Page 24 - january

A L B U M R E V I E W S M U S I C

N.E.R.D

No One Ever Really Dies

The Eclectic Pharrell Williams returns to his
under-the-radar band project after a seven
years hiatus. He must have been really in the
creative cave conjuring up these bangers for
this album. In the interim Williams better
known as one half of the Neptunes production
duo – has stumbled into unlikely pop stardom,
courtesy of his hit summer jam Blurred Lines
(which he wrote and produced for Robin T 7’s”. Records stuffed with cameos inevitably
Thicke). eI must say on this album through the diverse
Pharrell building on the success of those singles cast merely puts into relief the virtuosity and
with No One Ever Really Dies he instead expansive vision of N.E.R.D’s core trio which the
swerves and shuffles his feet back towards the band has deployed each time they put out hits.

underground. Working with Chad Hugo, his The protean rumble of 1,000 couldn’t be further
partner from the Neptunes, and long-time from the thruway brio of Happy while Secret
N.E.R.D collaborator Shay Haley, he has once Life of Tigers is a banger that feels forever on
again delivered a dense, silhouette into the dark the brink of tumbling into deep house.
side of what I would say is rhythm and blues Dense, aloof and quite thrilling if you give it the
music. time – not only does No One Ever Really Dies
Previous N.E.R.D. projects failed to build restore Pharrell’s reputation as one of the great
serious moment and were the indulgence of a beat power player of the era, it’s also, hands
big-name producer. As insurance against a down, N.E.R.D’s finest album to date. Now you
repeat of that indifference, here the trio rope in heard that from me once they start winning
a power-list of collaborators, including Rihanna awards for the many hits that are on this album.
(rapping on Lemon) and, in a match forged in I am going to give this album a 10 which is Best
pop geek heaven, Kendrick Lamar and MIA (the of All Time because it may be another 5 to 10
fantastic, jittering Kites). years before Pharrell give us such
Just like superheroes throwing out collaborations as good as the ones on this
superpowers the reach of the Williams/ Hugo album.
powers that is perhaps the most immediately
striking aspect of the project, with Ed Sheeran
popping up on a reggae sounding tunes such as

closer Lifting You and Outkast’s Andrew 3000
contributing some rhymes to Rollinem 7’s”.
Records stuffed with cameos inevitably end up
a really a confused mixture.