“The E.N.D.,” the Black Eyed Peas’ 2009 chart-topping album let the world know that the musical group was a force to be reckoned with. But their latest album, “The Beginning,” brings that force to an ironic end.
“The Beginning,” which was released on Nov. 30, debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 chart, as opposed to the number one debut of “The E.N.D.”
The album, which is the Black Eyed Peas’ sixth studio production, starts off on a somewhat high note. “The Time (Dirty Bit)” uses lyrics from the famous “Dirty Dancing” song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” and adds techno beats to it. It’s not revolutionary, but my foot was tapping at the end of the song.
And from there, it all goes downhill. Dramatically. Of the 12 tracks on the album, excluding “The Time (Dirty Bit),” I only liked two. And I’m using the word “like” liberally.
“XOXOXO” was the only other song that had my foot tapping at the end, but it sounds disappointingly like every other generic pop song out there now. While it’s a totally catchy earworm, the lyrics are terrible: “I be waitin’ on the phone for your text, yo/I wanna stay connected like Lego/You’re the gas to my car, you’re my Petro.” Really nothing all that exciting. I’m actually embarrassed to say I remotely like it.
The only other song I legitimately liked was “Whenever,” mostly because it featured the incredibly talented Fergie. Fergie just rocks. The lyrics, again, aren’t brilliant, but they’re better than most of the others on the album: “Love, through the trees, past the sky/Beyond the northern lights/You’re the same, my delight, reflecting in your eyes.” I think I only like this song because it’s the only track where Fergie belts some notes.
All in all, “The Beginning” is dissatisfying. The album actually made me sad at the end, because I thought back to the triumphant beginning of the Peas, and how much they’ve since deteriorated. I bought “Elephunk” the day it came out and loved it (granted, I was eight, but I’ve listened to it time and time again over the past seven years, and it’s one of the best pop albums of the decade). The sheer brilliance of the lyrics in “Where Is the Love?” (“Whatever happened to the values of humanity?/Whatever happened to the fairness in equality?/Instead of love, we’re spreading animosity”) highlights the lameness of the lyrics to “The Beginning”’s “Fashion Beats” (“Hey doctor, is something wrong with me?/Am I crazy? Do I need a remedy?/I’m a club rocker, that’s my personality/It’s in fashion to be bla-blasting out them beats”).
After “Elephunk” in 2003 and “Monkey Business” in 2005, last year’s “The E.N.D.” really brought the Peas back into the music scene. You have to admit, “Boom Boom Pow,” “Rock That Body,” “I Gotta Feeling,” “Imma Be,” and all of the other songs on “The E.N.D.” are gold-standard dance tracks. But unfortunately, this album just doesn’t do it for me. At all.
Overall, “The Beginning” really just makes you want to go back to “The E.N.D.”
GRADE: D+/D
nicholas • Feb 28, 2011 at 5:18 pm
A critic has to do what a critic has to do regardless of the fact that no one is perfect.These guys [b.e.ps] no what music should sound like,I would advise them to keep up the good work,this album[the beginning]reveal a lot about ones self and the way we go about living life.
Moron. • Jan 20, 2011 at 6:58 pm
This kid has no idea what he is doing when it comes to writing articles. Read some of his other works – they’re a complete joke.
AK2 • Dec 27, 2010 at 2:56 am
I found this review through google. I read your critique and couldn’t get over the fact that you were only a child when Elephunk came out. I thought it was a typo or a joke and then I realized I was on a high school bulletin board of some sort. I really have to give you props on your post; it’s really well written. And you’ve subjected the BEP to the sort of critique they deserve; putting them against their other work. And while the other two posters here have hit it on the head (this album deserves both the initial review you gave it and the multiple listen review) I think that the worse judgement given here isn’t yours: it’s ours (harry potter and Jakor). You are only 15. You don’t even know what Dirty Dancing is (other than the Wikipedia article). Sure you may have seen it, but you cannot understand the cultural impact of it. To you, the internet has always existed. To you (and more broadly, your generation) we have always been at war. You cannot understand a world where one would have to race to a payphone to make a call.
Of course one cannot choose what time to be born in (btw, this is the second time we’ve been at war in Iraq). And I am wandering a little off course. I feel that to listeners like yourself, either a group (artist/actor/director) matches what is expected of them or they fail. I disagree with your assessment of this album. It is the evolution of a group in a difficult time to be a successful pop group. Their change is respondent to the times and emotions of the markets and culture and their own growth. They will not always be boom boom pow. But they are still stellar in their execution and performance and this album, while I do agree is not as good as The END, is a home run.
I do not mean to sound over critical of your work or your critique. You have done a good job and it is well written. Keep up the good work. Try to keep in mind the social context of the work AND the artist when you review your next piece.
harry potter • Dec 16, 2010 at 8:55 pm
I listened to the END about 10 times before I liked it and now I cant stop playing it. I fell its the same with this album. This album has some really strong tracks that I originally didn’t like and now they are clear standouts as some of the BEPs best songs. These songs include “Play it Loud,” “Someday.” “The Best One Yet” is definitely one of the best on the album and I think it has a great sentiment about how far the group has really come. Give it another listen and not all of the music is about the lyrics, there are a lot of great beats and melodies within the album which The End missed in a few tracks.
Jakor • Dec 14, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Why can’t critics comprehend that you need to listen to an album more than once before posting a critic? The Beginning is not an album that you’ll like immediately. It’s a grower. There are tons of people, including myself, that found it just average on first listen, but if you listen to it several times, you really get to love it. The production is very great, and unlike The E.N.D., there are strong tracks throughout the whole album and not just at the beginning.