'Monkey Business was a album released by Black Eyed Peas only last year. The birth of this successful rap band actually came about as far back as 1989.
Originally a break dancing duo, Will.I.Am and APL.De.Ap teamed up with 'Taboo' after the pair's flunked album. It was then that they changed ... Read review
Advantages: The first three tracks a good, entertaining and foot tapping... Disadvantages: ....the rest of the them are fairly dull and monotonous.
'Monkey Business was a album released by Black Eyed Peas only last year. The birth of this successful rap band actually came about as far back as 1989.
Originally a break dancing duo, Will.I.Am and APL.De.Ap teamed up with 'Taboo' after the pair's flunked album. It was then that they changed the name to Black Eyed Peas.
They are a diverse band using live, on stage, musical instruments as the background to their rap content. ... ...They came across visually like 'Earth, Wind and Fire' set up with the sound of a melodic Run DMC.
They have followed the path in recent years that other rap bands would have scowled at. Jazz, soul and bluesy tempos have been the perfect backdrop to their somewhat political lyrics.
With a set not dissimilar to 'The Fugees', they had accquired surprising success althought their actual musical ingredient may be seen as ... more
'Monkey Business was a album released by Black Eyed Peas only last year. The birth of this successful rap band actually came about as far back as 1989.
Originally a break dancing duo, Will.I.Am and APL.De.Ap teamed up with 'Taboo' after the pair's flunked album. It was then that they changed the name to Black Eyed Peas.
They are a diverse band using live, on stage, musical instruments as the background to their rap content. Something that known rap stars until then didn't do. They came across visually like 'Earth, Wind and Fire' set up with the sound of a melodic Run DMC.
They have followed the path in recent years that other rap bands would have scowled at. Jazz, soul and bluesy tempos have been the perfect backdrop to their somewhat political lyrics.
With a set not dissimilar to 'The Fugees', they had accquired surprising success althought their actual musical ingredient may be seen as a little dated. They are a band that have worked especailly hard to reach out to a wider audience than any other rap band. Where others have had the attitude of 'if you don't like us, tough,' the Black Eyed Peas have wanted to be liked by a large cross section of the community. Basing their styles on all types of music genre, they have proved their worth. Also their PR has worked in glorious ways; a tribute to Lennon was a wise and also unprovoked move. Guesting on all the right main stream shows has paid off.
The album in question here is a far ranging collection of such jazz, rap, soul and jazz funk yet holding that very continuous funk baseline theme throughout. Not to all tastes and I must admit here, not mine, they must be admired for their visual performance and their vision of creative and imaginative rap style.
The sleeve must also get a mention here. Dressed in a Gothic style of an Old time Music Hall, the inside booklet is a unique read and a credit to what I can personally say, is a rather flat album, musically.
Each page is styled along a theme of art deco and late Victorian naughty picture post cards. It takes us on an inside tour of anything from a picture of a contract to their flights, collection of tour motorvehicles, stage photos, hotel sleeping arrangements and even the catering. Merchandise and the website also get a page each making the sleeve a delight in itself.
I will note here that the album should be listened to before reaching for the sleeve. Simply because you may find the sleeve more intruiging and emotionally stimulating than the muscial content within.
The first track, 'Pump It' uses the rather cult track belonging to Dick Dale and the Del Tones entitled 'Misilou' featured in the film 'Pulp Fiction'. A good design around a classic piece of Dale. It mixes light and tuengful female vocals with hard male rap.
'Don't Phunk With My Heart' is a good style again, using soft gentle fenale vocal with a catchy, well written rap. Their usage of snippets of Indian chant music and silly bits of a horse galloping are amusing (these bits are so quick, you'll miss them.)
Each track slides gently into the next, a tactic that can irratate certain listeners, especially the ones recording their own albums, (harks almost back to the days of trying to tape off the radio and pausing before the DJ cut in to talk over it. A piece of history here that the younger generation will not have a clue about...) The first few tracks on this album are pleasant and gentle on the ear. It starts well, appealing to any taste and it matches and compliments that fantastically designed sleeve.
'My Style' features Justin 'either love him or hate him' Timberlake which resorts to eighties rap. The kind that contained little melody and primarily used beats for the sole accompliment. The lyrical content with its repetative retort between male and female vocal becomes boring after a while.
'Don't Lie' opens with a pleasing violin intro and a tropical guitar flows in with a promise of endless summer lazy days and Peter Andre with his shirt hanging off. Its a pretty tune and its full of the usual summer track relaxed for the holidays. A melodic Spanish guitar mumbles along in the background. Its an unoffensive track busting to be a number one.
'My Humps' opens with a background that sounds half inched from Salt n Pepa. This is when the album for me, starts to faulter. A rap in a style of a taunting playground Tweenie, it lacks originality.
