With the release of their fifth album, the Black Eyed Peas establish The E.N.D. of a musical era and propel their own music into an electronic space age. The E.ND. – Energy Never Dies – is nothing short of a goulash of a variety of genres with core roots in dance and electro funk.
Rather than opening the album with a beat, listeners are seemingly welcomed to space – or at least, a space themed album. As the interlude dies down, the highly energetic “Boom, Boom, Pow” takes the album (and virtually dance floors worldwide) by storm. Though being the first song off the album, “Boom…” also outlines the framework of the remaining tracks, stating ‘we got the beats of 808s’ and simultaneously the autotune to match. “Rock that Body,” the David Guetta co-produced track (House/Dance DJ responsible for 2002 hit “Just a Little More Love”), uses Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock “It Takes Two” to help blend hip-hop, dance pop and the sounds of a vocoder to create a bangin’ electro funk track that further shapes the ambiance of this album. While diggin’ in the crates, BEP also came across Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time,” and incorporated the single into the same-titled name track, putting a twist on a classic party anthem to follow suit with today’s anthems.
One of the more hip-pop infused tracks, “Imma Be,” divulges in the success of Weezy’s “A Milli” by using its chorus melody, however, lays down a serious jazz-funk second half, whereas “Electric City” brings forth the fusion of electronic/house and hip-hop. Slowing down the pace of the album, Fergie takes the reigns on “I Got a Feeling,” and “Alive.” The former samples David Guetta’s “Love is Gone,” to create a joyous pop-rock dance tune, whereas “Alive” etches an edge lacking from the majority of this album. Although Fergie’s voice may not be the best, it effortlessly patterns the baselines and syncs itself to the pop melodies. Bringing the album full circle, BEP flips the script on all electronic/house aspirations upheld throughout the album with the track “One Tribe,” an African-infused ideology similarly to that of “Where is the Love,” which promotes peace, love and unity.
The E.N.D. may have its core roots in electro-pop, but it is seemingly all over the place and embraces genres from rock to techno. Lacing house with ballads and dance with hip-hop, the Black Eyed Peas bring forth an impressive amount of innovation but without a doubt, recycled creativity. Whether it is the strikingly similar chorus of “Imma Be” to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” or the staggering resemblance between the baseline of “Out of My Head” and that of Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent,” bits and pieces of 2008’s most successful songs have undoubtedly been revisited.
Nonetheless, the production of the lengthy 16-track album is vivid and energetic – although stagnant as the album progresses, nonetheless creating ‘Electric Static Funk,’ as proclaimed by the group themselves. However, to lend a hip-hop ear to this album is a tactful mission, as the album involves nothing more that hip-POP. will.i.am and crew don’t shy away from the autotune, but most definitely hide from conscious lyrics, complex rhyme scenes and smooth deliveries. Despite deflecting from original [way-back-when] BEP material, The E.N.D. provides track after track of pure power and energy.
71/100
“I Got a Feeling”
“Imma Be”
“Boom, Boom, Pow”
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Why the fuck would you review this garbage. i love this website, but some of the music yall cover is wack beyond belief. the black eye peas? come on, that shit aint hip hop.
Greg. You couldn’t be more wrong, and you should watch your language when u talk to someone who u respect. Just because you don’t like the Black Eyed Peas, you don’t have to be a pompous jackass .
wut?!?!???!!? u got to b kiddin’…..porlly like 90 percent of the people who follow this site HATE or at least dont like BEP
im dissipoinited kevin, real dissiopinted
listen to 1st album of bep (Behind the Front) – classic album.
now they make mainstream stuff, dont now the new album, but the previous released stuff was pure earworm garbage.
so dont say that bep is whack – their old stuff is great (like kool keith haha)
Calm Down all…. First off, some might still consider BEP hip hop, or at least they used to be.. So why not get in with a review of their new album.. I like the Soul Sonic Force vibe they’re bringing and I like the look of Fergie.. So I can live the group… But to attack Kev and his staff for bringing something else to the site than the things you like, is wrong – Plain wrong…. His site, his rules….
And take a chill pill… Where is the love ?
One
I’m all for diversity and an eclectic variety of music to review so no complaints for reviewing this. But as far as the rating goes… how did this get above a 50… ??
Man I was one of the fiercest haters when “Elephunk” and “Monkey Business” dropped, but after just watching their natural progression , you can’t front on the “Peas”. Some may call it selling out, but B.E.P. has paid their dues. If you doubt that then just check out “Behind The Front” and “Bridging The Gap”. I believe that there’s a thin line between commercial success and “selling out” and I don’t feel like they’ve crossed that. Will. I. Am is definitely hip-hop. Just check out the outside production he’s done for artists like Nas, The Game, Busta Rhymes, etc. This dude understands that there’s a time and place to “take it to the streets” and there’s a time and place to “make this feel good dance music and get this money”. Plus if any of you cats watched this past presidential race, you know that this cat is one of the most politically and socially aware dudes around. So for all you unbalanced cats out there, diversify ya game and you’ll be able to have an impact on the “streets” and the “dance floor”.
hahaha, adam deBellis, you are a fucking joke, and should not be allowed on this site anymore for defending one of the lamest acts in music. the black eye peas? are you fucking kidding?. i am in shock that people who visit a dope site like this would listen to such shit. take your ass to mtv.com. HERBS.
i dunno, i thought their first two albums were pretty awful too. they’ve been a pop group for the past decade, so while they may have “paid their dues”, it was in pop music, not rap. will.i.am is undoubtedly a talented musician, but BEP is just not my style.
that being said, i have no problem with a review of their album, hell, just skip it if you don’t want to read it.
oh, and my only hope for this album is that no songs go on to become NBA anthems. i sweat, if i had to hear “let’s get it started!!!” one more time during the playoffs a few years ago, i was gonna shoot my t.v…
yeah, i think we should control the hostility, but the Black Eyed Eeas are bogus, i mean incredibly BOGUS.
