Black Eyed Peas – Elephunk

House Party XIII

When it comes to throwing a party, one has to take careful consideration on the theme. Is this theme going to go well with the guests or is it going to send them home? The Black Eyed Peas never really thrived on thought provoking lyrics, (like fellow West Coast alumni Dilated Peoples) but they proved they could hold their own and make a feel-good hip-hop album as evidenced on their last LP Bridging the Gap. However on their newest album, Elephunk, we find the Peas stuck inside a neverending house party. Now don’t get me wrong – hip-hop is always good music for a house party, but this is ridiculous.Will.I.Am’s production soars but it’s scattered only because Elephunk has the feel of an album that was picked together over an evening of a wild night out. Now I am all for hands-in-the-air party music, but the Peas seem to be catering to the bootylicious party freaks with cuts like “Lets Get Retarded” which is unnecessary and unlike the Peas feel-good party anthem, “Weekends” (from Bridging the Gap). Unfortunately the Peas seem to be lost when it comes to finding their calling – or sound – but perhaps thought-provoking party music is the direction they need to focus on in the future.