RETRO REVIEW: Seeing Sounds

Note: The following review was originally written on June 5, 2008

It's been four long years since N*E*R*D last dropped an album. At one point, the band declared that they were done making music together for good, and a third LP seemed extremely unlikely. Chad was off in retirement-limbo, taking time to produce records for alternative pop artist and childhood friend Kenna. Pharrell remained in the lime light, producing hits for his ever-growing network of friends, while releasing his own lukewarmly received solo album In My Mind. And Shay......

Well, Shay was probably back in Virginia playing Playstation.

But somewhere along the line the music gods wanted more from this genre-bending group. And with that, N*E*R*D is back. So was it worth the wait?

In a word........fuck yes.

The album was clearly designed for the sole purpose of crushing your speakers ten times over. And it accomplishes this by leaps and bounds. Sonically, it’s the band's most forward-thinking record, and their richest. Sound elements fly out of nowhere, intertwining themselves within each other to create a vibe that worms its way into your skull and tells you to bounce to that shit.

The record opens with the sound of children playing, accompanied by a string arrangement that sounds like it was ripped from a 1950s educational video. Pharrell enters with a narration, talking about his childhood and the day he started "seeing sounds". Yatta yatta. Then the sounds fade out, and in comes a bass line that slaps you across the face and tells you "It's time to fuck." That bass line, combined with your typical horny lyrical jousting between Pharrell and Shay (complete with a classic N*E*R*D jazz breakdown) get the album off to a winning start.

"Everyone Nose" is next. And we know all there is to know about this one: jazz bass, hysterically good/bad hook, and jazzy breakdown. Moving right along.

"Windows" is the weakest track here, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The song isn't terrible by any means, but it's mediocre, and threatens to bring the album to a screeching halt even before the album has begun. Thankfully, however, the song gives way to a pair of 800lb gorillas.

"Anti-Matter" and "Spazz" are big, and they are nasty. Prepare to order a new pair of headphones after you're done, because they're both guaranteed to melt whatever earbuds you've got popped into your iPod. You've heard a snippet of the latter in those Zune commercials, while the former is the most rap-influneced track on here. And it bangs hard.

Next up is "Yeah You", which might be the most instantly intoxicating track on here. A stalker tale with a jazzy vibe (complete with a jazz bass and saxophone), it's a mellowed out tune that's one of the most melodic on the disc.

Then we arrive at "Sooner or Later", which is a controversial track for me. Why is that, you ask? For a very simple reason: “Sooner or Later” is as epic of a song as N*E*R*D is likely capable of. So much so that one wonders why it’s not the last song on the album. Nothing else on the album matches its intensity and power. After a melodic, ballad-like beginning, the song closes with a pure, unadulterated explosion of sound. It builds and builds and builds for nearly 3 minutes, and just when you think it can’t get any bigger...it does, complete with some crazy ear-melting guitar work. How this song wasn't placed last is beyond me. But, thankfully, the rest of the album still holds up well after its exit.

"Happy" bounces with a 80s pop/rock vibe. And because Pharrell and his cohorts have an undeniable ear for the melodic, they're smart enough to let the song breathe instead of cutting it short, just as its starting to work its way into your cranium. "Happy" is followed by "Kill Joy", another percussion-focused jam that will once again beat your speakers up like a red-headed stepchild at K-Mart.

Sounding like it was ripped from the Fly or Die sessions, “Love Bomb” is bubbly and anthemic, with a hook so silly, it’s good. "You Know What" is a classic N*E*R*D funk/rock jam with a dash of Jamiroquai’s groove. And the album comes to a relentless close with "Laugh At It", with thick, thunderous drums giving your speakers one last bitch slap before it fades out.


And there you have it. Seeing Sounds isn't as initially hooky as In Search Of. It genuinely takes a few listens to really gather what Pharrell and company have put together here. But it's the album that truly defines what the N*E*R*D mission has always been: taking the boundaries of modern pop, rock, and hip hop and stretching them to their limits to build something entirely new. And for this lifetime nerd, the sounds are a beautiful sight to see.

GRADE: A-

RETRO REVIEW: Lupe Fiasco's The Cool

Note: The following review was originally written on December 14, 2007

As a humongous Lupe fan, I'm just going to come out and say it: the album is a bit of a disappointment. Now, this isn't to say it's a bad record (not by a LONG shot). But I had pretty lofty expections, and The Cool just didn't quite meet them all the way.

