If there
were ever a time for Pharrell Williams to strike it big as a vocalist, right now
would be it. Of course he’s been a notable producer who had a fiery return in
2013 with Daft Punk’s smash hit “Get Lucky” and Robin Thicke’s electro-funk jam
“Blurred Lines.” As a soloist, though, he’s been often met with mixed criticisms hailing
the most from his 2006 debut effort In My
Mind, however, this time around, Pharrell has cleverly decided to stop his
rap game and focus on his vocal talents.
As the
title suggests, Pharrell Williams sophomore album is about girls, but more
specifically, it’s about one girl who he sees as his queen from outer space.
Hot on the heels of his multi-country, number one hit song “Happy” and his
latest performance on the Oscars this past Sunday, it should come to no surprise
his album has topped iTunes in over 60 countries worldwide. With G I R L, Pharrell tries to capitalize on the funky-pop
sound of his recent, chart-topping collaborations while also keeping his songs
simplistic in nature, but full of enticing innuendos and hypnotic grooves.
The first
single off of the album is “Happy,” which was featured in last summers animated
blockbuster Despicable Me 2, showcasing everything Pharrell was aiming for
in his solo revival. That is to say it’s full of funky beats, catchy hooks and unparalleled,
upbeat energy perfect for mainstream audiences. The opening track “Marilyn
Monroe” starts off with an orchestra arrangement that’s later followed by
infectious electronic beats and even features a short vocal appearance from
fashion icon Kelly Osbourne. The song swiftly transitions into “Brand New,” a
collaboration with Justin Timberlake that takes on the shape of any other track
from JT’s own The 20/20 Experience. It’s
a blend of contemporary funk-styled rhythms with the throwback atmosphere and
pop-centered vocals you’ve come to expect from the latest JT offerings making
it a clear standout from Pharrell album.
Next up
is “Hunter,” a song straight out of a 1970’s Bee Gees album with the same
trance inducing disco rhythms minus any sort of distinguishing and memorable
characteristics. The most sexually
explicit track on G I R L comes in
the form of a song called “Gush” where Pharrell sings, “I don’t know what’s
come over me. My momma didn’t raise me that way. You lit a fire from inside of
me. Light that ass on fire.” On top of the raunchy lyrics, there’s a very
mesmerizing groove that makes it a suitable song to just chill and relax to.
The ever so controversial pop star Miley Cyrus assists on “Come Get It Bae,” and
while the song itself isn’t anything special, it does add depth to the overall
album when listened in full with the rest of the songs. Adding to his set of
A-list collaborators is Daft Punk, who lend their Grammy Award winning
electronic-synth flows to “Gust of Wind.” Even though there second time joining
forces doesn’t prove to be as captivating as “Get Lucky,” it’s still a strong
standout between the rest of the tracks on G
I R L.
All together, the latest efforts from Pharrell Williams in G I R L prove he’s much more suited to singing rather than using spitfire
speeds to rap his lyrics. He effectively creates a groovy rhythm and
contemporary mainstream funk-pop sound that continues through all of the songs
making for a full-circle, cohesive album. This time around Pharrell proves he’s
not only making hit songs for top notch, superstar artists, but quickly
becoming one of them.
Grade: B+
Happy is still my favorite song on the album, and the video only confirmed this for me haha. It's fun and just makes me happy-- check it out if you havent: http://www.vevo.com/watch/pharrell/happy-from-despicable-me-2-ballroom-version/USSM21400067