Seeing Sounds (The Review)(The spacing for this is not the usual, for some reason whenever I transfer something from MS Word, the spacing gets messed up)
[This is my review of the album by N*E*R*D, 'Seeing Sounds'. I intent to cover every song and an overall feel to the album] First off, N*E*R*D stands for No one Ever Really Dies. It's a belief that all the members (Pharrell, Chad, Shay) believe. That even though you can die, this spirit/entity of you lives on forever. N*E*R*D has never been too main stream. The most exposure they've had was making beats for and with other artists, and also producing. Some of their music has been sampled and used for commercials. For this album all instruments are played and recorded by the band themselves. Pharrell has described this album as a whole, and that all the music is formed into this great beast that you just have to face, move forward, and battle.
This
album lives up to it’s title. The best was to experience this is to lay on you
bed at night when its pitch black and have the lights turned off. And just let
it play on some good headphones or stereo.
The
album starts off with an explanation behind the paranormal phenomenon of Synesthesia in the first song ‘Time For Some Action’. The background water droplet shower sounds brings out an essence in Pharrell’s voice. The background is all musical and cheery. Then it drops into
a deep bass groove that feels hypnotic. This goes back to their “dirty” sound
found in their early singles. I perceive this song to be about being blinded by
lust.
Then
it goes to their first single. ‘Everyone Nose’ (All The Girls Standing In The
Line). I admit, at first the beginning into was a bit of a turnoff, I couldn't
get my head bobbing or foot taping. This is one of those beats where it brings
back the 80’s pogo dancing. First off this song is about all the girls who go in the bathroom to “powder
their nose” (aka snort some coke), these girls are really party freaks and are all wild at the clubs. The chorus is a fine piece of lyrical ability. The
chorus is basically “A hundred dollar bills look (Achoo Achoo) imitating a
sneezing noise, although it could be heard as ‘At You’ (another reference to
snorting; people roll dollar bills into tube to snort). Then it abruptly plunges into
the bridge, which drops the hard bass and comes to chill music with piano. It’s
like that feeling at the club where you’ve had a few drinks and you're just
loose, slinging your arms around guys, not whoring, but just friendly. The
bridge is about the dangers of partying too hard. The song ends abruptly to
symbolize how a person can just crash when partying.
The
next song ‘Windows’ is about watching that beautiful girl next door through her
window. The lyrics try to justify his peeping tom urge and all his fantasies. In the end he gets
caught by the girl's twin sister, and the ending lyric is 'Oh no'.
Next
is 'Anti-Matter'. This is a heavy distorted sound that brings you back to a
smooth flow. This song is about running into someone who is trying to be a big
shot and you try to get to know them and somewhat deface them. The bridge however, explains how the person who defaced the crook is trying to help them become a better person, to which the 'big shot' is stunned.
The
other single ‘Spaz’ goes to a pulsating groove that could in turn make you
“spaz” It talks about how energetic you get when you just spaz out on life and not care anymore. The
bridge is just epic, it drops the rough drums and just puts synthesizer and string.
The song ends with a downfall of having a spastic attack.
The
next song ‘Yeah You’ This is about a stalker, who you don’t official hate, but
you're just curious about the what ifs, but in the end the reason you see hope
is because deep down in yourself, you have nothing, and you feel wanted and appreciated by the
stalker.
Next
is ‘Sooner Or Later’ This is the longest song on the album. This is about when
you’ve made it and you’re big, then all of a sudden everything can just go up
in flames. The first minute or so is all smooth, kind of mopy and bummed. Then
in comes a beautiful crash and synthesizer. This can symbolize the immense fall, almost like an endless fall. But the lyrics and how their presented “It’s
over, leave it” makes you feel like you can get back up again but then the song
returns to its original bummed beat. But
then again it goes back to that hopeful feeling. Only again to return to the
bummed feeling. The second half of the song is basically back to that hopeful/or demised beat
and stays there till the end. It has a good two minute guitar solo that is very
punctuated that just makes you feel energized.
Next
is ‘Happy’. It keeps in tact of the upbeat trend. This song is about the end of
a summer fling. And how things are so much better without the other person.
Seeing that it was a seasonal thing the lyrics state that they "Don’t try
coming back", because they will not change. Another song about lust.
‘Kill
Joy’ is an odd song, my least favorite on this album. This song is about how
things are not always how they look, and they use little red riding hood as an
example. The beat to this is hard to describe, it's like being on a motorbike and speeding through traffic.
‘Love
Bomb’ This is about how amazing the world can truly be or how corrupt,
especially the media and government. But everyone
has the right of mind to do the right thing, they just choose otherwise. No one
is inherently evil.This has a soft, smooth beat to it. Kind of uplifting, this is one of those songs that is perfect for just a late night walk through the city where you can admire all the lights.
Now
my favorite song on the album ‘You Know What’ The beat to this is groove, and
almost funk with the bass line and muted guitar. This song can almost be
considered about lust. This is about meeting a girl who swept you off your
feet. You’ve had sexual relations, but then things didn’t workout in the long
run. Now both people are hurt and are now ‘just friends’ but it’s hard to
forget about someone who you have had a connection on that level with before. The bridge
here is just the icing on the cake, it brings this song home. The synthesizers
brings out the pulsating beat that is slow and longing, almost like coming to a
climax because of the lyrical content. “This ain’t right. You know I want it.”
with the background of "You know it too. You want it too”. I guess the listener is held with the decision if they actually do have another fling. The song ends with “Your friendship
means the most to me”
Now for the last song on the
regular track album, ‘Laugh about it” This beat it up tempo and accented. This
song is about being head over heels for someone, and realized that the love you
had for this person is just extraordinary. But it never worked out because of
both of your flaws. Now you just reflect on what was a great relationship. A great way
to end the album
BONUS ALBUM TRACKS (4 Additional tracks found on certain albums)
Everyone Nose (DJ Ice Freeze) Remix – This is just one of those cheesy remixes with the elmo's tune. Only the
chorus and a new beat.
Lazer Gun – I don’t know why
this song didn’t make the official album. This song is about how the music
industry has gone to crap (especially rap) and how it’s not how it was back in
the day of classics and how N*E*R*D is here to bring it back to fame. Again the beat it
just a regular N*E*R*D, bass throber.
Spaz (DJ Freakii’s remix) – This is more techno, rythem and bass, but still keeping true to the original.
My Drive Thru (Ft Santogold and
Julian Casablanca). – This is the only guitar driven song. This song is
comparing dating life to a drive-thru .The menu may change as you up your
game, but it’s all the same. Some people
become addicted to the food chain while some are just one time shoppers. I love the voice of Julian (lead vocalists for The Strokes)
Overall this album provides a lot of diverse beats and really enables you to 'see sounds'. So go buy a copy, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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