The major problem stems from the whole "It's a concept album"/"It's not really a concept album" thing. The whole story surrounding the characters The Cool, The Streets, and The Game is incredibly fascinating, but as Lupe himself pointed out in the press, it only encompasses about 4 or 5 songs on the album. And it's spread out randomly. So essentially, it's a mini-concept record sprinkled within a straight up Lupe disc. And unless you do your homework (read the biographies and listen to "Pills/Real Recognize Real") you might be lost.

The dude should've just made the decision to either make a diverse new Lupe record, or go the full out concept direction. The way it stands now, it's just a bit of a mess and a tad incoherent.

But with that being said, this is still a damn good album with some damn good songs that are still way ahead of their time. Lyrically, Lupe continues to bring insanely innovative ideas to mainstream rap, and his flow is as slick as ever. The production does its job and never overtakes his lyrics (except for that nearly distracting sample job on "Gold Watch").

"Hip Hop Saved My Life" immediately stands out, as Lupe illustrates the allure of hip hop as the urban dream, and more specifically, the rise of the Houston rap scene :

He turns down the beat, writer's block impedes
Crying from the next room, a baby in need
Of some pampers and some food and a place to sleep
That, plus a black Cadillac on Ds, is what keeps him on track to be a great emcee

"Paris, Tokyo" is laid back as hell and conjures up memories of A Tribe Called Quest. "The Coolest" is the best of the concept material and features Lupe at his poetic best as he describes The Cool's love for The Streets:

I love her, with all my heart
Every vein, every vessel, every bullet lodged
With every flower that I ever took apart
She said, that she would give me greatness, status
Placement above the others
My face would grace covers
Of the magazines of the hustlers, paper
The likes of which that I have never seen
Her eyes glow green with the logo of our dreams
The purpose of our scene
An obscene obsession for the bling

Meanwhile, "Streets On Fire" is sonically brooding, and Lupe absolutely kills it lyrically. Check out the pure poetry on this:

HOOK:
Death is on the tip of her tongue
And danger's at the tip of her fingers
Streets...are...on..fi...re....to....night
(repeat)

VERSE:
Disease,
The virus is spreading in all directions
No safe zone, no cure, and no protection
No symptoms to find or signs of an infection
No vaccines, remedies, and no corrections
Quarantine the dreams and turn off all connections
Don't let 'em in, not a friend, not a reflection
Everybody's got it and wants you to have it next and
Don't accept 'em if you want to stay as an exception
(No pill, can heal, the ill, of this)
Sickness, some are still in doubt of his existence
Some call it forgiveness and some call it the vengeance
Some say it's an exit and some say it's an entrance
The poor say the rich have the cure
The rich say the poor are the source
Revolutionaries say it's psychological war invented by the press
Just to have something to report
Some say the first case came from a maternity ward
Some say a morgue, some say the skies
Some say the floors
Whores say the nuns
Nuns say the whores
And everybody is sure
The scientists say it only infects the mind
The little boy said it only infects the girls
The preacher man said it's going to kill off the soul
A bum said it's going to kill the whole wide world...

HOOK:
Death is on the tip of her tongue
And danger's at the tip of her fingers
Streets...are...on..fi...re....to....night
(repeat)

VERSE:
Believe,
Some say the neon signs by the loudspeakers repeatin'
That "everything is fine"
A subtle silence to demolish your troubled conscience
Of a populace with no knowledge
And every freedom denied
Every dream is designed
And broadcasted from the masses to the masses
From the antennas on top of the shrines
Must find the receiver and plant it during the panic
And shortly, it reports back everything in your mind
Everything is lying, everything is dying
Everything is a rule, everything is a crime
Everything was here, then everything rewind
The new weather burn the feathers off everything shined
(And she likes it, and she loves it)
The sadness, the madness, the bad s***
The lavish, the fastest, the clashes
The ashes to ashes, everything intertwined
My femme fatale, my dollar fondling angel
Once caught her changing the batteries in her halo
Receipt for her wings and everything that she payed for
And the address to the factory where they made those
Scientists say she's only inside my mind
The little boy said "What happened to all the girls?"
The preacher man said she's gonna kill off the soul
The dope boy said it's the whole wide world...

HOOK:
Death is on the tip of her tongue
And danger's at the tip of her fingers
Streets...are...on..fi...re....to....night
(repeat)


Overall, this is a strong record, yet it suffers from a failed execution of some of its biggest ideas. Lyrically, it's meaty as hell, and there aren't many emcees that can touch Lupe with a 50 foot pole. But after promising so much innovation, it falls just short of being the masterpiece I had hoped.

