Customer Reviews

Elephunk

5 star:		(140)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

This album is absolutely awesome, and has something for everyone. It brings together R&B, Rap, and Jazz with socially conscious lyrics. There is not a single song that I don't like on it. Fergie, the newcomer to this group, definately adds a new feel to this album.
1) Hands up - a high energy start to the album. The saxophone on this song is very jazzy, and has the whole song has a bit of a retro feel.
2) Labor Day - Pure Fun. You can really dance to this song.
3) Let's Get Retarded - This song starts out by saying that it means no disrespect (look up the lyrics if you're concerned about it) Actually, it uses "retarded" to describe losing control of your body when you dance. Anybody who listens to more than just the chorus of this song would realize this.
4) Hey Mama - Has a latin, almost jamaican, feel. Sounds a little like Sean Paul's "Get Busy." Fun song.
5) Shut Up - Fergie shines on this song! More pop sounding than the rest of the album, but it still has a groove. Fergie's vocals alone make this song worth listening to. Beautiful.
6) Smells like Funk - This also has a retro feel to it. Nothing particularly spectacular about this song, but it's still solid.
7) Latin Girls - Very latin feel to this one. Another fun song to dance to.
8) Sexy - Funktastically Beautiful Song. They did a nice job mixing the piano into this slower song.
9) Fly Away - This song is my absolute favorite - Fergie really shines on this one. A wonderfully free song... you just have to hear it.
10) The Boogie that Be - Mostly rap, with a classic sound to it.
11) The Elephunk Theme - An exotic song, with melodies that sound middle-eastern or Indian, blended with aggressive rap.
12) The Apl Song - An calming song, with beautiful melodies.
13) Anxiety - Aggressive rap on top of a some rocking guitar.
14) Where is the Love - This is a little longer than the radio cut.
15) Hidden Track - I don't know what this one is called, but it's a nice song. It's slow, soft, and sexy with rap verses blended into a melodic chorus.

'Elephunk' is an awesome album. This is one of the first albums I can listen to, in it's entirtey, without having to skip any tracks. Whether I'm listening to the upbeat 'Smells Like Funk', the sultry 'Sexy' or even the angst-filled 'Anxiety' I can always find something about the song to love. Adding Fergie for a female voice was an ingenius move. She really adds alot to the group when singing songs such as 'Let's Get Retarded' and 'Shut Up'.

Just so everyone buying the album for 'Hey Mama' knows, the lyrics were changed on the single version to avoid sounding too political ("then drop bombs like we're in the Middle East" was cut) and to add more of Fergie (her "off the richter" lyrics are not part of the CD version). Both versions basically sound the same other than the slightly altered lyrics though.

The first six tracks are all quite fast, then 'Latin Girls' slows it down quite a bit. 'The Apl Song' is one of my very favorites on the album. I absolutely love the lines "A version of my ghetto where life felt for real/Some would call it hell but to me it was heaven". The song is sung in both Tagalog and English, which sounds awesome. It's about having to work together and live off the land, and it truly is a very beautiful song.

Check out 'Elephunk' if you're a fan of Hip Hop, or even Pop. If you like 'Shut Up' and 'Hey Mama', chances are you'll love the album. The lyrics, vocals, and beats are all very good, and the album overall is awesome.

For as long as I can remember I have loved hip-hop and for most of my life it was the only genre of music I listened to. Unfortunatly, for the last few years, hip-hop and rap has been in my opinion pretty awful, save for a few artists here and there. Elephunk is one of the top five best hip-hop album I've ever heard period. I just bought it today and instantly fell in love with it, unusual considering it normally takes me about a week before I really like any album. When I heard "Where is the Love" on the radio a month or so ago, I knew this album would be special. Will.i.am's production is what sets Elephunk apart from everything else. If you are like me, you are sick of just about all the producers out there. These beats were designed with music in mind and sound like they took a lot of time on each and every one. The album doesn't stop at outstanding production though. The lyrical content is intellegent and delivered in a way that is both interesting and pleasing to the ear. The album features a wide range of lyrical topics including discrimination, love and the rockin' party tracks. Sometimes I think the goal of hip-hop these days is to try and master what someone else's work. BEP could care less what everyone else in rap is doing, that I think is the secret to their success. Most people will probably sleep on this album because record companies will probably continue to shove other rappers down their throats. But like a fine wine i suppose, only a select few can experience quality like Elephunk. This album has renewed my faith in hip-hop.

I must admit, I was a bit hesitant to listen to this CD after seeing the hype they had received on MTV and top 40 radio stations. Rap and hip-hop have taken a turn for the worse in the past years, and the Black Eyed Peas are no different, right? Wrong! Black Eyed Peas may be the only artist, besides Outkast and a couple others, that actually deserve the attention they receive on the radio and MTV. Their mix of Jazz, Hip-hop, Rap, R&B, along with their knack for writing conscious lyrics, make for a very unique and enjoyable listen.

The albums opener "Hands Up" serves as a fine intro. "Labor Day (It's a Holiday)" is equally enjoyable, also featuring a Public Enemy sample. "Smells Like Funk" is one of my favorites. "Let's Get Retarded" has the most addictive chorus on the album, describing the loss of control when dancing, or getting high. If you think they are making of the physically challenged, try using your brain, and realizing a fun loving group like Black Eyed Peas would never make fun of such a thing. Other standouts include "Hey Mama" and "Where Is the Love?".

Overall, I can see why this album has received all the hype, since it's so poppy. Every once and awhile you do find some good hip-hop in the Top 40, and this is it. I think it's time for me to go "Get Retarded".

