Fly Or Die
Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo practically sweat platinum. As the production duo behind the Neptunes, they have crafted monster hits for everyone fromJustin TimberlakeandBritney SpearstoJay-ZandOl' Dirty Bastard. In their spare time they make the music theyreallylike under the banner N.E.R.D. Equally inspired byDuran Duran's silk-spun new wave classics and theBeatles' strapping psychedelic epics,Fly or Die, the follow-up to 2002'sIn Search Of, is a bustling, bumping disc highlighted by rowdy tracks like "She Wants to Move" and "Jump," a collaboration with members ofGood Charlotte. The nu-metal crunch of the last album gives way to a more suitable '70s vibe, making the band sound like an unholy cross betweenSly & The Family StoneandE.L.O.--as filtered throughA Tribe Called Quest. That's a good thing. --Aidin Vaziri