'Like That' and we are transformed to an underlying Vegas ultra lounge tune. A fast rap, it will appeal to rap fans. The female vocal is applicable to the style of the track. Thankfully the lounge sampler fits and allows the track to not become a temptation to the skipped to the next...
'Dum Diddly'. The lyric on a loop that stands out within this track is from 'Pass The Dutchie', the 1982 hit for Musical Youth. A loop that goes on for too long, and that sounds too copied.
'Feel It' and the listener pictures SWV (Sisters With Voices). Very 70's glam disco. Very funky and quite catchy.
'Gone Going' has a good acoustic guitar, good sound but perhaps a little Craig David.
'They Don't Want Music' features the legend in his own toilet, Mr James Brown. Sounds too 'The Playback' a cult track by the man himself around thirty years ago. It really has Brown written all over this track. Makes you wonder if he had only agreed to appear on the track so long as the song didn't sound too much like Black Eyed Peas....
'Disco Club' I have to admit is pretty awful. Terribles 'ooo's' at the intro. Rap is too repetative. The beat is very pominant but its does nothing for the 'disco' feet.
'Bebot' Again, 70's style funk, than can work so long as it sounds authentic enough and not over done on the backing. The rap is slowed down and lacks all the sparkle of a real funk sound. Real funk never had vocals that were shouted.
'Ba Bump' (Just can't get my head around these titles). Uninteresting.
'Audio Delite at Low Fidelity'. This track could be at home as a B side to all the others. It rather reminds the listener of a song from the soundtrack of 'Dangerous Minds.'
'Union', surprisingly is rather a little gem at the end of this disappointing album. It suddenly allows the listener to come alive. Using the tune of Sting's 'Englishman In New York' its not back and probably belongs at the start of the album.
On the whole, I was not impressed with this album.. I think I was dazzled by the stunning cover. Never judge a book eh? I guess perhaps I am probably the wrong generation, but gone are the days of Grandmaster Flash, and I guess since the explosive entrance of rap in the early eighties, perhaps for my age group, nothing is going to come close again.....
However, I haven't been too miserable. Tesco's (on a less glamourous note) are doing a the moment twenty per cent off their chart albums, so I only got this album for seven quid.
Who am I to grumble..... after all, at my age, surely I should be more worried about watching the pennies in Tesco's than listening to rap music?
Advantages: Good music, pure happy song Disadvantages: some explicit words
...Eyed Peas and there album Monkey Business. The group is consist of 4 members, namely Will-I-Am, Fergie, the only girl in the group, Taboo, and the Filipino pride Apl. The group was formed 2003, that was the time Fergie was already with them, there are some changes before she came with the group. There genre is pop/hip-hop/danceable sound, Will-i-Am gave the name to the group, he got the inspiration of naming them from The Red Hot Chili Pepper" . ... ...the Love", the song features Justin Timberlake, and the song is in included in there first major hit album Elephunk. The album is a hit in Australia, UK and of course in the Philippines, and also in the album are the songs "Shut Up" "Hey mama" and " Let's Get Retarded", and with those hit the album went Platinum in U.S and in U.K.
There next album "Monkey Business" is also a big hit, and I will just discuss some of my favorite track to make it just ...
mariafe 05.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas
The black eyes peas-monkey bussiness is a wicked track and has a wonderful variety of songs,They are a great band and do a really good job and i think they should be a band forever as they can,there all wicked songs and are a good band name.
Track listing
01. Pump It
02. Don't Phunk With My Heart
03. My Style (featuring Justin Timberlake)
04. Don't Lie
05. My Humps
06. Dum Diddley
07. Feel It
08. Gone Going Gone (featuring Jack Johnson)
... ...Club
11. Union
12. bebot
13. Bump Ba Bump
14. Audio Delite
1 Pump it song is Great and they have done that song a great song which i love and i think most people do and you get them on a cd which is all the songs on it.
2 Don't Phunk With My Heart is brilliant and and its a great song which is a good type of song,(not the best song ever)
3 My Style(Featuring Justin Timberlake) Im Not about this song not my type.
4 Dont lie,I Love this song ...
Paigeoleary 08.02.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas
Advantages: good potential singles, nice album artwork Disadvantages: not very much variety
As an avid Black Eyed Peas fan, I have been on tenterhooks waiting for this release. After Elephunk I was very interested to see what evolution would happen with the group and I am impressed with their newer more Eastern influenced sound.
The first single of the album 'Don't Phunk With My Heart' is probably the strongest song on the album, showing this Eastern vibe from beginning to end - in my opinion this song is quite genius!
But other songs ... ...also show potential for singles, as they are true to the Black Eyed Peas unique style. With Will.I.Am's interesting verses and Fergie's choruses the group are sure to have further success.
Another interesting track that yet again captures that Eastern sound is 'Disco Club'. From the title it seems that it would be a cheesy 70's number, but on the contrary it has a strong hip-hop vibe with Eastern drums added for another unique and new musical direction.
