Album Review: THE E.N.D

Written By Kim Strauch

The Black Eyed Peas were one of the most influential and popular popular hip-hop groups of the early 2000s. Since their breakout album Elephunk in 2003, the group’s dance-oriented style of hip hop music has achieved popularity worldwide. Next came Monkey Business, which was also a smash success, including the songs “Don’t Phunk with My Heart,” “Don’t Lie,” and “My Humps.” According to the band, the album The E.N.D. (“The Energy Never Dies”) is a project that will be frequently updated throughout its production, explaining the staggered releases of the songs.

As Fergie and Will.i.am, former members of the group, veered away from BEP to focus on solo work, many feared that the group would soon fall apart. However, the release of “Boom Boom Pow” in February demonstrated the band’s continuing relevance, as it reached the Billboard Hot 100. This song has gained intense popularity very quickly because of its original and aggressive structure combined with a futuristic sound and lyrical theme.

So far, “Imma Be,” “Alive,” and “I Gotta Feeling” have also been released, but have not yet received the same level of recognition as the first hit single. The music is melodic, electronic, and soulful; the group describes the sound as “electric static funk,” as the music combines electronic beats with funky vocals. The music is somewhat similar to BEP’s previous works, but the rhythms and beats are unique. The first single uses an unconventional song structure,since it lacks any noticeable chorus. Instead of using a traditional hook to rein in listeners, the song employs the beat to attract listeners’ attention.

The lyrics are creative, combining comedy with a forward-looking feel, most notably in Fergie’s line, “I’m so 3008, you so 2000 and late.” The group has started off strong in releasing an excellent single first, which is very innovative and remains number one on iTunes. However the group may not be able to keep up this momentum, as the second and third singles have proved to have less “boom” than the first.