Cloning Gone Wrong

The Neptunes, the tag-team production/musical duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, have pumped out a sampler of sorts, giving listeners a chance to check out some of their work, from Nelly’s “If,” to a new track from the pop-punk group The High Speed Scene.It’s too bad that none of the tracks are anything too amazing. Many of the tracks vocally sound subdued, with bass and backgrounds that overkill the vocal styling. Even Busta Rhyme’s “Light Your Ass on Fire” doesn’t have his traditional growl, making him sound insipid and sheepish.
Besides the lack of heart in many of these tracks, the way the album flows leaves something to be desired. Trying to bridge the gap between an uninspired Snoop Dogg track, to Spymob’s pop 40 “Half Steering,” hits like fingernails on a chalkboard, with no style whatsoever.
The Neptunes, so well known for great club bumping sounds, have managed to put out something that feels rushed and dry. Even with a laundry list of stars on it, this experiment fails in too many ways. If some club DJs manage to mix up this album with some other Neptune’s work, The Neptunes Present …Clones may be worthwhile. Until then, it’s just another failed musical experiment.