MOG

It's strange for me to hear jungle/drum-n-bass music as the foundation of the latest N.E.R.D. song/video.  (I haven't had a chance to check out their newest album yet, despite Brittany's stellar review of it.)  Even weirder (for me anyway) is the tune's name - "Spaz" - because that's also the name of the art/music collective who first introduced me to SERIOUS drum and bass parties in the early 90's (and hooked me into the Neptunes' music in the late 90's).  Definitely a coincidence, but it hit just the right note on many levels. 

What's not a coincidence, is being a huge fan of the Neptunes.  That's what N.E.R.D. members Pharrell, Chad Hugo and Shay called themselves in the late 90's when they played some of the ILLEST jazzy DnB funk around.  It's clear this trio haven't gotten the sound out of their system because they still have "The Neptunes Sound" no matter what they're calling it these days.  And it still sounds brilliant; I'll be looking up this album directly after work today...  

But don't let this reference shy you away from listening to N.E.R.D.'s "Spaz" because it's groovy and jazzy first and foremost and Pharrell sounds like he just chugged a bottle of RoboTussin as he sings nursery rhymes and spazzes out.  LOVE it!

The video for "Spaz" is brand SPANKIN' new, so only yahoo is streaming it at this moment.  Hopefully the embed code will work here:

N.E.R.D. - "Spaz":

If you don't see a working video right there ^ ^ then jump directly to the yahoo page and watch. 

I've really missed this side of Pharrell for a while now.  Maybe I haven't been keeping up with his solo stuff enuff, but it seems like he hasn't made anything this classy and fun in years.   Too busy with his "day job" Flaunting His (more adult) Taste for Henny.  Yay for N.E.R.D..