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Pharrell is undoubtedly one of the most talented and versatile writer/producers around today, but his work is pretty hit and miss. I think he may have exhausted himself by creating two of the best songs of his career, Get Lucky and Happy, within a year, because nothing he’s done for himself or other artists since has been particularly impressive. Let’s not even think about what he did to Kylie and Gwen’s careers. I recently discovered that he has produced one great song since Happy, but unfortunately it’s tucked away on the soundtrack to a very average film. Awreeoh is a fictional band that features in the movie Dope. They are a trio of black or mixed-race kids who feel more akin to white indie-geeks, and Can’t Bring Me Down is the brilliantly bouncy and anthemic song they perform in the film. It merges the rock-rap sound of N.E.R.D. with the uplifting sing-along tunes Pharrell has become known for more recently. It’s his whole career in a song, sadly wasted on a band that doesn’t actually exist.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYAdh9KT7wM]