• Record Label: Virgin
  • Release Date: Mar 23, 2004
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 51 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 51
  2. Negative: 5 out of 51
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  1. SébastienVanB
    Apr 30, 2004
    8
    I buy all kinds of music from jazz to electronica and a little rock but almost never the more mainstream ... I my record store (99% of their stock is pure alternative music ) it was listed as recommended so I gave it a listen despite the quite ugly teenage like cover. I loved it ! I must say it is a great 'fun' album. The tunes are very catchy and make you wanna sing along. It I buy all kinds of music from jazz to electronica and a little rock but almost never the more mainstream ... I my record store (99% of their stock is pure alternative music ) it was listed as recommended so I gave it a listen despite the quite ugly teenage like cover. I loved it ! I must say it is a great 'fun' album. The tunes are very catchy and make you wanna sing along. It is not a deep kind of music but is that what pop is about anyway ? :) Music that makes you feel good can be as pleasant for me I wanted to give it a 9 but I give it a 8 because the singers voice is not always that strong ... But that does not really matter for me it is the fun element that makes me like it Seba Expand
  2. markf
    Apr 8, 2004
    8
    There seems to be many reasons why this album is getting such mixed reviews: 1) it's not hip-hop; 2) it's too rock; 3) it's got too many guests who are "losers"; 4) the lyrics suck; 5) pharrell can't sing; 6) it doesn't sound like the last one (hell, the last one didn't even sound like the last one since there were two different versions of it); 7) it's There seems to be many reasons why this album is getting such mixed reviews: 1) it's not hip-hop; 2) it's too rock; 3) it's got too many guests who are "losers"; 4) the lyrics suck; 5) pharrell can't sing; 6) it doesn't sound like the last one (hell, the last one didn't even sound like the last one since there were two different versions of it); 7) it's too retro; 8) it doesn't sound how YOU want The Neptunes to sound; 9) blah, blah, blah. One should listen to what actually IS on the album instead of all the baggage that the critics/wannabe critics seem to be obsessing about. Nobody is going to mistake it for a guitar-ripping hard rock album, but for a straight-on funk/rock/pop album, it succeeds quite well. If you don't think that the highs are as high as "in search of...", OK, but the album plays better as a whole. Just because there are basically no raps is no reason to show prejudice against some solid Prince-inspired rock and funk and 60s-style pop. "Don't Worry About It" has some of the best backing vocals in recent memory. "Fly or Die" is a solid rock song even if Pharrell is "too old" to sing teenage lyrics. (Do these hip-hop-loving-only critics ever bad mouth immature, misogynistic lyrics or garbage-disposal-sounding raps in their genre of choice?) "Drill Sergeant" has been compared to The Beatles, but it's a dead ringer for XTC (true, that band was taking its cue from The Fab Four.) Overall, this album is full of songs that would make anyone with a soul who wasn't a rock-phobe want to shake their booty. God forbid that people ever be open to something that isn't exactly what they already know (or think they know) by heart. Expand
  3. Thunderrate
    May 1, 2004
    8
    Extremely strong, yes! The Rap-Rock sounds and the powerful combination of West, Williams and Hugo really makes me smile. Well, it only lacks a little spice... Come on, the rock side is excellent (Lenny Kravitz, Joel & Benji Madden) but not enough R&B!
  4. SolarC
    Mar 26, 2004
    8
    Overall the album is dope... not as strong as In Search of... but it's also a different approach since Pharrell and Chad actually play all of the instruments as opposed to Spymob. The result is a more simple and clean formula to each of their songs. I particularly enjoyed "Don't Worry About It", "Fly or Die", the lead single "She Wants to Move", "Breakout", "The Way She Dances", Overall the album is dope... not as strong as In Search of... but it's also a different approach since Pharrell and Chad actually play all of the instruments as opposed to Spymob. The result is a more simple and clean formula to each of their songs. I particularly enjoyed "Don't Worry About It", "Fly or Die", the lead single "She Wants to Move", "Breakout", "The Way She Dances", and "Chariot of Fire". A solid album overall but with the absence of vocals by Kelis that I had come to expect or a few verses from any of today's top hip hop artists make the album just short of their first project. Expand
  5. tt
    Apr 26, 2004
    10
    rock and roll doesn`t get any better than this. funny thing is, the albums tarts working as a full record only after 3rd or 4th time of listening. it all becomes glued and flawless.
  6. NseE
    Jul 26, 2004
    10
    Wow, what a brilliant cd. effortlessly catchy and cool. Sounds like they had as great a time making it, as it is to listen to. Strong contender for cd of the year. 'Drill sergant', 'The way she dances', 'Thrasher', 'Maybe' are just a few of the highlights of their rock-funk-R&B hybrid. Get it!
