Seeing Sounds

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Seeing Sounds
Studio album by
N.E.R.D.
ReleasedJune 10, 2008 (2008-06-10)
Recorded2007–08
Studio
Genre
Length50:43
Label
ProducerThe Neptunes
N.E.R.D. chronology
Fly or Die
(2004) 		Seeing Sounds
(2008)
Nothing

(2010)
Singles from Seeing Sounds
  1. "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)"
    Released: May 13, 2008
  2. "Spaz"
    Released: July 2008
  3. "Sooner or Later[1]"
    Released: December 16, 2008

Seeing Sounds is the third

N.E.R.D released June 10, 2008 on Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. After ending their contract with Virgin Records in 2005, the band felt their previous album Fly or Die (2004) was too consistent.[clarification needed] Using their own money, the band recorded the album in Florida and California. The album was produced solely by record production duo The Neptunes, consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, with additional assistance by rock band Spymob and was mainly written by Williams. The album's title, as well as its content, revolves around the neurological phenomenon of synesthesia
, the mixing of sensory modalities.

The album debuted at number seven on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 80,000 in its first week. It peaked in the top 20 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, while also charting in the several other countries. Upon its release, Seeing Sounds received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics. Some writers called the record N.E.R.D's best album to date and praised its production, while others negatively criticized Williams' singing and the album's lyrical content.

Concept

While touring in promotion of their previous album, Fly or Die, N.E.R.D ended their contract with Virgin Records in 2005.[2] After touring, Pharrell Williams felt that the album was too consistent; he felt the band abandoned a sense of unpredictability.[3] The band became "hooked" on the energy from their fans and began recording their third album. Williams and fellow band member Chad Hugo later established Star Trak Entertainment, a subsidiary of Interscope Records.[4]

For the album, the band wanted to create the atmosphere of hyperactivity they knew their fans wanted. They wrote a few songs, but felt the songs "weren't strong enough" and sent them to other musicians. Member Shay Haley explained that in their new work, the band wanted to add energy to the emotional appeal of their past albums, though the band did not conceive a clear plan for the direction of the new album.[5] N.E.R.D described the desired outcomes of the album as "a pre-cognitive effort to make music that would make sense for us on while we're on a stage and to recapture that feeling we love so much" and additionally, "to make something that was thought provoking and for people to listen to it and enjoy it on their own time".[6]

Originally titled N.3.R.D,

LSD, sonic drug".[11] The band described the album of being an exercise in creative cohesion, band unity and a renewed purpose for themselves.[4]

Williams went on to add:

If you really analyze that, the most inspiration is probably deep inside a synesthesiac. So for us, 'seeing sounds' is what we relate to the most. We figured we'd make an album out of it. Energy and emotion was the criteria [while recording], but we made the music anticipating the [live] show. That was the most important thing…[The song] 'Spaz' is [an] old school, hip hop feeling with some drum and bass. It becomes a big, tall monster. It's almost like this big gorilla looking down at you. If he smacks you, he kills you. His fingers are the size of your body. That's kinda what we're doing. We're facing this big monster of, of what we know is out there, of what we see, that big monster of energy.[11]

Recording and production

Spending their own money, N.E.R.D recorded the album at the South Beach Studios in

In Search Of....[9] Hugo described the album as going back to the band's roots, combining a classic rock sound with a 1970s funk swing.[10] The typical process of recording was described as "Williams arrives at the studio, ideas in full flower, and lays down both a beat (either programmed or played on an assortment of buckets) and vocals." Hugo then would add extra instrumentation.[10] In an interview with MTV, Williams said that the band "didn't care about genres; we're not doing this for the money. We're doing this for people who pledge allegiance to our movement."[11] Hugo went on to say that they "just want to make people move".[10] On the album he said, "We had anger, quiet angst. We had something to get off our chest. And we wanted to show we could do it as a band."[12] Don Was, a musician and record producer, thought that the band was on a creatively fulfilling path, calling their musical style "really innovative".[9]

Williams felt music lacked energy, citing Limp Bizkit's "Nookie" as the last energetic record. Williams suggested his engineer, Andrew Coleman, to "put the drums and bass on the right, keys in the middle, and the mothafucking guitar and backgrounds on the left". Coleman denied his request, saying, "those systems were different back then. If we do that, you'll be in a club and all you will hear on one side of the club is drums and on the other side, just chords."[10]

pseudonyms they use within the band.[13][14]

Promotion

N.E.R.D performing at Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki in December 2008

In promotion of the album, N.E.R.D performed in

2008 United States elections.[15] The song "Spaz" was used for commercials for the Zune Pass.[16] The band performed at Vanderbilt University's Rites of Spring Music Festival in April.[17]

Reception

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number seven on the U.S.

Nielsen SoundScan.[19] It peaked in the top 20 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, while also charting in the several other regions, including Austria, Belgium, France and Italy.[20][21]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork Media
4.6/10[27]
PopMatters7/10[28]
Rolling Stone[8]
Slant Magazine[29]
The Times[30]

Upon its release, the album received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics.

Pitchfork Media called the album a "baffling, obnoxious mess".[27] Adrian Ruhi of Okayplayer gave the album a score of 88 out of 100 and called some of the songs "a dynamic mess", but noted it was "a good thing".[33]

Some critics argued that the album was their most consistent and strongest album to date.

