Artist: The Black Eyed Peas
Album:The Beginning
Label: Interscope Records

In these days of moribund CD sales, if an idea worked the first time, you flog it till it’s dead. And so it is we find Hip Hop collective Black Eyed Peas following up the Dance-driven “The E.N.D’ with “The Beginning” which sounds like a continuation of its predecessor. Everything is shiny electro laced with auto-tune and lyrics about having fun or just plain nonsense (with titles like “Light Up The Night” or “Don’t Stop The Party”, there’s not much room to maneuver). “The Time (Dirty Bit)” samples the Bill Medley/Jennifer Warnes hit “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” and also manages to sound like Taio Cruz’s “Dirty Picture” (featuring Ke$ha). It’s set to be an annoying hit much like “I Got A Feeling” was last summer. The samples continue on the buzzing “Love You Long Time” (KC & The Sunshine Band’s “Give It Up”) and the rather nice “Fashion Beats” (Chic’s “My Forbidden Lover” all sped up). The CD does seem a bit cluttered and over-long (especially in these days of 10 tracks on a CD by loads of acts) but some songs manage to shine through; the lean Techno-ish “XOXOXO”, “Don’t Stop The Party” (which should get any club moving), the guitar-festooned “The Situation”, the dizzying “The Best One Yet (The Boy)” (with similar drum patterns to Usher’s “OMG” which was penned and produced by Pea will.i.am), the more laid-back “Just Can’t Get Enough” (with a coda that picks up speed), as well as the afore mentioned “Fashion Beats” (with Fergie doing her best Debbie Harry impression, even doing a rap that apes Blondie’s “Rapture”). More like this and the CD could have been much better.

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