Seeing Sounds

N.E.R.D. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 10, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Interscope Records
• ASIN: B00195BM8E
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,738 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Time For Some Action

2. Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The 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

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk

The title of N.E.R.D's third album, Seeing Sounds, was inspired by a TV show the ban watched about synaesthesia--the neurological disorder that causes people to experience sounds as colours or objects in their minds. The concept inspired the trio (Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, a.k.a. The Neptunes, and their rapping pal Shay Haley) to create a record as if it were a live show, as if the listener were really able to see the band playing. As ideas go, it's a dubious one, but it does give the band the opportunity to dive back into their musical ocean and splash noisily around, leaving listeners soaked and astounded. With the usual disregard for genre, Seeing Sounds opens with bass-heavy low-rider "Time For Some Action", before heading off on an intense roller-coaster ride that takes in the choppy, digi-drum & bass of "Spaz" and the infectious booty-bass of single "Everyone Nose" (a look at Hollywood's cocaine obsession) via a veritable kaleidoscope of colourful sound. "Sooner or Later" is all smooth Motown soul, "Kill Joy" is riff-heavy rock and "Anti Matter" has an Atari crunk feel. This breathless diversity is, of course, what N.E.R.D. are best at, and the good news is that Seeing Sounds can be considered a return to form after the nadir of Fly Or Die; though Whether it stands up to their debut or whether their new experiments ever get beyond the superficial, is another matter entirely. -- Paul Sullivan

Product Description

N.E.R.D. "Seeing Sounds"

You already know the story of the Neptunes, Grammy Award winning producers and songwriters Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, but the N.E.R.D. trio consists of Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and longtime friend and creative wunderkind, Shae Haley. The album is a blistering mash-up of booming hip-hop beats and rollercoastering rock riffs, rumbling crunk rhythms and scintillating soul music. Whereas their first album, "In Search Of...," was an imaginative, exploration of identities, and their second album, "Fly or Die," sought out the range of genres and sounds that have influenced the group, "Seeing Sounds" grinds everything together, evoking a sound that is un-tethered by preconceptions and convention. It is also an album that amplifies the style and attitudes that have made Pharrell, Chad and Shae transcendent cultural icons.

"The Neptunes is what we do, but N.E.R.D. is who we are. It's our life" says Pharrell. The three of them together combine for uninhibited explorations of sounds, emotions and truth, adhering to no agenda, subscribing to no rules. N.E.R.D. is the way they live their life, they way they see the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid sounds!, June 10, 2008

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Seeing Sounds (Audio CD)

Opening cut "Time for some action" has a minute long movie-like narration by Pharell sounding like he's going to make some profound statement, before turning into a funky club banger, in which he assures "This is not love/it's lust". At least he is honest!

And with that, Pharell, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley, better known as N*E*R*D return with their third album. Unlike it's mostly Rocky predecessor "Fly or die", this is a mish mash of styles; Funk, Dance, and Rock, sometimes interlacing all in one song.

Similar to the opening cut is the bouncy "Everyone nose...". "Windows" sounds like "Around the world in a day" era Prince, a clap-filled pop/rock song with Pharell even throwing in some Prince-style squeals. "Anti matter" has a buzzing riff with rapped verses and drum & bass in parts, followed by the similar "Spaz".

"Yeah you" is one of my favourites, groovy R&B, as is the Chic-sounding "You know what" complete with scratchy guitars and remniscent of the song "She's not me" Pharell did on Madonna's new CD. Both will definately get a club jumping.

"Happy" is a sunny rocker which wouldn't sound out of place on "Fly or die", "kill joy" (with a rap about Little red riding hood and Prince-like harmonies) is a Funk laced upbeat song with a James Brown feel, while closing cut "Laugh about it" pairs chunky beats with driving guitars.

Slowing things down are the piano ballad "Sooner or later" with lovely harmonies (remember "Maybe" from "Fly or die"?), and "Love bomb" (piano and guitars, eerie flourishes and chunky beats in the chorus).

So there you have it, their most musically adventurous album yet. A fun album with a little something for everyone.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "PHA-REAL" has done it again!!!, June 10, 2008

By 

Seth J - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeing Sounds (Audio CD)

This ain't objective in the least. I am a hardcore Neptunes fan and generally give all their stuff high reviews (See: Kelis' 1st and 2nd cds, both Clipse cds, Pharrell's solo cd, Chad's work with Kenna and of course, the first two N*E*R*D cds)

Seeing Sounds is, again, great stuff. While it can't be summed up in just a few lines, I can tell you it's more of typically laid-back grooves given a tough backbeat with a cocktail of sarcasm-and-decadence-lyrics on the side. Not as great as In Search Of or as hard-rocking as Fly Or Die but this is a better-than-solid third effort.

Everybody Nose: Probably the most "hateable" track. The chorus sounds like bad Miami bass rap from the early 90s mixed with drums n bass. But then P brings in a killer keyboard riff and the whole thing suddenly makes sense.

Love Bomb, Windows, Sooner or Later: Pharell and Chad embrace their inner Beatles again.

Time For Some Action: bass-heavy opener. The closest to hip-hop this cd gets.

Anti-Matter, Spaz: Savage fuzzed-out guitar anchors this drums n' bass lite track.

Yeah You: similar to Frontin'. On this and You Know What, Pharell is Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones combined!

Happy: An 80s hard/soft rock/soul track that could have been a collabo between Journey and the Eurthymics.

Kill Joy: They rip off themselves beatboxing "She Wants to Move" and copping the underlying rhythm for this track. But it was so good the first time, you won't mind hearing it again.

I loved it at first listen.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, but In Search Of is still their high-water mark, June 12, 2008

By 

J.H.S. (Willow Grove, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Seeing Sounds (Audio CD)

This is probably more a matter of personal preference but I miss the original N.E.R.D. Like someone else said, they switched up the style. it's actually more of an evolution because you felt it on Fly or Die and it moved even more to that direction on this album. It seems more rock-funk uptempo. That's good but they should balance it out like they did on In Search Of. I just miss the breezy eclectic songs that almost felt like they laid vocals to videogame music. It was just so different, smooth, and out in left field, it obliterated everything else at the time. if you're a N.E.R.D. fan the album won't disappoint, but I HOPE they return to some of their classic form demonstrated on songs like Bobby James, Provider, Run to the Sun, and Stay Together. I hope they continue to make music for N.E.R.D. fans, and don't cave in to people who want them to sound like the canned commercial artists they produce. They can continue to make their money producing commercial artists for them and save the true genius for those who appreciate it.