...
tintin4889 09.06.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas
Advantages: Quite a few good songs Disadvantages: Some do start to sound a bit similar
...not in a bad way.
Monkey Buisness has much more focus on Fergie's voice/singing than in Elephunk. This may be one of the reasons that it does sound slightly different.
Again they have done a number of collaborations with various artists, ranging from James Brown, and Sting to Jack Johnson and in doing so have mixed their own style of music in with that of the other artist and i think they have done so successfully. They team up, again, with Justin ... ...don't go expecting it to be anything like Where is the Love. Generally i think the first half of the album is stonger than the latter half. Including songs such as Pump It (which has that tune from Pulp Fiction as part of the backing track), Don't Phunk With My Heart and Don't Lie (which has a slightly more ballardy feel to it.). I also like the collaborations with James Brown (They Don't Want Music) and Jack Johnson (Gone Going), but then i tend ...
Amy_Coppock 27.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas
Advantages: still sounds fresh after so long Disadvantages: Playing it in the car, will make you feel like speeding
After listening to so many songs... I still like this album very much... Really very nice songs to dance with especially "Pump It", "Don't Phunk With My Heart", "Don't Lie", "My Humps" and "Disco Club" are the few favourites of mine in this album. The beats really are able to move your body. Never fail to give me inspiration when I'm out of ideas trying to dance.
My Hump's ending of the song was quite hard to accept for me in the begining, as I ... ...background as the ending in such a fast beat song. But now I feel its quite unique.
Overall its quite worth it getting this album as I still am listening to it now after so long as I feel that songs lately are nothing compared to these. Would also recommend Outkast if you like BEP. ...
GeliTifa 07.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
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Advantages: Choice of songs, Value for money Disadvantages: Some songs unacceptable (in my opinion)
) The Importance of being Idle - Oasis - They're a big band now but they were even better a few years ago this isn't there best tune by far but its one that is very catchy and just a great track to listen to in general.
6) Don't lie - The BlackEyedPeas - This is a great band together and there new album monkeybusiness is amazing. This track is taken off that and is one that everyone will sing along to, its not normal singing and its not rapping its just fast enough for everyone to sing and that's why I and a lot more people enjoy it so much.
7) Can I have it like that - Pharel feat Gwen Stefani - This song may just be sung by Pharel because all that Gwen sings is 'You got it like that' this is another rapping track and personally I don't really like it but there is a lot of people who like it because its been requested loads of times.
8) Ohh ...
Product Information for "Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas" »
Product details
Title
Monkey Business
Performer
Black Eyed Peas
Genre
R&B
Sub Genre
Rap
Release Date
30/05/2005
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2005
Label / Distributor
A&M / Universal Music
Engineer
Will.I.Am; Jason 'Ill-Aroma' Villar
Producer
Will.I.Am; Noize Trip; Printz Board
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
602498821848
Catalogue Number
9882184
Additional notes
Album Notes
British version with two bonus tracks. The Black Eyed Peas' fourth outing, MONKEY BUSINESS, picks up right where their platinum-selling breakout album, ELEPHUNK, left off, with the feel of a non-stop party run by an ultra-savvy DJ. "Pump It" opens the disc on a straight sample of Dick Dale's surf classic "Misirlou," as the three MCs of BEP float in and out--sometimes rapid-fire, sometimes measured--with Fergie stepping in on cue to alternately sing softly or with deep, soulful emotion. The Peas' origins are tied to the DJ-driven world of breakdancing, and that flavor saturates MONKEY BUSINESS, as beats drop in and out, tracks blend into other tracks, and a lighthearted spirit of sophisticated ecstasy prevails. The aforementioned "Pump It" slides flawlessly into the lively single "Don't Phunk with My Heart," and the stage for the album is set. Icons James Brown and Sting drop by, on the uncompromisingly funky "They Don't Want Music" and the reggae-soaked "Union," respectively, but they're just guests on board for the ride (along with Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and others), part of the musical mural. The Black Eyed Peas turned from underground favorites to hit-making performers on ELEPHUNK; this follow-up continues that upward progression.
Album Reviews
Uncut (p.94) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Will-I-Am's production is gliding yet hard, blasting off with 'Pulp Fiction' Dick Dale guitar, and giving contemporary bounce to '80s synth beats."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Pump It
2.
Don't Phunk With My Heart
3.
My Style
4.
Don't Lie
5.
My Humps
6.
Like That
7.
Dum Diddly
8.
Feel It
9.
Gone Going
10.
They Don't Want Music
11.
Disco Club
12.
Bebot
13.
Ba Bump
14.
Audio Delite At Low Fidelity
15.
Union
16.
Do What You Want
17.
If You Want Love
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Listed on Ciao since
09/06/2005
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