that argument from dickheads ever, oh no!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

you guys are like the Furies

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

i don't understand this place anymore.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:21 (twenty-two years ago)

not that i ever did.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

It's about stuff and things.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:23 (twenty-two years ago)

How important do people see NERD's first album in getting mainstream critics in paying attention to the Neptune's production group?

I ask, because I'm trying to remember when the Neptune's changed from being an anonymous production team to what they are today.

Xpost x 5 (not that it mattered)

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i think the live drums added energy to the original "in search of"

― Pablo Cruise (chaki), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it's fair to say that, while talented, their 15 minutes in the spotlight are just... about...

― scottontharox (scottkundla), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 07:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Listen here.

― JoB (JoB), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 07:53 (twenty-two years ago)

WTFU. It sounds good.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 07:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I have the original nerd album and I can rip it if anyone wants it and put it on my slsk, email me at choking_tara@hotmail.com.

― Mark HArris, Tuesday, 16 March 2004 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

How wrong is it to like that 'Backseat Love' song?

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 11:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i have orig version. fuckin yawnsville after 5th listen. just dont get it now. time for a reappraisal of their musical value methinks.
they are fine as producers of pop ..as they add some interesting elements to the mix .. but as NERD they seem to loose their focus .. or should i hear the second version of "In Search of .." ?

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 11:18 (twenty-two years ago)

nono, the first is absolutely preferable. i have it if someone wants a cd-r, get in touch, and i'll try to send it one of these weeks. it's waaaaaaaay better than the second. no, not just way better, it's a different record with a different ethos. it strikes me as much more complex and verging on the ironic. that has all disappeared with the clumsy spymob live instrumentation.

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 12:24 (twenty-two years ago)

People hugely overemphasise the differences between the two versions of In Search Of.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

nah, I have tried to analyse it - I mean some songs I like have lines/ sentiments I find repulsive, or videos that are repugnant, but I still don't like what I hear from NERD (though they have improved other people's releases I think) I can't tell how popular they are as I have not read Pavement or the Face magazine to gauge how hard they were sucked off in the articles. Shame on me for not being down with the kids. Shame on me for being unable to resist a micro-bitch. This late entry occurs in the thread as Di told me I might have been confused with the mysterious and talented Mr. Miccio - but no, I am the ILM Dilettante M. Darcy.

― Menelaus Darcy (Menelaus Darcy), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

both equally impenetrable though

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

anyway, i have nil hope for this album, and if anything people don't emphasize the difference between the two versions of ...in search of enough.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

jess OTM

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

People laughed when NERD compared politicians to strippers back on '01...but who's laughing now?

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

justin timberlake

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never heard the first version of In Search Of..., but I still like five songs from the American version. Their new single, though, is about the worst thing I've heard so far this year.

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

So, to get back to the original subject of this thread : is the new NERD just shit ? Should I save the euros for something else ?

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it's fair to say that, while talented, their 15 minutes in the spotlight are just... about...

You mean 7 years in the spotlight?

I think the second version of the album is far superior to the first, which was cool but sounds tame in comparison. And I'm hardly one to worship at the floor of "real" instrumentation - I hate guitars, normally. But the second version had a LOT more energy than the first. And is superior.
Also, I think "In Search of ..." was a great album. And come on, the entire thing is full of ridiculous lyrical conceits, so you yahoos get upset about "her ass is a spaceship"?! Come on, gimme a break. The lyrical conceits are what makes NERD's music so charming! That and its sonic awesomeness. "Tape You" = postmodern masterpiece.

― djdee2005, Tuesday, 16 March 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a truly dreadful album. I mean seriously it is the worst thing I've heard in ages. Jesus it's SO FUCKING LAME.

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 18 March 2004 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I love you, Ronan.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 18 March 2004 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Apart from the single and a couple other tracks, I am loving it.

― Andy K (Andy K), Thursday, 18 March 2004 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)

There are some tracks on In Search Of... that are way better & far more ROWDAH on the second version ("Striptease" & "Rock Star" in partic) than on the OG version. They need to learn how to switch that shit up from one song to the next and not worry so much about conceptual homogenity.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 18 March 2004 21:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, biggest disappointment in ages. I liked She Wants To Move as a cool radio song, but it is by far the best song on Fly Or Die. I'm kind of enjoying first songs Don't Worry About It but after that it's just... pants! What's happened?

