Monday, June 22, 2009
Music news Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)
Posted by Ben Westhoff on Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Anyone who fancies himself a fan of underground/indie music will have a hard time stomaching the Black Eyed Peas’ latest album, The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) — at least upon the first couple of listens. The hooks are obvious, the lyrics are banal and/or ignorant, and the work is wildly overproduced. But then, after the third or fourth spin, the whole thing suddenly starts to make sense. The jams (“Boom Boom Pow” and “Imma Be”) have somehow infused into your gray matter, while the ballads (“Alive” and “One Tribe”) have pulled you inside of their sentimental vortexes. (There will never be any hope for the would-be dancehall anthem “Electric City,” however.) Sure, Black Eyed Peas might stand for everything you hate about mainstream music, but if you’re really being honest with yourself, you must admire their ability to hit your pleasure centers with accuracy. (Interscope) 3 stars out of 5
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aren't the black eyed peas writing exclusively to create radio/tv/stadium jingles these days? who outside of sororities or high schools would buy the album?
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