Daily News criticized Williams, saying "Even aided by studio correction, the guy can't sing", calling it "bad singing at its engaging best".[32] Cohen of Pitchfork Media bashed the lyrics, saying that the writing was "far down the list of what N.E.R.D. is actually good at".[27] Hoard of Rolling Stone felt he learned nothing from the lyrics except that Williams was sexually aroused.[8] Henriques of PopMatters noted that Williams is not a "technically gifted rapper", he "does not have a beautiful voice" and his lyrics are "typically inconsequential in a 'saying shit just to sound cool' sort of way", but found strengths in his choruses, which he pointed out "typically use a catchy phrase or recognizable melody as an anchor for his nonsensical verses".[28] Dan Charnas of The Washington Post commended N.E.R.D for their songwriting, writing that Seeing Sounds "combines the adolescent and clever".[34] The Times writer Priya Elan gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that band is "pushing the boundaries of the popular song".[30] In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star honorable mention ((3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)) and stated, "Beats of course, songs usually, singing barely--especially sincere-type singing"; he also picked out two songs from the album: "Anti-Matter" and "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)".[35]

Track listing

# Title Writer(s) Time
1 "Time for Some Action" (Intro) Pharrell Williams 3:43
2 "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)"
3:27
3 "Windows" Williams 2:59
4 "Anti Matter"
  • Williams
  • Hugo
 4:01
5 "Spaz" Williams 3:51
6 "Yeah You" Williams 4:07
7 "Sooner or Later" Williams 6:43
8 "Happy" Williams 4:36
9 "Kill Joy" Williams 4:10
10 "Love Bomb"
  • Williams
  • Hugo
 4:36
11 "You Know What" Williams 4:31
12 "Laugh About It" Williams 4:04
* "Lazer Gun" (United Kingdom and Japan bonus track) Williams 3:52
* "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom) [Remix]" (featuring Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pusha T) (iTunes and Zune Marketplace bonus track)
  • Williams
  • Hugo
  • Kanye West
  • Wasalu Jaco
  • Terrence Thornton
 3:48

Personnel

Charts

Release history

Region Date
Belgium[53] June 6, 2008
Germany[54]
Switzerland[55]
France[56] June 9, 2008
United Kingdom[57]
Canada[58] June 10, 2008
United States[59]
Japan[60] June 11, 2008

References

  1. ^ "On Set of N.E.R.D.'s 'Sooner or Later' Video". Rap-Up. 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  2. ^ Roberts, Michael (2008-04-28). "Q&A With Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D." Westword. New Times Media. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (2007-10-23). "Pharrell Williams Hopes To Reclaim N.E.R.D. Debut's Chaotic Sound On Their Next LP". MTV. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  4. ^ a b c Lee, Chris (2008-06-01). "The cool part about being a N.E.R.D." Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  5. ^ MacNeil, Jason. "N.E.R.D. album captures energy". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved 2009-01-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. MTV One
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  7. ^
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  8. ^ a b c d Hoard, Christian (2008-06-12). "Seeing Sounds - N.E.R.D. - Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  9. ^ a b c Rodman, Sarah (2008-05-11). "For N.E.R.D., it's time to ramp up production". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  10. ^
    Remix Magazine. Primedia Business Magazines & Media. Archived from the original
    on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
  11. ^ a b c d e Reid, Shaheem; Patel, Joseph (2008-03-25). "Pharrell Williams Says N.E.R.D. Harness A 'Big Monster Of Energy' On Forthcoming LP, Seeing Sounds". MTV. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  12. ^ "Geeks bearing riffs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  13. ^ [1] Archived 2015-07-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 22 December 2011
  14. ^ "CD: N*E*R*D, Seeing Sounds". www.theguardian.com. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  15. ^ Ayers, Michael D. (2008-09-27). "Mars Volta, N.E.R.D. Get Austin City Limits Started". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  16. ^ "New Zune Ad featuring "Spaz"". BBC Ice Cream. 2008-05-05. Archived from the original on 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  17. ^ Wynn, Ron (2009-03-03). "Rites of Spring: Flaming Lips, N.E.R.D., Q-tip come to Vanderbilt". The City Paper. SouthComm Publishing. Archived from the original on 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  18. ^ Hasty, Katie (2008-06-18). "Lil Wayne Crushes The Competition To Debut At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  19. ^ "Billboard". 2010-04-03.
  20. ^ "N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds (Album)". Ultratop. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  21. ^ "N.e.r.d - Seeing Sounds - Music Charts". αCharts. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
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    Allmusic
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  23. ^ Hoffberger, Chase (2008-09-26). "ACL Friday Reviews: N.E.R.D. (Seeing Sounds)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
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  28. ^ a b c d Henriques, Anthony (2008-06-19). "N.E.R.D.: Seeing Sounds". PopMatters. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  29. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (2008-06-08). "Slant Magazine Music Review: N.E.R.D.: Seeing Sounds". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
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  32. ^
    Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman
    . Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  33. ^ a b c Ruhi, Adrian (2008-06-09). "N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  34. ^ Charnas, Dan (2008-06-10). "RECORDINGS : Quick Spins". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  35. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: N.E.R.D." RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
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  44. GfK Entertainment Charts
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  52. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  53. ^ "Discografie N.E.R.D." Ultratop. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  54. Amazon.com
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  57. ^ "Seeing Sounds: N.E.R.D: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  58. ^ "Seeing Sounds: N.E.R.D.: Amazon.ca: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  59. ^ "Seeing Sounds: N.E.R.D.: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  60. ^ "Amazon.co.jp： シーイング・サウンズ: N★E★R★D, カニエ・ウェスト, ルペ・フィアスコ: 音楽". Amazon.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-01-18.

External links

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