Following a colossal 2013, Pharrell Williams continues his pop music dominance with his new album, “Girl.”
The album finds the singer/producer toning down his often explicit lyricism and refining his signature style.
“Girl” marks a decidedly lighter direction for Pharrell. Although many of the songs include innuendos (Pharrell and Miley Cyrus sing, “You wanna ride it, my motorcycle” in “Come Get It Bae”), the majority of the lyric content suits the radio and makes for great easy listening.
Lead single “Happy” dominated the Billboard charts, and for good reason, with Pharrell urging everyone to clap their hands in a saccharine yet catchy anthem.
The album stands apart from other pop contemporaries for its rich production. Many songs include slick guitar licks, crisp synths and popping drum beats. The numerous features also complement Pharrell perfectly, with Justin Timberlake-assisted “Brand New” and Daft Punk-backed “Gust of Wind” representing noteworthy stand-outs.
Although the album never reaches the often groundbreaking vision of The Neptunes or N.E.R.D, it stands above almost every pop record of the last few years. Pharrell demonstrates a penchant for not only composing delightful sing-alongs, but also innovating in an often dull genre. “Girl” could have easily devolved into vapid songwriting, but Pharrell writes cheery, creative lyrics to perfectly complement the album’s pop sensibilities.
“Girl” shows how pop records can still appeal to everyone without senseless pandering. The songwriting and production elevate the album to an admittedly rare level, one which appeals both to the radio and the music junkie.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 3/20/2014 under the headline "Pharrell debuts ‘Girl,’ brings innovation to the pop genre"]
