Cd Review: The Blackeyed Peas: The Beginning

After producing 2009's THE E.N.D. which spurred some successful singles and was prematurely purported to be the last physical cd The Blackeyed Peas would ever produce, they follow up in 2010 with the disappointing new album, THE BEGINNING. Maybe, they should have quit when they were ahead.

The new album just lacks many real knockout pieces, although the lead-off new single, "The Time(Dirty Bit), seems pretty good. It successful samples the classic song, "'(I've Had )The Time Of My Life" from the DIRTY DANCING film. It recently peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. But, overall the new album by The Blackeyed Peas is simply their weakest effort yet. Their chart-topping power will be put to the test with this new album which is no better than most of your run-of-the-mill hip hop acts. Even Fergie was far better with her solo effort album than this.

The album is available in two versions, a standard release and a deluxe version with three more songs for a few more dollars. That's sure to make fans real happy. Offer a stripped down release of a mediocre album, and then have the nerve to charge a few dollars more for an expanded album with three more weak songs. Anything to make the fans happy, huh?

The Bottom Line: It's back to the drawing board time for The Blackeyed Peas to put some more time into producing a far better effort than this. While not totally bad, this album just doesn't live up to the high standards this group has set for itself in the past as one of the very best hip hop groups. ++(Two Stars, or just fair. You can probably skip this album unless you really need a $17 coffee coaster).