Honestly I think BEP is a really dope group. I think that they bring something to hip hop and music in general that has been missing for a really long time. INDIVIDUALISM. They are DIFFERENT. That’s what they strive to be and they do it successfully. I cannot hate that at all. I love what they bring to the table, even if the music is not necessarily something I personally would listen to in the car. But when I’m in predominately white clubs spinning their shit the clubs go ape shit. They get the crowd they’re targeted to Hype. Hell I even Threw the 1st part of the “Imma Be” Joint in my set last night and It Killed In A BLACK CLUB. So to say they’re wack is really kinda dumb. They are different. They are definitely eclectic. I love that in itself and I think that’s enough to say they are one of the better groups in Music Period, Let alone “Hip-Hop”
I Don’t have problem with this type of review too. But c’mon!! different?? they do the same as 99% of the artists on the radio. “oh, they’re trying a new revolutionary electronic sound”, no thanks, i prefer to listen to kraftwerk instead of this album. But if people stil wants to boom boom boom their head on the wall and support this music… than let they do it.
Wow, I just got wind of the hatery going on in this thread. True, BEP ain’t for everyone, but if you follow the site you know that we cover more than hip hop. We’ve reviews both R&B and jazz as well.
and though I’m not really a BEP fan, I think some of their stuff is dope. Stop hating and have an open mind. Props to eA!
First off, yes, they were ok at one point in time, but never comparable to Poppa Large. Not even in the same category, Keith is on a whole other level, some beyond your universe type ish. Second, I agree with most comments on here, they’re a pop group now, it aint hip-hop, that’s for sure.
I certainly won’t listen to it or even give it a chance, i’m certain it aint my particular stee.
These cats know they aint hip-hop. Will said it himself, he’s trying to appeal to a wider audience on some walk in a bar in 10 years and see heads singing BEP songs on the karoke machine.
Outta here with that ga-bajj.
seriously
we reviewed the Large Professor album last year and that was a bigger piece of poo than this was… We’ve reviewed worse albums regardless of who the people are. BEP are up on their mainstream stuff and whatever, they are doing what they do and thats really kinda dope.
What happened to the BEP Empire days….
BEP Empire is a giant tune
Lynx, how’d it get above 50? Well, if I were to have reviewed it solely on hip-hop components – well, it wouldn’t have received above a 50, but beyond that, as Deez said, there are much worst albums out there. There’s parts to knock, but it ain’t all that bad.
You all need to step outside your box for a quick second. It’s mainstream, yes. It’s not hip-hop, of course. But it ain’t too shabby of an album!
lol I liked Large Pro’s album from last year.
Not a fan of BEP (even their old stuff) but idk why people are getting upset about what’s being reviewed. Nobody MAKES you read it. And obviously with near 400 views, a good amount people visiting the site are interested.
I thought we had “better” readers than that though because I didn’t expect the K Not audience to really knock us for reviewing this.
wow. i am speechless. i really gave this website too much credit.
Listen to A.T.B.A.N. Klann – Grass Roots that’s their first album before they we’re called BEP. The new one is some garbage shit.
eA, thanx for the review of this album I appreciate the work that you put in on this…continue to do what you are doin’
and I look 4ward to anutha review by you.
Dang I didn’t knwo there was so much hate going on…but as we say in the DMV at one time or anutha “Hate is the new Love” …no matter how much some people hate on the BEP at the end of the day they are still gettin’ paid , while the haterz are still bitchin’ & cryin’…One thing I like about this site is that all types of the genre of hip-hop and music in general getz review reviewed.
i missed this post cuz i generally skip over the bull. but i think the writers are taking this shit so personally its laughable.
you guys are getting soft with all the crying…..
BEP know, same as four year olds’, that apathy is the opposite of love. Not hate.
ehl oh ehl at these hiphop stans that give time of day to things they hate:littering the interwebs with BEP’s name feeding thier fame,
instead of devoting themselves to the blue pill: isnt there an eminem joint to be riding like a rodeo show?
oh and to the dude that called someone a HERB, ahaahahahhahah well fucking played.
This got a 71 and Double Barrel gets a 72?!
Just sayin’…….
Hey Kevin this isn’t hip-hop so why are you reviewing it? I know it is rap inspired but it is ultimately that amalgem genre called pop. It is Hip-pop reviewing this on a dedicated hip-hop site would be like reviewing the Jonas Brothers on a real rock site. I don’t care about their past they switched lanes and are more succesful with this than what they had before.
*Bump*
@Avenger XL – you’re right, this isn’t a hip hop album, but what gave you the impression that this was a hip hop site? Yeah, we concentrate mostly on hip hop, but we have also reviewed R&B and Jazz albums as well… and on occasion, have posted reggae.
Have an open mind.