Syd Barrett
“An Introduction to Syd Barrett”
EMI
Released: Today
8.9/10

It took but seven years for Syd Barrett to make an indelible impression on music. He was a founding member, and creative leader, for Pink Floyd, one of the most successful bands in the history of music, and his solo work continued to push boundaries.

“An Introduction” does just that, acquainting listeners to the full arc of Barrett’s work and reminding them just how important he still is.

Barrett began with Pink Floyd in 1965, acting as the chief songwriter and stylistic director until 1968, when drug use and mental anguish prompted his departure from the band. He would perform for just four more years as a solo artist before exiling himself from the world of music, painting and gardening until his death in 2006.

The material on “An Introduction” follows a chronological order, launching off with Pink Floyd’s very first singles, “Arnold Layne,” “See Emily Play” and “Apples and Oranges.” It dives through three more Floyd singles before emerging into 12 varied songs of Barrett’s solo work.

It’s an interesting listen, following through his natural progression, and hearing songs like “Octopus” and “Terrapin” — which sound like something you’d hear on college radio today — acts as a fierce reminder of just how far ahead of his time Barrett was.

— Joshua Boydston, psychology junior

Cee Lo Green
“The Lady Killer”
Elektra
Released: Today
9.8/10

Cee Lo Green’s new album “The Lady Killer” is a pretty brilliantly concocted work of art that is full of soul.

Green’s most recent effort is for the most part a feel-good love song album, with some fun twists here and there. The instrumentals are perfectly complimented by Green’s superbly soulful voice.

While all the songs are love-oriented, the album is far from predictable. Green describes it best in the intro of the project: “Spontaneity is the spice of life.”

The Dungeon family musician approached this album with obvious hard work, and his efforts provided a successful project from intro to outro. This is one of those albums for which it is rather difficult to pick a best track, but the debate would probably be between the popular single “F**k You,” “Bodies” and “It’s OK.”

However, there really is no reason to try and rank each track, because each and every one is a solid composition. Production for the album came from the likes of the Smeezingtons, Salaam Remi and veteran English producer Fraser T. Smith. There are only two features, singer Lauren Bennett and Earth, Wind & Fire singer Philip Bailey, but no more features were needed considering it’s hard to find any flaws with the way the project turned out.

Combine phenomenal instrumentals that are far from simple with thought provoking and yet melodic lyrics, and you’ve got “The Lady Killer.” Green displays why he’s been able to remain relevant to popular music on this one, showcasing his multitude of talents. There’s really nothing bad to be said about the record, and it is most certainly one that everyone should give a few spins.

— Ryan Querbach, journalism senior

Kid Cudi
“Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager”
GOOD Music
Released: Today
9.0/10

Personal problems aside, Kid Cudi has matured into a great musician, and he shows this without question in his sophomore album “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.”

Speaking of personal problems, what album is complete without references to them? Well Cudi fills this quota, speaking in depth about the struggles he’s been through in the past year or so, mostly revolving around his drug use.

Musically, the album is just like the first in that it is hard to compare it to anything else. Sure, it’s a hip-hop album, but it’s nothing like any other that would fall in the genre. Cudi exercises his often-dark lyrics over similarly dark instrumentals, with production coming from the likes of No I.D., Emile and Jim Jonsin.

Similar to most of Cudi’s music, his vocals range from singing to rapping, allowing him to keep listeners guessing from track to track. The album is unmistakably personal, with Cudi approaching his inner demons without holding back.

It is solid from start to finish, with the most popular song “Erase Me” probably being the most lacking. Songs like “Mr. Rager,” “GHOST!” and “REVOFEV are perfect examples of Cudi’s willingness to express himself lyrically when it comes to his life. Like his first effort, this one is split into five acts, allowing it to flow smoothly with a dark underlying storyline. Features on the album include Cee Lo Green, Mary J. Blige and Kanye West, with Blige and Green adding some soul to the project.

With any musician, there’s always a danger of dropping a sophomore slump. Well, Cudi didn’t even come close to such a slump, and it is in fact hard to decide whether his first or second is better. Cudi’s music is in a league of its own. He’s far from the best rapper lyrically, but the musicality of his work is nothing short of fantastic. This project will without a doubt be included in best hip-hop album of the year discussions.

— RQ

N.E.R.D.
“Nothing”
Interscope
Released: Nov. 2
7.4/10

The existence of N.E.R.D. is a peculiar one. The side project of The Neptunes — the production duo behind some of the millennium’s biggest and best pop songs — isn’t nearly as concerned with radio play and platinum sales. It’s a laboratory (or playground) developed for Pharrell and Chad Hugo to goof around in, and two musical geniuses tinkering around usually amounts to something good, or at least interesting.

That’s been the case for the bulk of N.E.R.D.’s decade long career, as the trio has fought the bounds of rock and hip-hop and found a sound somewhere along the lines of soul by way of Tokyo, a dizzying blast of vintage funk and buzzing neon.

“Nothing” ditches Zeppelin from the equation, instead looking to solidify that future funk form. It succeeds in bringing Parliament to 2010, but loses something in that mission.

The fluttering “Party People” bounces with scattered swagger and a blazing guest verse courtesy of T.I., while the Daft Punk-produced “Hypnotize U” slows into a smooth blend of ’80s drum machines and samples too cheesy to hate.

But missteps come early and often. “Help Me” would work with a more commanding voice and more fire behind it. The declaration of “Victory” feels a lot more like third place, weighted down by a lazy riff and empty piano clinks, and “Life As A Fish” feels refiltered, drowning under dreary guitar chords and muddled strings.

The delightfully offbeat and confident “Perfect Defect,” however, finally finds the beat complementing Pharrell’s light and airy delivery. The swaying horn section in “God Bless Us All” feels much more like the previously promised triumph, and the tribal percussion and near-emo vocal trails in “Nothing On You” finds N.E.R.D. again succeeding in its mission of blurring genre lines.

The final track, and leadoff single, “Hot-n-Fun” is an inspired, sultry club anthem that flourishes a swanky bass line and understated verses melding beautifully with Nelly Furtado’s lent talents. Its burial at the end is an odd placement.

Pacing and ordering break up what could have been a more stellar outing, but all is forgiven; it’s just too much fun listening to Pharrell do his thing.

— JB