It's Almost Over Now

In more recent times, record labels have been guilty of over using the 'Best Of' as a convenient cash cow for a band past their prime but with a commendable enough back catalogue for it to sell. Take Grinspoon or Incubus for example, both still active in one form or another but perfect candidates for the 'Best of' treatment. Effectively 'Best Ofs' have warped into postcards from better times.

Similarly with the release of the N*E*R*D Best Of, the timing is perfect. I've never been one to gush over N*E*R*D  but I've equally never questioned their impressive song writing ability but in 2011 as Pharrell drags the N*E*R*D  brand through the mud thanks to his horrendous musical interjections, the used by date on the N*E*R*D was out of code before we even entered 2010. But that's the nature of the game isn't it, one minute you've got gold records and you're teaming up with Timberlake and Snoop Dogg and the next you're dying for three lines in a Madonna song.

Now not to trash on N*E*R*D completely because this 'Best Of' is immensely enjoyable and a highly worthwhile purchase, it provides glittering snapshots of a band forging the musical direction of their time. As soon as you put it in your CD player you're taken back to 2002 and confronted with the divine "Rock Star" which sounds just as good now as it did when I was in Year 10. Sadly I'd nearly forgotten just how good these guys are were.

I've no doubts Chris will testify to touching himself to pop delight of "She Wants To Move" but personally Pharrell went down a treat on the simplicity of "Maybe" which almost sounds like Pharrell showing every soft rock Maroon 5 loving, American Idol watching, aspiring B Grade British piano player that it really isn't that hard to write a good punchy summer classic.


As far as 'Best Ofs' go, this is a sensationally enjoyable listen for the first 14 songs and the only point where it really dips is the obligatory remix additions from Justice and Sander Kleinenberg. Unsurprisingly nothing features off Seeing Sounds (2008) and the most appropriate name for what N*E*R*D  delivered on their most recent installment Nothing (2010) due to the two latest releases coming out on Interscope however I think Virgin showed plenty of business savvy to get out when they did. Ironically the Justice remix is the only track featured released after 2004 and it sounds the most pedestrian and dated of anything on the album.

This album is perfect because it allows you to live in the bubble where N*E*R*D are still  songwriters and before they proved their acronym wrong, some people or in this case artists really do die.