In Search Of... [Explicit]

The electro-powered grooves of the writing-production team the Neptunes have abetted fine-to-great tracks by everyone from Jay-Z and Ol' Dirty Bastard to Britney Spears. On their debut as performers, they display an irresistible knack for hooky tracks rooted in the eclectic listening habits they developed while growing up in the multiracial Virginia Beach, Virginia, neighborhoods they still call home. Fusing album rock and rap more forcefully and convincingly than Kid Rock or Durst-style aggro bands (the latter of whom they seem to lampoon on "Rock Star"), N.E.R.D. whip up a creamy yet slammin' mix. Main men Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo coax apropos guest shots from Kelis (the get-your-freak-on "Truth or Dare," the sexiest thing here aside from the ménage-a-wow plea "Tape You") and a handful of up-and-coming members. The live instrumentation that replaces the machine-tooled tracks of an earlier import version of In Search Of retains the tunes' syncopation while rendering it palatable for less eclectic rock fans. While not a commercial blockbuster on the order of many of their clients' discs, this venture is nonetheless one of 2002's standout releases. --Rickey Wright