GRADE: B+

The Tween Takeover Explained

Sick of the Jonas Brothers? Want to strangle Miley Cyrus? Does Selena Gomez grind your gears?

You can do what I do every time something unfortunate happens in my life: blame Hilary Duff.

In 2003, the crossover success of The Duff (television and music) led to the development of what we now refer to as the big tween movement of the 2000s. Duff became the prototype for how to build the perfect tween star: someone who could occupy the film and television market while simultaneously putting out music.

In 2003 Lizzie Maguire was the Disney Channel's biggest hit. The Lizzie Maguire Movie was making waves at the box office. And to top it all off, Duff began transitioning into a career in music with the album Metamorphosis selling a ridiculous 4 million copies. Simply put, Hilary Duff was everywhere, occupying all mediums at all times. The connection the kids develop for the TV persona, carried over to the albums. To put it in perspective:

- The kids love Hannah Montana, so they love the star, Miley Cyrus.
- They love Miley Cyrus, so they love Miley Cyrus's music.


It's a brilliant formula for success. What Disney has affectively done is created a new version of the classic star system. Instead of pimping their shows, they're pimping the stars IN the shows. If you ever watch Disney Channel, it's incredible how they market their movies and events. They make these teen stars out to be friggin' celestial bodies. When they're not starring in a TV show, they're starring in a movie. When they're not in a movie, they're recording songs for the "Radio Disney Jams Mixtape".

It's insane. But it's also quite genius. You establish a familiarity, and spread the love across all platforms. I want to hate it, because it's so fucking cold and calculated, but I have to admire it.

Not surprisingly, Nickelodeon has tried to duplicate this formula with its own tween star, Miranda Cosgrove, but her music career hasn’t exactly been taken seriously like Miley’s. What makes this even more ironic is that iCarly is far better than anything on the Disney Channel, save Phineas and Ferb.

....You know, I should really get a life.

Michael Jackson: 1958-2009

There's not much more I can say that hasn't already been said in the past few days since the shocking passing of the King of Pop. No other artist in the history of music save The Beatles can say they had the impact on popular culture that Michael Jackson did. His style, his performances. He revolutionized the music video, turning it into an art form. He brought the worlds of pop, R&B, disco, and rock together to form an unstoppable discography of pure unadulterated genius.

The controversies that followed his later years will always haunt his legacy, but they will never overshadow the contributions the man gave to the world. It's hard to fathom anyone ever again achieving those same heights. Michael Jackson was simply one of a kind.

"World War III" Is A Hot Ass Song

Yes, folks. The time has finally come. The post you've been anxiously waiting for is finally here. After months and months of anticipation, the countdown is finally over.

Yes, boys and girls. This is indeed....The Jonas Brothers Post.

So let me make something perfectly clear: I don't hate the Jonas Brothers. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I actually respect the Jonas Brothers for what they do. Do I give a fuck about the purity ring bullshit? No. Do I care that they've been whored over by Disney? No. Do I care that they really aren't that vocally talented? Well....yes, actually I do. But that's beside the point.

So what to do I think of the Jonas Brothers? Point blank, I think their pretty solid. For what they do, crafting hooky, sunny pop/rock, the Jonas Brothers are as good as anybody out right now. Their best moments are as enjoyable as anything on the radio today. Their 2008 summer single "Burnin' Up" could've been a top ten jam for Maroon 5. "Lovebug" sounds like vintage Backstreet Boys. "Video Girl", which Rolling Stone named one of the 100 best songs of 2008 (not that it actually validates its quality) is a slick, punky smackdown of fake Disney groupies.

My point is, the brothers Jonas have crafted a handful of songs over the course of their four albums that I'm not afraid to admit I thoroughly enjoy. And what's more, they actually write the bulk of their songs.

Now, this isn't to say they're faultless, because they most certainly have their flaws. They're average at best vocally. Nick Jonas, the backbone of the band, has perfected the art of Peter Brady-ing it up through every song. They're also incredibly inconsistent. The band's albums are chock full of filler, with only a strong single or two sprinkled throughout to keep things going. Far too many of their songs are generically structured and predictable, even by the standards of disposable pop. Their third album, A Little Bit Longer, was a little less guilty of this, but still.


Now, I won't get into this whole bullshit involving them and their love lives. Mainly because #1: I don't read Tiger Beat. And #2: I don't give a fuck. I will say, however, if the ups and downs of their puppy dog romances with the likes of Taylor Swift continue to produce genuinely great backslap songs like "Much Better", then I'm all for it.

