Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley first joined forces for one of the most impressive alternative albums of 2001, the uber-inventive In Search Of... Since then, the trio has come full circle. After 2004’s more traditional Fly Or Die proved to be little more than solid (both critically and commercially), the band is now back to breaking down musical barriers with their most satisfying album to date.

Seeing Sounds starts off in traditional Neptunian fashion with “Time For Some Action,” a fast-paced, heavily hip hop track that sounds almost identical to their work on Busta Rhymes’ “Light Your Ass On Fire.” From there, the album chugs along with good, but ultimately forgettable tunes like “Windows.” But then, midway through the album, something happens. Starting around track 6,you feel the Virginia trio really hitting their stride. This second wind is accented by the Grammy-worthy “Sooner or Later,” which is as stunning as it is catchy.

Seeing Sounds may not have the impact of In Search Of… or the heavyweight cameos that sprinkled Fly or Die, but it is certainly their most complete, definitive and mature work to date. It is, in many ways, the album that N.E.R.D. fans have been waiting for.

Tracks to check out: “Sooner or Later,” “Happy” & “Spaz’”

As the “pop” world reaches out its arms to Cee Lo Green and Danger Mouse, they instinctively pull back. If St. Elsewhere was their Frankenstein’s monster, then The Odd Couple is it’s terrifying killing spree.

St. Elsewhere was an album of twisted paranoia and doom disguised in the Trojan horse of an experimental party album. The Odd Couple, on the other hand, is dark, gloomy and intentionally against the grain. Green sums it up best when he professes “It’s probably plain to see/ I got a whole lot of pain in me” on the the somber closing track “A Little Better.”

As always, Danger’s production is layered, dense, outside the box and downright brilliant. Meanwhile, Green’s infectious falsetto is stellar (and just a little bit scary). “Would Be Killer” and “Neighbors” are perfect examples of the eerie soundscapes that have made these guys the most talked about genre busters since Run DMC.

Unfortunately, Gnarls Barkley’s greatest attribute is also their biggest detriment. That anti-pop, this-ain’t-for-everyone, free flying style is a double edged sword. Sometimes triumphant and sometimes confusing, The Odd Couple will likely go down in history as a classic for die hard fans and as a memorable experiment to everyone else.

GRADE: A–

The phrase “concept album” has always left an uneasy feeling in the stomachs of Hip Hoppers. Since the late 80’s, rappers have tried (and almost always failed) to create truly interesting albums that follow closely on one theme. Then, in late 2007, Lupe Fiasco’s mentor Jay-Z did the unthinkable. Jigga released one of his best albums ever, the concept project “American Gangster.”

The comparison between Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool and Jay-Z’s Gangster is not as much of a stretch as it may seem. Sonically, both albums find a similar place in your eardrums. The grand orchestration, heavy use of pianos and dense drums that stir up feelings of a lost era in east coast hip hop are equally present in both. As well are the intricate rhyme patterns and complex verbiage that the two emcees have become known for. With so much in common, it’s ironic that Lupe’s concept is almost an exact opposition to Jay-Z’s.

There is nothing Gangster about The Cool. If anything, the album’s confusing and almost nonsensical concept was developed to persuade listeners away from the trappings of the “trap house.” The concept itself has something to do with the character Lupe developed in his debut album on the song titled “The Cool.” Then there is also something about a rotting hand and Alexander the Great and some other stuff that will probably never make sense to anyone but Lupe Fiasco. That being said, Lupe is an exceptionally clever artist. On “Gotta Eat” he manages to develop a thought provoking metaphor from a cheeseburger and somehow not sound totally ridiculous.

The concept for this album may be all over the place, but unlike many albums of this nature, his execution is flawless. The album will not resonate with all listeners, but it doesn’t need to. It doesn’t strive to fit in or appeal to the masses. Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool is art in it’s purest form… and isn’t that what music needs right now?

GRADE: A

After a string of ambitious (but ultimately underwhelming) albums, Wyclef Jean impresses with the sequel to his solo debut, 1997’s The Carnival: Featuring the Refugee All-Stars.Carnival II, like the classic LP which it borrows its name from, is inventive, fresh, experimental and pretty damn genious.

Since Clef’s debut, he has crafted gems for everyone from Mary J Blige to Shakira to Mick Jagger to T.I. With such an impressive track record, it’s no surprise that the former Fugee was able to call in guest appearances from artists like Paul Simon, Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, Norah Jones and Shakira. Of course, great features don’t always equal a classic album (cough cough, 50 Cent).

The album’s first single, “Sweetest Girl,” is exceptional. The pairing of Wyclef and Akon is predictably solid and Lil Wayne fits in far better than expected. Unfortunately, every time I hear the song all I can think is: THIS is the kind of record that Fugees should have come back with. “Fast Car” feat. Paul Simon and “Any Other Day” feat. Norah Jones are also stand outs that will remind you of Wyclef circa ‘97 while still showing that he has grown as an artist.

The album is, however, not without flaws. The unnecessarily long and painfully Black Eyed Peas-ish “Touch Your Button” is so musically ambitious that it hurts to not like it. The song (which clocks in at about 13 minutes…), is not awful, but it is reminiscent of the random and schizophrenic nature of Clef’s less impressive records. “King & Queen” featuring Shakira also has its moments, but ultimately falls short.

Wyclef Jean’s Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant is a damn good album. It manages to be experimental, innovate and exciting without losing its mainstream pop appeal. The problem is, when an album has so many great qualities, its shortcomings stand out like a soar thumb.

GRADE: A–

Terius “The Dream” Nash has proven himself to be a more than competent songwriter by penning number one hits for Rhianna, Madonna, J. Holiday and Britney Spears. Like fellow songwriter Ne-Yo, Nash has decided to parley his industry status into a singing career with the release of his solo debut LoveHate.

It should come as no surprise that the songwriting and production on LoveHate is excellent. In fact, Dream’s witty and lavish compositions make it easy to overlook his substandard singing ability. Thankfully, most of the album is upbeat, catchy and doesn’t require too much vocally. In the same way that Justin Timberlake did in 2006, Dream channels the musical spirits of 80’s icons like Prince and Michael Jackson (”Fast Car,” “Purple Kisses”). The few ballads on the album do drag a bit, but the project is overall very likable.

The album is not without it’s flaws. The “every song could be a single” format works well for Dream, but some of the tracks are just too ambitious. “Falsetto” is one of the album’s (and possibly the year’s) stand out songs, but it only highlights The Dream’s vocal shortcomings. It’s so good that you almost wish he would have given it to Usher, Ginuwine, Maxwell or Mario.

For years, female vocalists like Ciara, Britney Spears and Ashanti have been able to release huge records with less-than-perfect singing voices. With the release of LoveHate, The Dream aims to trump all of their efforts with one incredible album. In that way, he has hit a home run. After all, didn’t you always want a GOOD album that you could sing along to without feeling like you were hitting all the wrong notes?