Modern Mayhem - A.R.E. Weapons

Advantages: creative, original, depth and variety of styles, influences and co-artists
Disadvantages: American!, sometimes a bit too heavily influenced by co-artists

...N.E.R.D are not your typical hip hop group. Even though they always seem to produce amazing hits with worldwide acceptance, their passion for a creative, original spark is never compromised. The hip hop routes show through, and the basis is then built upon with killer samples, from classic rock to funk guitar. There is no shortage of album selling titles, such as'Drop it like its hot', 'Beautiful' and 'She Likes To Move'. Anyone who is unsure of what N.E.R.D are aiming to accomplish should pick this up and let them show you a tour of the musical variety they include in 'Fly Or Die/ In Search Of.' Similarily, any fan of N.E.R.D would see a hole in their CD rack the size of the hole in the ozone layer if they missed out! Although sometimes the lyrical content can be compromised by the intention of a mind infesting beat, i.e Drop It Like... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: "Hypocritical"
Disadvantages: Rest of the album.....

...This is Tommy Lee's attempt at hip-hop, and aftre hearing Hypocritical on the radio I was well impressed .Indeed the best song on the albm, but apart from one or two other decent tracks it's all very non-descript hip-hop rock with a few decent riffs but lame half arsed raps and laughable lyrics - see Get Naked for a prime example. So, in conclusion I would recommend geing HYpocritical if it ever comes out as a single but the rest e album can be ignored safe in the knowledge that you're not missing anything. Definately not one for Motely Crue fans anyway !!!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: R.E.M.'s best album since "New Adventures in Hi-Fi".
Disadvantages: ...R.E.M. haven't had a good album since "New Adventures in Hi-Fi".

...rock origins. With "Accelerate", the first sense of pay-off is present, but comes muddled, and, most disturbingly, in a self-parodying vehicle that has garnered a degree of critical praise. The patch between 1996's still-underrated, but never great, "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" (incidentally lead-singer Stipe's favourite R.E.M. album), and 2008's "Accelerate", is a fraught one, perforated by the poor and drummerless "Up" (Bill Berry's aneurysm necessitating an early retirement), the awkward, summery wafts of "Reveal", before the rudderless, "Leaving New York"-led "Around the Sun" almost completely destroyed the band's modern credibility and commercial viability (especially in the U.S.). Indeed, the only saving grace of R.E.M. since 1996 has been through compilations, and the release of the fairly-strong "Bad Day" (from "In Time: The Best... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful