In anticipation of N.E.R.D's long awaited new album Pharrell Williams
has got his teeth into a surprising collaboration with Swedish art rockers
The Hives. This lacks much of the energy that got The Hives recognised
and labelled as (yes you guessed it) "The Next Big Thing"
back in 2001 but still retains the same cocky lyrics as in their debut
"Your New Favourite Band". Mr. Williams has been very coy
in his production with this one, I mean a normal Pharrell track would
be smothered in blatant eroticism and held together with a middle-eight
of sex noises and grinding guitars. But in this battle of two large
egos it seems he has let Pelle Almqvist and co. swarm all over the main
composition before stepping in and making The Hives' honey even sweeter
(excuse the poor pun). And it is sweet indeed; their individual sound
has been distilled down and tightened to excruciating sharpness. Although
the downside to this is that "We Rule The World" becomes a
little dull the more plays it gets - a very monotonous chorus does not
got towards correcting this. Theo |