“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