N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds
(Star Trak/Interscope)
http://www.n-e-r-d.com/

There’s always been something about N*E*R*D. The group, three childhood friends from the States, is composed of Shay Haley with the other two-thirds being the immensely successful (super) producers, The Neptunes. And here is where it gets really interesting. In an business where many (see: too many) artists claim to be a part “for the art” yet consistently release substandard material obviously catered towards the perceived market trends with hopes of receiving the attention of the masses and the record sales that usually comes with, Haley and co. could possibly be the real deal. Although N*E*R*D have attained a reasonable amount of success which is no doubt partially due to their relationship to The Neptunes, they are still far, far away from the accomplishments achieved by the two better known members when they act as producers, and it is likely that this is what allows the former to be what they are.

Without the make-or-break worries that plague most artists, the three friends are able to focus on creating their art and making the music they want, offering no apologies or excuses; which brings us to their latest release, Seeing Sounds. Their third album brings more of the familiar N*E*R*D sound that has little in common, sometimes disappointingly so, with the radio-oriented tunes associated with The Neptunes. The lead track, Time For Some Action, shows traces of No Doubt’s Hella Good and serves as a bouncing intro that is followed by the single Everyone Nose. The album as a whole, like this single, deviates further from the electronic sound the group had when in 2001 they released their first single, Lapdance, as they delve more into rock and funk. This does lead to some trip-ups however like the almost 7-minute Sooner or Later which may have been better without the extended guitar solo. The rapping also has room for improvement, and the singing isn’t awe-inspiring; but songs like Spaz and Love Bomb are hard not to groove to, and the bonus track Lazer Gun just emanates cool and illustrates why N*E*R*D has such a dedicated following. Seeing Sounds was made for those fans and anyone like-minded, and although it may not be the most marketable or commercial it definitely stands as further proof of the group’s brazen commitment to produce
their art, their way.

Coren J. Cogdell