by Michael P. Coleman
Singer-songwriter-producer Pharrell Williams has just released his first new album in eight years, “G I R L”, but the new music is being overshadowed by controversy over the album’s packaging.
The album’s cover features his image and three female models that are severely lacking in the melanin department. Users on Twitter and other online sites have questioned Williams’ choices of visual collaborators for the cover of the album.
Williams’ choices of musical collaborators could be called into question, as well, as “G I R L” falters on its all-star duets. “Brand New” (with Justin Timberlake), “Know Who You Are” (with Alicia Keys), and “Come Get It Bae” (with Miley Cyrus) are more marketing opportunities than musical masterpieces.
When Pharrell trusts himself to truly stretch out solo, he scores with tracks like the upbeat “Marilyn Monroe”, “Hunter”, and “It Girl”. On these tracks and throughout the album, Williams channels Prince with some remarkably bass-light grooves that fans of The Purple One will appreciate. (“Hunter” and “Gush”, particularly, sound like they could have been lifted directly from Prince’s masterpiece, “1999”.) Throughout “G I R L”, Williams combines his rich falsetto with the sensual spirits of Marvin Gaye and Al Green.
The album also includes Williams’ impossibly infectious, Oscar nominated smash “Happy” from the “Despicable Me 2” soundtrack.
“G I R L” is available at iTunes and Amazon.
Michael P. Coleman is available at michaelpcoleman.com, mikelsmindseye@me.com, or @ColemanMichaelP