As for the title of this very post, their new album Lines, Vines, And Trying Times is out now. The album is a bit of disappointment, because I really dug A Little Bit Longer, and this album is filled to the brim with filler. Thankfully, there are some strong moments. The aforementioned "Much Better" is cleverfully constructed around an outright diss of Ms. Swift. Opening single "Paranoid" is glossy and melodic. And how about that collabo with one of my hip hop favorites, Common?

....Okay, the song kinda sucks, but I digress...

I'm particularly fond of the album's opener, "World War III". Written by Nick, it's a borderline bombastic 80s throwback number, complete with horns and crushing guitars. The song compares a one-sided relationship to actual military combat (hold back your snickering), and it somehow works:

No, you can't have a World War III
If there's only one side fighting
And you know, whoa oh
That there's lessons left to learn
Every time you attack
Doesn't drive me to fight you back
And I know, whoa oh
That I'll never let it be
World War III




All I'm really asking, folks, is that if you enjoy poking fun at the image, look a little deeper. Contrary to popular belief the JoBros may, in fact, have something genuinely worthwhile to offer.

Anne Fletcher: The Most Bankable Director In Hollywood

You probably don't know who the hell Anne Fletcher is.

Don't feel bad. No one else does.

But I'm going to take this opportunity to acknowledge a woman who is single-handledly bitch slapping America and turning profits like General Motors. And yes, that analogy was incredibly witty and topical.

The point is, Anne Fletcher is a boss. This chick apparently got her start as a choreographer on a ton of a films, ranging from the dance scenes in Along Came Polly and Bringing Down The House, to coordinating sequences in Catwoman. Her IMDb profile is friggin' extensive.

Fletcher took her eye for movement and translated it into a career in directing, beginning with the 2006 motion picture Step Up. She followed Step Up with the equally impactful Katherine Heigl vehicle 27 Dresses. And then followed that masterpiece up with this year's summer romantic comedy hit, The Proposal, which just won the weekend box office with an estimated $34 million.

Now, for those of you with taste, you'll probably look at that list of films and think, "Anne Fletcher is just another hack female director making hack female films with hack female stories." And, to a degree, you'd be pretty darn accurate.

But take a trip over to the fine folks at Box Office Mojo, and you'll come upon a startling fact: Anne Fletcher's films are fucking profitable.

Step Up had an estimated budget of $12 million. The film made $114 million worldwide. 27 Dresses had an estimated budget of $30 million, an obvious increase for Fletcher after her success with Step Up. The result? $160 million worldwide. Now comes The Proposal. Budgeted at an estimated $40 million, the film just made $34 million in its opening weekend, putting it on pace to make in the neighborhood of at least $75-100 million, not counting the foreign gross. And keep in mind, this isn't even taking into account the gross from DVD sales.



The point is, Anne Fletcher is making movies that make money. So the question I have is this: is Anne Fletcher doing something right? Has she stumbled upon the Holy Grail of Box Office Potency? Will she ever make a movie that's certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes?

Either way, I'm happy for Fletcher. A female director this bankable is a damn good thing in Hollywood. And with Catherine Hardwicke establishing a bigger name for herself after Twilight, are we looking at the beginning of a golden age for mainstream female filmmakers?

You go girls!

Ryan Leslie Is My New Favorite Dude

When it comes to music, I'm always six months behind.

Cut me some slack. I don't listen to the radio, bitches.

Anywho, Ryan Leslie, R&B producer/songwriter extraordinaire, has been making a lot of noise lately. And he decided to take advantage of his buzz by releasing an album (a very Ne-Yo like move). I hadn't heard of the dude until a week ago. But I've gotta say: this muthafucker is the shit.

Leslie isn't much of a vocalist. He's serviceable at best in that regard. But there's no denying this guy has an insane ear for melody. His self-titled debut album is filled from front to back with hooky pop/R&B jams. And best of all, they're all written and produced by Leslie.

To give you an idea of just how talented this cat is, take a look at this behind the scenes video in which he single-handedly crafts the single "Addicition":



Insane. Now, if that wasn't crazy enough, check out this video taken from Leslie's appearance on DJ Green Lantern's SIRIUS radio show, in which Leslie learns to play Lil Wayne's "Lollipop"....on the piano....on the fly.



Needless to say, the dude is ridiculously talented. We need more cats like Ryan Leslie out there making rock solid music, and doing it their way. Props to you, Ryan. You're my new favorite dude.