  7. Darrenc
    Sep 25, 2004
    8
    i rekon its a gr8 album but its 1 that ur either gonna luv or h8
  8. Corey
    Mar 26, 2004
    9
    The CD is awesome. The madden brothers actually dont suck this time.
  9. RobinJ
    Mar 30, 2004
    10
    I don't know, but I am loving this cd. I went into it with an open mind since i didn't hear their last cd. This is my favorite cd at the moment.
  10. melo
    Mar 30, 2004
    9
    Ok maybe it's not as good as In Search Of... but it's like michael jackson's Bad following thriller the album's still good and one of the most original albums out right now give them credit for trying something new and expanding their horizons instead of sticking to the same formula and coming out with the same album like a lot of people are doing now a days. keep it real NERD
  11. NERDBest
    Apr 18, 2004
    10
    This is the nicest album!!!!! It's so cool! The songs are so FLY! Damn, anyone who gives til album under 10 are idiots. Nerd rules! U Should know that!
  12. TikitaR
    Apr 20, 2004
    10
    First of all THE NEPtunes are bangin 4real if they weren't why have they produced and made sooooooo many beats for other artist ask urself that. If they were as boogji-wack as others might say why are competeing labels willing to spend millions on the talents of a production trio 1.5 mill$ record deal more than what u simple wrongfully critical ppl have !!! USE UR HEADS
  13. petari
    Apr 27, 2004
    8
    i totally agree with mark f. fuckin' great album to have good time with it. as far as i'm concerned i listen to it more easily than i did with "in search of" only song that makes me lil' sick it's "jump" but rest rules.
  14. RandyL
    May 6, 2004
    7
    Impressive but slightly all-over-the-place. While most tracks are impressive they certainly are of different moulds. I cant imaging one person sitting down, listening and liking all of the tracks on 'Fly Or Die', but ive certainly enjoyed some of the tracks very much
  15. DJChubbyChubbs
    Jun 1, 2004
    8
    I would give it a 8.2 out of 10, since the CD has about 3 songs i dont like. The Neptunes make hot beats, though.
  16. RodB
    Mar 27, 2004
    7
    Not as good as the previous album, but time may prove NERD right.
  17. AlD
    Mar 27, 2004
    8
    Fly or Die is a fresh of breath air in the radio-rock market today. Fusing elements from the 60s, and 70s, NERD tells the little kids that they need to do their homework and listen to classic rock n roll music. The album takes the old and makes it new. Even though you can hear influences from everywhere (especially in the Beatle-esque "Drill Sargeant"), all of the songs are pop enough to Fly or Die is a fresh of breath air in the radio-rock market today. Fusing elements from the 60s, and 70s, NERD tells the little kids that they need to do their homework and listen to classic rock n roll music. The album takes the old and makes it new. Even though you can hear influences from everywhere (especially in the Beatle-esque "Drill Sargeant"), all of the songs are pop enough to compete with the music of today. I love this album! Expand
  18. NatG
    Mar 29, 2004
    8
    Like all great fusions, this record will confound purists on all sides. Not since the young Prince has anyone so skillfully welded the big bottom of funk to the wiry torso of metal.
  19. RichieS
    Apr 23, 2004
    8
    I couldnt agree more Mark, N.E.R.D could have come up with the current musical style, production trends, rapping credits etc etc... and Yes, the mainstream audience would be happy but thats not what a great band are about, to me its about being bold and creative and this is something that I definately feel NERD have accomplished on Fly or Die. Its may sound a little too experimental now I couldnt agree more Mark, N.E.R.D could have come up with the current musical style, production trends, rapping credits etc etc... and Yes, the mainstream audience would be happy but thats not what a great band are about, to me its about being bold and creative and this is something that I definately feel NERD have accomplished on Fly or Die. Its may sound a little too experimental now but its just ahead of its time thats all, NERD are trendsetters, lets see what ratings it gets in 2-3 years time and see all the groups that follow there style!! Expand
  20. annaj
    Apr 19, 2006
    10
    verry good
  21. AndrewW
    Dec 27, 2004
    7
    Catchy poppy hip-hop that is generally hit or miss between songs. This album definitely does not carry with it any deeper message but blasts you with riffs and bouncy beats to divert you from this notion. A solid party album!
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 22
  2. Negative: 2 out of 22
  1. Q Magazine
    40
    It's often fascinating only in the details. [May 2004, p.110]
  2. The whole album is put together so oddly, almost haphazardly, that this works better as a collection of moments than as a whole.
  3. Listening casually is OK, as you can get by the annoying Pharrell and enjoy some of the silly retro groves. But pay any degree of actual attention and there are problems.