Best Years Of Our Lives, The - Hugo Friedhofer

Advantages: Great record, great hair...
Disadvantages: Live cover of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' not included.

...This is the debut album from Kelis, produced by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, containing the singles 'Good Stuff' and 'Caught Out There.' It wouldn't be pushing it too far to say that virtually all the tracks on the record are of the calibre of these singles. It also wouldn't be pushing it too far to say that this is the best R+B album released this year. Possibly the standout track, if I had to pick one, would be 'Get Along With You,' which is at its heart a pop record, albeit one of stunning beauty. This is, then, truly good stuff.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average off topic

Advantages: Great first five tracks, vast musicaly variety
Disadvantages: crap ending songs

...--- Background: --- N.E.R.D is an acronym for the band's basic belief that "No-one Ever Really Dies". Having reformed this year, the band has come back with a massive mix of different musical styles and influences ranging from jazz to hip-hop, rap, soul and rock. Evidently lead singer Pharell Williams has noticed this, saying "We didn't care about genres; we're not doing this for the money." According to drummer Shay Haley, the album is named after the neurological phenomenon that is synesthesia. This is something that I myself actually have, and is when a person sees music, letters or words as colours. Pharell opens the album with the spoken lyrics: "I'll never forget I was like 7 years old, I closed my eyes and that's when it started; I started seeing sounds...whoah" Admittedly, the first time I heard this album it sounded like... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A fantastic tribute act - like watching the real band on stage!
Disadvantages: Ringo's vocal performance was a bit 'off' in some places

...to some of their quirkier tracks, such as 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds; and 'Yellow Submarine'. However, the inclination to listen to one of the biggest bands the world has ever known came after listening to the critically acclaimed studio album, 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band'. It had just been voted the best pop album of all time, a very prestigious - if not slightly exaggerated - honour which I would later come to partially agree with; with its colourful array of songs and textures, it's an enjoyable listen and certainly a great mood lifter. Not quite as good as 'Revolver' in my opinion but still a fantastic album. Obviously, and unfortunately, my new found admiration for the band would never be able to progress into me going to see the group live after the unfortunate and tragic deaths of two of its founding members, John... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful