D. Shaw's profile

Pharrell's better musical group, 22 Jul 2008

Apart from "Frontin'", Pharrell's solo output has been confusingly bad, and he has far more success with his funk/rock group N*E*R*D. The band's latest offering 'Seeing Sounds' successfully combines the mellow chords of 'In Search Of' and the prominent guitar of 'Fly Or Die' in a musically diverse album. Drum n Bass influences "Everybody Nose", "Anti Matter" and "Spaz", but the latter two tracks sound somewhat cluttered with ideas. The funk and flow of "Yeah You" is better, while the Beatle-esque "Sooner or Later" is a brilliant number before it breaks into a 2 minute guitar solo. Although Pharrell cites Steely Dan as one of his main influences, this guitar solo cannot match that of Walter… Read more

Stumbling Down, 4 May 2008

Since moving to record label Def Jam, The Roots have commanded a heavier sound than ever before. Though this hindered 'Game Theory' only slightly, the band's latest offering is so dark, you question whether these were the same musical brains behind 2004's excellent Tipping Point. Last year, El-P's debut album was magnetic because it combined a moody subject with inventive music, full of samples, scratches and breakbeats. Black Thought seems intent on rapping about 'the hood', but his lyrics are met by a murky, tedious production. The repetitive use of 'niggas' on the grim '75 Bars' gets irritating, as do the interludes in the first half of the album. It takes until track 7, the brilliant… Read more

Come With Us For A Wayward Journey, 21 Jan 2008

Come With Us is patchily brilliant, but sounds a world away from 1999's Surrender. This is not to say that Tom and Ed should not stretch new boundaries, but the album sounds incomplete and unfocused, a weakness which plagued 2005's Push The Button. The stomping title track, with acid loops, vocoder vocals, and eclectic beats, is classic Chemicals, and Star Guitar is one of their finest achievements. Galaxy Bounce does bounce, and Hoops contains a terrific My Bloody Valentine guitar within a track that accomplishes everything. Yet from here, the album struggles, with the messy "My Elastic Eye", and the meandering "Pioneer Skies". "It Began In Afrika" made the album cut because of its… Read more