N.E.R.D

Seeing Sounds (Star Trak/Interscope)

N.E.R.D’s third album, an “Anti Matter” suggestion that devotees “tilt your head back and close your eyes” and try Seeing Sounds, bangs frantic enough to entice one serious auditory seizure. These guys can’t sit still. Hollering “Everybody let’s go,” the rave-ready “Kill Joy” keeps pace with coke-conscious rattler “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom),” lapping thanks-for-trying vox from Pharrell Williams on the soulfully descended melody of “Sooner or Later” and trumpet-crutched “Love Bomb.” Williams and Chad Hugo post up contemporary disco dancehall, grooving out on “Laugh About It” and pulling Williams’ signature falsetto (“Yeah You”), but true Neptunes m.o. hits hardest on the extraterrestrial one-two of “Anti Matter” and “Spaz.” Spotted in between a kaleidoscope of N.E.R.D invention, Shae Haley’s “You fuck around like you ADHD” claim must be directed at his own band. (6:30pm, AMD stage.)

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This article appears in September 26 • 2008.

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