Black Eyed Peas - "Monkey Business"
(A&M, 2005) - * * * *
Whether they're taking on the tune of Dick Dale's "Miserlou" on the opening single "Pump It" or letting Fergie go full throttle on "Don't Phunk With My Heart," it was clear from the moment this album came out that it was going to put the hit-machine that was Elephunk to shame. And with the exception of the afterthought track "Let's Get Retarded" (which of course was changed to "Let's Get It Started" for radio consumption) that album was already the ultimate prototype when it comes to reviving a band supposedly doomed to obscurity.
Now the Black Eyed Peas are hitmakers supreme, and honestly if you can't get moving to the amazing beats on this album you're probably not trying hard enough. As the album progresses through the minimalist percussion style of "My Style" through the latin-infused "Don't Lie" it's clear that the Peas are ready to take radio over completely. Not just pop either ... you're going to hear these songs this summer and fall played to overkill like nothing that's been experienced since Outkast and Usher revived their careers. On every station -- don't even TRY to change it, they'll follow you and force you to like it.
And you will. That's a certainty.
The great thing is that there is no shortage of solid material on this album. There's "My Humps," which could be this summer's potential ode to big butts (in the vein of "Thong Song", god help us ... but it has the bare-bones production to please fans of Gwen Stefani and Missy Elliott, which should ensure hours of radio repeats). Then there's "Feel It," which should get the fans of Mariah Carey up and moving. This is an album for the masses, made to please anyone, everyone ... rarely pleasing no one. Which should ensure a long shelf life for the Peas' latest effort.
There's even "Union" at the end of the album, a track which takes the band's political bent and twists it against the idea of war in general, while managing to keep a grip on their newfound ability to craft insane mind-mashing hooks. For once they hit the mark twice, crafting a political track that could still move a crowd uninterested in philosophical or political debate.
That's something they should be able to put on their pop resume. It's also something worth celebrating if you've been a fan of the band for the long haul.
Whether they're taking on the tune of Dick Dale's "Miserlou" on the opening single "Pump It" or letting Fergie go full throttle on "Don't Phunk With My Heart," it was clear from the moment this album came out that it was going to put the hit-machine that was Elephunk to shame. And with the exception of the afterthought track "Let's Get Retarded" (which of course was changed to "Let's Get It Started" for radio consumption) that album was already the ultimate prototype when it comes to reviving a band supposedly doomed to obscurity.
Now the Black Eyed Peas are hitmakers supreme, and honestly if you can't get moving to the amazing beats on this album you're probably not trying hard enough. As the album progresses through the minimalist percussion style of "My Style" through the latin-infused "Don't Lie" it's clear that the Peas are ready to take radio over completely. Not just pop either ... you're going to hear these songs this summer and fall played to overkill like nothing that's been experienced since Outkast and Usher revived their careers. On every station -- don't even TRY to change it, they'll follow you and force you to like it.
And you will. That's a certainty.
The great thing is that there is no shortage of solid material on this album. There's "My Humps," which could be this summer's potential ode to big butts (in the vein of "Thong Song", god help us ... but it has the bare-bones production to please fans of Gwen Stefani and Missy Elliott, which should ensure hours of radio repeats). Then there's "Feel It," which should get the fans of Mariah Carey up and moving. This is an album for the masses, made to please anyone, everyone ... rarely pleasing no one. Which should ensure a long shelf life for the Peas' latest effort.
There's even "Union" at the end of the album, a track which takes the band's political bent and twists it against the idea of war in general, while managing to keep a grip on their newfound ability to craft insane mind-mashing hooks. For once they hit the mark twice, crafting a political track that could still move a crowd uninterested in philosophical or political debate.
That's something they should be able to put on their pop resume. It's also something worth celebrating if you've been a fan of the band for the long haul.
posted by Jonathan Sanders @ 8:17 PM
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