In Search of... (N.E.R.D. album)

First release

The 2001 version of In Search of..., also known as the "electronic version", features prominent digital-based production, including drum machines and synthesizers, as the backing tracks, with a sound more typical of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo's production work as The Neptunes.

The album features three skits book-ended to the tracks "Things Are Getting Better", "Stay Together" and "Tape You" telling the loose story of N.E.R.D. member Shay Haley (who is featured on the cover) meeting two female high-school groupies in a locker room, ludicrously calling in an escort, and taping them during sexual acts.

After the ending of "Bobby James", an unnamed 1:37 instrumental track starts with a child-like voice saying something unintelligible before being joined by a warp sound followed by a repetition of drums and futuristic sounds. Pharrell can be heard in the background doing ad libs as the drums pick up. A saxophone joins the melody three quarters of the way through and then dominates toward the end (with Pharrell taking a brief pause while the saxophone takes center stage before he picks back up a few seconds later). At the outro, Pharrell ad libs one last time as the drums end, the futuristic wails wind down and the saxophone plays a few extra notes before fading out.

Track listing

Re-release

For its 2002 worldwide release, N.E.R.D. withdrew the original European version of In Search of... and in its place issued a re-recorded version of the album, also known as the "rock version", with the electronic backings of the original version being replaced by a more rock-oriented sound with the use of live drums and guitars played by American funk rock band Spymob. After the making of this version, Chad Hugo learned to play the guitar and the band have since kept to this style, now mostly playing their own instruments. Explaining the creation of the new version, Pharrell Williams has stated that as N.E.R.D. was to be an entirely different venture to his and Hugo's work with the Neptunes, the band's music should also sound different, hence the decision to re-record the album.

The 2002 version cuts the intro and three skits found on the original album and features a slightly re-arranged track listing. The change of tactics in the re-release also allowed the group to tour and play live as N.E.R.D. more easily. It was released as an enhanced CD with extra CD-ROM material as well.

Track listing

DVD-A release

In 2005, In Search of... was released as a 5.1 surround sound DVD-Audio edition. This version is based on the 2002 release, featuring slightly different mastering.

Legacy

In Search Of... served as a sonic and aesthetic touchstone for many artists who came to prominence after its release. The late designer Virgil Abloh said the album "described a whole generation of young black kids and artists who have since been determined to be themselves and jump through that door that was opened by Pharrell." Tyler, the Creator said the album's singles served as his introduction to N.E.R.D. and made him a lifelong fan of The Neptunes. In 2018, Vulture magazine wrote, "It's difficult to see today's most influential acts as uninfluenced by the very elements of N.E.R.D.'s music that confounded audiences in the past."

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

References

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17. Pappademas, Alex. "N.E.R.D.: In Search Of N.E.R.D.". [[Blender (magazine).
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27. (2020-03-19). "35 Top African-American Artists on the Work That Inspires Them". The New York Times.
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31. (March 7, 2005). "ARIA Urban Chart – Week Commencing 7th March 2005". [[Australian Recording Industry Association]].
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33. "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2002".
34. "Top 100 rap albums of 2002 in Canada".
35. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2002".
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