Not enough peas in the soup

The Black Eyed Peas - Monkey Business
(A&M Records)
2 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: June 25, 2005

Review by Andy Argyrakis

Even though The Black Eyed Peas had a pair of albums under its belt, commercial recognition didn't come until the last outing Elephunk. Not only did the project finally bring the group's clever blend of hip-hop, funk, R&B and pop to a wider public, but it was embraced to an overwhelming degree that capped off career sales of 7.5 million albums, four Grammy nominations and one Grammy Award. Some of that exposure increase can be credited to collaborating and touring with Justin Timberlake, yet the Peas still found footing outside of that teen pop box via solo dates and additional singles.
In one sense, Monkey Business is a well-suited follow-up to Elephunk, thanks mostly to a pair of all-star collaborations. On an incredibly enjoyable note, the funk focused "They Don't Want Music" is the album's top track thanks primarily to special guest James Brown. The Godfather of Soul delivers with his trademark grunts and vocal jumps, while the arrangement comes directly from the horn smothered 70s. Fellow mainstay Sting is also a welcome diversion thanks to his supporting vocals on "Union," which melds the jazzy nuances of his minor hit "Englishman In New York" over rap packed verses.
However a main hindrance on Monkey Business is the seemingly rushed state of several tracks that sound derivative of the Peas' previous project. Of course it's easy to understand considering members even admit the material was penned on their last whirlwind tour, yet it's quite likely the label and public's demand determined the release date. Several cases in point include the R&B ripple of "Don't Phunk With My Heart" and the club thumper "My Style." The latter once again features the N'Sync singer and is bound for the radio, but it's all been done before and with more alluring results the first go around. Even more bothersome is the album opener "Pump It," which evokes many Outkast cuts put together, particularly the brisk clap beast of "Hey Ya." It's these problems, along with a soggy sample of the bland Jack Johnson on "Gone Going," that make Elephunk more worthwhile, though not enough to fully counter the aforementioned collaborative crests.