Not mind-blowing

I guess maybe I expect too much from Pharrell. His new album, In My Mind, is full of good beats, great raps and electrifying falsetto singing. Too often, though, these highlights do not occur at the same time.\nIn my mind, Pharrell is the fashionista of our time -- like Madonna, except not annoying -- which might be why In My Mind seems tepid sometimes. Fans should expect every song to be as well crafted as the $200 Ice Cream shoes or $100 Billionaire Boys Club hoodies he crafts when not tending to rap.\nPharrell, responsible for the successes of many, produced beats for Justin Timberlake, Usher, Gwen Stefani, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Snoop Doog, his own N*E*R*D and others. He is probably best known for his work with Jay-Z under the moniker The Neptunes. \nThe first single from In My Mind, "Can I Have It Like That," came nearly one year ago. The delay between single and album annoyed me -- maybe the man's most loyal fan.\nBut the wait could have been worth it if the album was innovative and genre-bending. It isn't. Still, it's not terrible. \nBut the man should stick to his spacey tones and white Ralph Lauren suits -- icons of his innovation and cross-culture appeal. On this album he trends toward proven formulas instead.\nThe first single was just as expected and so was "Angel," which was widely available before the album came out. Both cuts are decent, meant for the masses. And it's always nice to hear Clipse rapper Pusha-T on any track (the less-than-stunning "Stay With Me"). Also, Slim Thug is a wildly underrated rapper.\nPlus, tracks "Best Friend" and "You Can Do It Too" have worthy inspirational raps to match decent beats. And Pharrell pulls off an ode to Jesus by keeping it a sparse, low-key dance song.\nAnd Kanye West, rap's other crowned-prince, throws the chorus in "Number One" from himself to his start his own verse -- something that will stop careful listeners in their tracks. In fact, only one member of rap royalty isn't on the album -- Timbaland. But with a star-studded lineup, I just expect better.\nBut it's no surprise that the Nelly rap relies on his vocal stylings rather than his actual skills. And the Jay-Z rap on the half-track "Young Girl" is surprisingly about as good. \nSnoop Dogg's cameo "That Girl" is bland and played over an annoying beat.\nBut all is well that ends well. The last song "Show You How To Hustle" is the ultimate Pharrell anthem. The Kelis-like singer adds to gang-banging verses and a beat fronted by a baseball game organ.\nMusic critics already took Skateboard P to task for only making a mediocre album. But the only reason to do so is because he can do better. Even so, he stands tall above the crowd in pop music.\nThe lay-low feel and infectious subtleties make In My Mind a gold standard for any 2006 Hoosier party, as with any Pharrell project. But it's just not his greatest work. Maybe he should have saved some of his hit-making beats for himself. But, then, where would artists like Timberlake be?