― JoB (JoB), Friday, 19 March 2004 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

ugh if "she wants to move" is the best song i shudder to think

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 19 March 2004 02:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i like she wants to move. i don't know their motives behind playing "real" instruments, if it was for some kind of "authenticity" then thats dumb. but i don't care. i want to move. it makes me move. end of story.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Friday, 19 March 2004 02:21 (twenty-two years ago)

shall i lock the thread now?

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 19 March 2004 02:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahahaha.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 19 March 2004 02:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 129 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

lyrically repulsive

wtf? I like the lyrics.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 2 December 2004 20:56 (twenty-one years ago)

tity is OTM about everythang but the lyrics, which are spectaculr.

"bigger than fish size."

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Thursday, 2 December 2004 20:58 (twenty-one years ago)

but he sings that line in i love the way she moves. he reduces pretty chords and a good melody to superficial bullshit about a girl 'witha fat ass and turquoise fin'. pharrell sucks monkey balls. i hate that sleazoid, self-obsessed, greasy, oily, trenchcoat, fraudulent fuxor! esp after he makes greatness like drop it like its hot but then sings all over the same album (snoop's). hes totally self-serving, but worst of all, denies it.

also in the first single from fly or die, he only wants the girl in the lyric to stop seeing the other guy so he can get his sweaty palms all over her.

― titchyschneider (titchyschneider), Thursday, 2 December 2004 21:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"tity is OTM about everythang but the lyrics, which are spectaculr"

yeah.... spectacularly corny!

much as i hate the kneejerk black rocker comparisons which have little foundation in anything other than melanin, pharrell can often be as terrible and corny a lyricist as lenny can.

― titchyschneider (titchyschneider), Thursday, 2 December 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

Chad Hugo has said that there won't be any more albums from NERD.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Saturday, 19 March 2005 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

SMART

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 20 March 2005 05:10 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

Isn't Nothing out today?

― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 7 September 2010 13:16 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

i may just be tired and tippin but this is dope as what

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_cStac_gQ

― The Reverend, Monday, 1 November 2010 06:56 (fifteen years ago)

You're right.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 1 November 2010 07:10 (fifteen years ago)

i like 'perfect defeat'

― j. sargent & lil k3v (deej), Monday, 1 November 2010 07:21 (fifteen years ago)

i'd like to add
"hypnotize u" and "i've seen the light/inside of clouds"

esp. the latter

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Monday, 1 November 2010 13:33 (fifteen years ago)

haven't heard the album, but maybe i should? that joint just came on the radio last night

― The Reverend, Monday, 1 November 2010 17:29 (fifteen years ago)

its wack but has moments

― deej, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 01:47 (fifteen years ago)

this album is dope. really like it

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 21:35 (fifteen years ago)

I need a 10 minute extended version of "Hypnotize U" like, NOW.

― i am not a display name (The Brainwasher), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 21:36 (fifteen years ago)

certain songs just need to be 10 minutes long, you know?

― i am not a display name (The Brainwasher), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 21:38 (fifteen years ago)

The new NERD album is good? What a turn-up, I will listen.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 22:15 (fifteen years ago)

Probably the best N.E.R.D. album since In Search Of... Pharrell toned it WAY down for this one.

― Evan R, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 22:38 (fifteen years ago)

Hypnotize U is amazing. Listened on headphones in bed and second half didn't seem as strong, but I was pretty into a book I'm finishing so will need to give it more listens. Definitely more enjoyable than the last two.

― Fastnbulbous, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 04:06 (fifteen years ago)

Hypnotize U is amazing.

Yes. Rather enjoying the whole album in fact.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Wednesday, 3 November 2010 13:47 (fifteen years ago)

It's all sounding surprisingly sophisticated and grown-up.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Wednesday, 3 November 2010 13:49 (fifteen years ago)

this album fucking rules.

pharrell is def. on some weirdo, i've been alone for way too long in my room on wikipedia getting stoned thing right now

it's like he just wants to bone every single girl he he's and he's really excited about it but also isn't it crazy that we evolved from fish!?!?

