Know And Be Free: Seeing Sounds

“Seeing Sounds” by N.E.R.D. is another excellent album to add to your collection. Lyrics range from the personal to the political, the music is almost indescribable – unclassifiable, a mish-mash of genres. On one song alone I hear influences from The Clash, the Who, and Michael Jackson. The next, completely different, heavy static beat/bass which doubles up a few measure in to produce an amazing groove.

"What is a N.E.R.D? N.E.R.D stands for No One Ever Really Dies. The Neptunes are who we are and N.E.R.D is what we do. It's our life. N.E.R.D is just a basic belief, man. People's energies are made of their souls. When you die, that energy may disperse but it isn't destroyed. Energy cannot be destroyed. It can manifest in a different way but even then it's like their souls are going somewhere. If it's going to heaven or hell or even if it's going into a fog or somewhere in the atmosphere to lurk unbeknownst to itself, it's going somewhere." - Pharrell Williams

“I'm trying to imply the few,
by removing propaganda but,
They must of fused a dove with superglue,
I’m tryin to take a machine apart,
What I'm simply trying to do
Is have the business take a pause,
I've been down every avenue,
But everybody's good as gone.”*

Very fitting considering all that has gone down this week. I respect every musician who uses their broadcasting power to emit truth, knowledge and inspiration while inciting their audience to question the world around them. At the same time, I also admire music which is purely aesthetic, for the love of the beat and the experience of its creation. Luckily, this album has both. I highly recommend you pick it up.