Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, best known as Grammy-winning superproducers The Neptunes, have once again teamed up with longtime friend Shay Haley for a follow-up to N.E.R.D.’s multi-platinum sophomore record, 2004’s Fly Or Die. This time they’ve set out to get experimental, with weird grooves and interesting arrangements that give the listener a unique, abstract listening experience.

Last month, I had a few not entirely coherent things to say about the leaked cuts from Scarlett Johansson’s Tom Waits tribute album, Anywhere I Lay My Head. And ultimately, I had no idea what to make of it.

So the album dropped on Tuesday, and while I had it in hand last weekend, I had to wait through a brief addiction to the new Death Cab For Cutie before I could get around to listening to it in its entirety to try and get a better idea of what the fuck to file it under.

Read on for our honest track-by-track review.

I can’t speak for you, or anybody besides my own damned self for that matter, but Narrow Stairs, the latest studio effort from Death Cab For Cutie, has earned them at least one new fan. It doesn’t possess nearly as much pensive, sleepy mortality as 2005’s Plans, but maintains a familiar musical personality while adding many more colors to their palette. This was no doubt aided in no small part by producer-guitarist Chris Walla, who’s also laid wax with indie darlings The Decemebrists, as well as Tegan And Sara. Considerably darker and more introspective this time around, Death Cab For Cutie comfortably flex all their muscles on Narrow Stairs with excellent results.

Back in January, when Weezer mastermind Rivers Cuomo told fans to expect “longer songs, non-traditional song forms, different people writing and singing, instrument switching, TR-808s, synths, Southern rap and baroque counterpoint,” we should have taken him more seriously. The Red Album completes Weezer’s homage to primary colors, and despite a shockingly bad collection of lyrics, it could also be their best release yet. Only eight tracks of the expected ten have leaked so far, and the album’s not due to hit until June 3rd. However, these tracks confirm that, with the help of Rick Rubin and Jacknife Lee, Rivers Cuomo and Co. have set a creative high watermark for themselves by adding new colors to the familiar palette, complete with unexpected blind turns and trap doors.

Raashan Ahmad, Crown City Rockers‘ resident MC, is ready to unleash his first full-length solo effort upon the world. It’s called The Push, it hits stores May 20th, and it’s a breath of fresh air in a musical climate plagued by an epidemic of success by piggy-backing and repetition. Raashan’s role in the living-legend, funk/soul/hip-hop group has clearly helped prepare the B-Boy for a confident first step out on his own. We discussed The Push with Raashan back in March, and he was kind enough to show his appreciation by hooking us up with the album before it hits stores.

Read on for our review.