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Thursday, 4 November 2010 20:29 (fifteen years ago)

he's = sees

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Thursday, 4 November 2010 20:30 (fifteen years ago)

it's also very earnest and unpretentious. like, they said to each other,

you know what fuck it I love Black Eyed Peas! let's do that and not give a shit what anyone thinks

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Thursday, 4 November 2010 20:31 (fifteen years ago)

also they jsut tossed this into the middle of it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKC3AiQkmuY&feature=player_embedded

― surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally, Thursday, 4 November 2010 20:34 (fifteen years ago)

It's all sounding surprisingly sophisticated and grown-up.

Having said that, there are quite a lot of songs about vaginas.

This may be top 10 of the year material for me, which I really wouldn't have guessed.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Friday, 5 November 2010 14:49 (fifteen years ago)

ok, i'm going to peep this

― kkkvagz (The Reverend), Friday, 5 November 2010 19:39 (fifteen years ago)

I am amazed that Pharrell's falsetto (which I still hate) is not ruining "Hypnotize U" for me

― DJP, Friday, 5 November 2010 20:07 (fifteen years ago)

also lol at the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM-41D89rdc

― DJP, Friday, 5 November 2010 20:09 (fifteen years ago)

His little falsetto kind of sounds like Adam Sandler's!

― 17th Century Catholic Spain (Abbbottt), Friday, 5 November 2010 22:31 (fifteen years ago)

The standard edition of this record (tracks 1-10) is tight as hell. I thought "Hot-n-Fun" was real boring at first but as a closer it is a motherfucker. Don't really know how that reversal happened.

― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Saturday, 6 November 2010 17:03 (fifteen years ago)

Though I wish "Sacred Temple" were part of the album proper.

― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Saturday, 6 November 2010 17:11 (fifteen years ago)

Really liking this album a lot, though parts of it make me think of a Tracy Morgan sketch. The bubble bath bit in Perfect Defect kills me...

― dlp9001, Tuesday, 9 November 2010 03:57 (fifteen years ago)

"hypnotize u" is magnificent, kinda hilarious. he looks like adam sandler at least as much as he sounds like him. "nothing on you" is pretty great too. anyone read the review/crucifixion in pitchfork yesterday? where "hypnotize u" = "mortifyingly stupid?" fuckheads.

― naked human hands and a foam rubber head (contenderizer), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 05:19 (fifteen years ago)

hated the last one and that p4k review kinda comforted me in my preconceived idea about this album, but the apparent consensus here is pretty intriguing.

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 08:37 (fifteen years ago)

this is dope.

― sister soulja boy (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 10:13 (fifteen years ago)

lol at the part where pharrell is chanting something that sounds like "i'm keith sweat! i'm keith sweat"

― sister soulja boy (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 10:14 (fifteen years ago)

i think it's "i came to sweat"

― sister soulja boy (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 10:14 (fifteen years ago)

Love the horn breaks on Help Me.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 13:56 (fifteen years ago)

Roklan2000
1 day ago

is it me or does pharrell look like the offspring of the other two guys?

― sister soulja boy (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 22:40 (fifteen years ago)

hahahaha

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 9 November 2010 22:42 (fifteen years ago)

Rawkan2000

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 9 November 2010 22:42 (fifteen years ago)

two months pass...

"perfect defect" is so so good

― flutes & fucking mexican death horns (The Reverend), Saturday, 15 January 2011 04:44 (fifteen years ago)

― Zsa Zsa Gay Bar (jaymc), Saturday, 15 January 2011 06:14 (fifteen years ago)

I mean, I know, right!

― Zsa Zsa Gay Bar (jaymc), Saturday, 15 January 2011 06:14 (fifteen years ago)

sandwiched on my best-of-01 mix between "yamaha" and "baby can't stop" tbh.

― Zsa Zsa Gay Bar (jaymc), Saturday, 15 January 2011 06:18 (fifteen years ago)

*best-of-10

― Zsa Zsa Gay Bar (jaymc), Saturday, 15 January 2011 06:19 (fifteen years ago)

This album makes me realize I have been missing dope basslines in my life for a while.

― flutes & fucking mexican death horns (The Reverend), Saturday, 15 January 2011 21:07 (fifteen years ago)

deej otm :)

― *gets the power* (deej), Saturday, 15 January 2011 21:09 (fifteen years ago)

six years pass...

i like the new track with Future

― (•̪●) (carne asada), Friday, 1 December 2017 15:58 (eight years ago)

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