Seeing Sounds

After watching the EVERYONE NOSE video and not liking the song, I didn't think I'd be buying this CD. This was a disappointment, as Pharrell is my favorite producer of music. However, for some reason, I decided to give songs off of SEEING SOUNDS another chance, listened to some clips on Youtube, and was delighted.
There are obvious influences of The Beatles and Beastie Boys on the CD. It's experiemntal on a few tracks, but not revolutionary. Also, I don't see it as a synesthesia record, though I know they were supposedly influenced by LSD research - there's not enough blending of the synthesizers to make it such. But there are beautiful guitar riffs (check out SOONER OR LATER and HAPPY), and Pharrell is relaxed and having pure fun with his voice. He's also lovely in a sincere vulnerable way that I've never heard.
Like a good novelist, the best lyrics use simple words that pack a punch. From HAPPY:

Smiles would die too soon,
My days were filled with frowns,
My job was calling,
My life was falling,
My friends said I looked like I was dead.
Did I look stupid?

There are a lot of good surprises on the CD and I highly recommend it to any music lover. It's not R&B or rap or hip-hop or rock. It's an amalgamation of many types of music and a smart CD.

This album is horrible!! "All the girls in the line to the bathroom"!! WTF! I'm sure there are more topics to make music to. this is crazy! Nas was right. Hip Hop is dead, and what better people to kill it then a bunch of NERDs! Not even worth downloading from the internet!! Wanted to give this album zero stars, but amazon doesn't have the option :-(

This is the most solid N.E.R.D. platter yet, though they still haven't combined their two primary interests (as N.E.R.D. that is) into a single sound. This album is split into two halves, with the first delivering the best electronic funky crunk that that the crew has dropped yet. "Everyone Nose..." and "Spaz" are lowdown and powerful, and dig the extra nasty "Anti Matter." But the second half of the album is made up of the other N.E.R.D. obsession, the organic early 70s soul/funk/rock that Lenny Kravitz has already spent two decades retro-ing to death. These songs require a level of songwriting and musicianship that are not among N.E.R.D.'s greatest strengths. True, the songwriting is better here than on the dreary Fly or Die, but the musicianship leaves something to be desired, with only "Kill Joy" working up a bit of steam. This album is still a great listen but N.E.R.D. have not yet brought their two primary interests together in a totally believable way. The groovy crunky side of N.E.R.D. is where it's at. And be sure to get your hands on the limited-edition remix of "Everyone Nose..." with its skanky reinterpretation of the original. [~doomsdayer520~]

It's a great 3rd album, and feels like a natural progression.
What I like most about this album is that it feels like a perfect blend of Neptunes produced tracks (think everything they've done for everyone else) while mixing the sounds of the 80's and 90's. You can tell so many different influences here.
There are so many tracks that just make you want to dance/ bounce/ board/ jump over things or go just a little mental (check out 'spaz')... excellent.
P.S I think 'everybody nose' is a great tune. Just pump the bass up!!!

Seeing Sounds is where it's at. I bought this with Tha Carter 3 and haven't paid any attention to the latter. I haven't been able to keep seeing sounds off my computer speakers, car speakers, head phones, it's an all around solid album with several key golden tracks. Definitely buy this.