Although In Searce Of…. was released in Europe on September 28, 2001, the US release had been continually pushed back due to the label’s (and perhaps N.E.R.D.‘s) view that the MPC drum machine had to go. Live instrumentation, a good thing, takes the place of much synth track to track.
Don’t get me wrong, In Searce Of…. is a fun record, even interesting. The more I listen to it, the better it sounds. The only thing is that with every listen, I also hear more problems.
First, there’s the production decision to step away from the duo’s identifiable style in favor of a more rock-oriented instrumentation and simplistic hip-hop beats. The biggest problem, however, is Pharrell Williams flow…or lack thereof. He does a better job than I could, but then, I don’t profess to be an emcee – Pharrell, no offense, shouldn’t either. While tight singing the hook’s on other’s hits like Shake Ya Ass and Oh No, Pharrell can’t sustain it on a complete album.
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So what’s right about In Search Of…? The tracks I’ve been bangin’ in repetition are: Lapdance and Truth or Dare, featuring Kelis. Her delivery over crazy strings is compelling. These joints bear closest resemblance to what you’d anticipate from The Neptunes. N.E.R.D. moves one step beyond with their porn flick homage, Tape You (“Relax girl, sip some of my Slurpie“) and the straight up odd Brain (“Do I even really love you? Or do I love your brain?“).
The musical ideas of In Search Of…are as much a strength as a weakness. Heads might find the varied influences: Jamiroquai, Alabama, Stevie Wonder, Beasties and others, more distracting than interesting.
