With 'The E.N.D.,' the Black Eyed Peas reach a full boil
— -- The Black Eyed Peas are back to getting parties started on their new The E.N.D. (* * * 1/2 out of four), out today. It stands for "The Energy Never Dies," and it certainly never flags as good vibes flow like coladas from the bar.
The E.N.D. comes four years after the group's multiplatinum Monkey Business— a time span that saw Fergie release her wildly successful solo debut, The Dutchess, and will.i.am put out his not-so-successful Songs About Girls. But he also found inspiration in the electro-beats he heard in Australian clubs while filming X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
What results is a fresh, pulsating sound for the Peas, who also include rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo. It's a rhythmically futuristic milieu where life and love's troubles can be forgotten with the help of a rumbling bass line and a turn on the disco floor. Starting with the robotic thump of first single Boom Boom Pow, the Peas unleash a steady stream of quirky, bubbly funk.
The much-maligned and often overused Auto-Tune vocal effect is actually put to good use throughout the album, making the foursome's voices seem even more animated than usual. This is especially true of Fergie, who gets the full-shrill treatment on the thumping Rock That Body and mechanized on the percussive Electric City.
Full advantage is taken of her reputation as an unrepentant party animal on the braggadocios Imma Be and swaggering Out of My Head. The fellas are with her step for pleasure-seeking step, eager for the next booty call on Ring-a-Ling, and ready to "mack models, pop bottles" as they Party All the Time. Even lightweight commentaries about social networking and instant gratification (Now Generation) and a can't-we-all-just-get-along plea (One Tribe) are set to bumping beats.
With so many characters already on board, the band gets by nicely without guest stars. After five albums — three with Fergie — there's a chemistry that works without adding new elements to the formula.
The Peas stay true to their primary mission, giving up high-intensity rhythms and generating high-voltage fun. It's booming, electrified pop with plenty of Pow.
