Pharrell - In My Mind
Submitted by Hazard on Fri, 2006-12-08 04:14. Keywords:
Album Reviewed by Hazard
| The Neptunes have worked their way up from being apprentices to the legendary Teddy Riley, to sought-after producers in their own right, collaborating with everyone from Mystikal to No Doubt. Pharrell Williams has always been the public face of the Neptunes, with his partner in crime Chad Hugo seemingly happy to thrive outside of the spotlight. Pharrell now makes his formal solo debut on In My Mind. |
After becoming the go-to man for hooks, Pharrell revealed himself to be a quite talented emcee as well, which seemed to come out of nowhere. The strong melodies and rhythms, which the Neptunes have become famous for, are present all the way through the album. Musically and lyrically Let It Out is one of the stand-out cuts, as Pharrell displays his above average emcee skills, weaving a tale about his life and upbringing. The bouncy How Does It Feel definitely has that trademark sound and could be a good club track. For more introspection and maturity also check the chilled lounge vibe of You Can Do It Too.
It's not all a straight up rhyme tour de force though, as Pharrell ventures into his well-known falseto on old school R&B flavoured joints like the Stevie Wonder-sounding I Really Like You and the breezy religious-themed track Our Father.
The first two singles from the album, which most listeners have probably heard by now, are Can I Have It Like That featuring Gwen Stefani and the Kanye West-guesting Number One, which both fall into the catergory of you either love them or hate them. For this reviewer they fall into the latter catergory. Occasionally Skateboard P's emceeing deficencies are exposed on tracks such as Raspy Shit. His lyrics also tend to grate when he focuses too much on bragging about his personal wealth and fame.
Despite some criticisms, Pharrell's debut is a surprisingly good listen with an overall rich musical foundation, however if you dislike Pharrell or the Neptunes this may not win you over.
Available Through Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment
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