Mastermind producer and artist Pharrell Williams could not have chosen a better title for his first solo album since 2006. This groovy, implicitly sexual work defines Pharrell as the future sound of pop and solidifies his position at the leading edge of production and composition.
Coming off of a chart-topping year in 2013—being featured on hit Daft Punk and Robin Thicke albums—Pharrell looks to build off of this momentum by releasing a solo, full-length album fairly early in the 2014 game.
With G I R L, Pharrell distances himself even further from the hip-hop/rap genre of his past and uses his recent experience with real instruments and a distinct '80s style to create the cornerstone for this new release.
On first track “Marilyn Monroe,” Pharrell uses a heavy bassline and toned-down instruments to create an almost sultry opener revolving around how he prefers girls that are different than your average female. With the repetition of the lyric “girl,” it would be impossible to be confused about the name of this album.
Justin Timberlake thankfully appears on the second track, “Brand New,” perhaps saving this album from being monotonous. He definitely influences the song with his upbeat background. A wondrous big band number backs the chorus as Pharrell and Justin go back and forth once again singing about—you guessed it—girls.
Next up are “Hunter” and “Gush,” the first of which overplays the concept of (what a surprise!) hunting for girls with some drug references on the side, while the second considers the more sexual concept of relations between a man and woman. Both have powerful basslines driving them, but lyrical themes that are repetitive, and in the case of “Gush”the vocals are pretty poor too.
The second half of G I R L does much better at entertaining the listener, notable tracks being the upbeat single “Happy” that headlined Despicable Me 2, “Gust of Wind” featuring Daft Punk and “Lost Queen.”
“Gust of Wind” is one of the top tracks on the album, as Daft Punk brings their signature throwback sound and robotic vocals to another collaboration with Pharrell. “Lost Queen” is a provocative, jungle-themed song that also makes G I R L worthwhile. With some of the most unique production on this album and multiple tempo switches, “Lost Queen” is the type of song that sets Pharrell apart from most other musicians and producers.
I would be lying if I said G I R L couldn't drive a party by itself, but Pharrell leaves a lot to be desired by the end of the 11th track. This is an album uplifted solely by its featured artists and exceptional production, both expected of a Pharrell album.
In order to create a truly legendary work, Pharrell needed to mix up the subject of his songs—he needed to explore more than sex and women, as well as include more cross-genre experimentation. There is too much of the same sound across the whole album, a sound that is unable to carry an album for a full 11 tracks. The end project is worth purchase, but not worth the excitement I had coming into the listening session—I expected more out of the innovative mastermind of music.
Rating: C+