The new Black Eyed Peas album is probably one of the best albums to come out this year. It's also one of the funkiest albums that you can listen to over and over again and have a ball. It contains some of the funkiest and energetic songs I've heard in quite some time. Besides the powerful first single Where is the Love? featuring Justin Timberlake, there are numerous tracks worth mentioning. Most notably the party anthem of the year Let's Get Retarded, Smells Like Funk which sounds like it has a sample of Puttin on the Ritz. The best tracks are left to the newest member of BEP, Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson. Her stunning, soulful, and powerful vocals bring each track to life. Such as Shut Up and the best song on the album, her solo effort Fly Away. This girl has got the goods and she needs to have a solo album soon!

ok 14-yr-old guy here. i jusdt got this cd and it is awesome. fergie is amazing vocally, and fashionally. anyway here's my review of the cd:

1. hands up (5/5) great opener, a nice prelude to the other tracks
2. labor day ( it's a holiday)(5/5) probably my thrid fave on the album, fergie voice carries the chorus phenomenally.
3. let's get retarded-(4/5) ok, very catchy, but kinda outta place, great party song though
4. hey mama -5/5 intersting
5. shut up-5/5- my second fave on the album this joint is smokin!! you all have got to check out the video for this, fergie doesn't wear a shirt in the video!!
6. smells like funk- 4/5- probably my fourth fave- insanely catchy- but only ok lyrically
7. latin girls-5/5 another great song, i love the j.lo reference
8. sexy-5/5- now this is the way a love song should be written, tied for my fave on the album
9. fly away-4/5- pretty good, they give fergie a little too much credit on this song but other than that it's great
10. the boogie that be 5/5-fergie shines as the peas dominate this track
11. th apl song-4/5- once again don't really see it's place, this is basically just apl doing his thing, good though
12. anxiety-5/5- BEP and papa roach the next hit collaboration?? i think so!! the track kicks major butt. clearly illustrates one's struggle with anxiety. tied for my fave on the album.
13. where is the love 5/5- aww yeah, u gotta love this song, it's awesome can't say enough about it, BEP shines on this track. tied for my fave on the album.

there is a bonus track here but it should track 14 and not on the same track as "where is the love?"
the bonus track is a little hard to undertsand, i dind't hear it until i hit the repeat button onmmy cd player

overall: great cd, should've gotten it sooner, the tracks are blazin. fergie is the perfect addition to the peas and she rocks!!!! fergie!!!!!!!! get it now!!!! do not listen to that crap-ass amazon.com review listen to the people who bought the cd!!!

Elephunk...I picked this CD up from a friend as "driving music" when I was driving across the country. To my surprise there was something very heartfelt and very honest about their music. There was a truth and blatant goofyness to their songs that hit home to me. The beats are enormous. Every song had me moving and shaking, I liked EVERY song on it, which is unusual. The musicianship is outstanding, such a talented and diverse group. Mixtures of Latin, hip hop, reggae and pop make for a fun and funky sound. Love it, I think everyone can enjoy this CD

I have always been a fan of Black Eyed Peas, and their newest album "Elephunk" is phenomenal in every way possible. People are saying that fans of their old CDs will be disappointed with this new one, and that is completely not true whatsoever in my opinion. Musicians are SUPPOSED to grow and evolve over time, and just because this new album doesn't sound like some of their older stuff, it in no way means that fans will be disappointed. CHANGE is GOOD sometimes. And the addition of the female singer(Fergie) to the group is pure genius because that girl can sing! I thought it might be a bad idea at first, but after hearing the album and how much quality she adds to it, i was blown away. You want proof? Just listen to track #9 "Fly Away", she sings most of that song and proves that she could be a great artist all on her own. Who else has noticed that she sounds a lot like Alicia Keys in the opening words of "Let's Get Retarded"? Speaking of that track, it's one of the best on the CD. 2 minutes and 22 seconds into the song, it blows up and it's impossible not to bounce your head and dance! The whole album is truly incredible and there's really not one BAD song on it. I highly recommend it to any fan of great, original music!

With their third disc, the alterna-rap offering Elephunk, Los Angeles hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas once again tear down walls of rap,hip hop, funk, rock, reggae...pop. They mix all types of music and that's what makes this album such a treat! there is something for everyone!
Black Eyed Peas is no longer a trio...cause this time the rhyming trio of Will.I.Am., Taboo, and apl.d.ap have added another pea to the pod --A NEW FULL TIME MEMBER: female singer Stacy Ferguson or by her Black Eyed Peas Name: FERGIE, who lends soulful wails and harmony to the Peas' live music and infectious hooks. She is great and wonderful addition to the group i hope she stays with the group. Cause her melodies bring a new dimension to the Group.
As on past efforts, the group always incorporates a variety of eclectic sounds and beats, such as old-school rap samples, Latin grooves, and dancehall riddims. In 2000, the Peas garnered crossover success with "Request Line," their collaboration with Macy Gray, and here they up the ante by recruiting a breathless Justin Timberlake to back up Fergie's beautiful soulful voice... for the first single, "Where Is the Love," which touches on issues including the war on terrorism and discrimination. Other guest on the album include reggae vet Tippa Irie on the Sean Paulreminiscent "Hey Mama" and Papa Roach on the rap-rock anthem "Anxiety," where wailing guitars preside over the the Peas vocals and raps elementary flows. Only on "Sexy," which has a romantic rap with guitar and piano lines from bossa nova legend Sergio Mendes, does the foursome's magic fully gel. When left on their own -- as on the tracks sing-along tracks as "Hands Up" and "Fly Away" -- Black Eyed Peas show their true colors and really reach the dazzling creative heights they're capable of which is greatness.

For those out there who have problems with "Let's Get Retarded." The song has nothing to do with disabled people. It's saying to enjoy music, dance like you don't care who's watching, and just have fun. It may not be the most PC way to put it, but they are in no way making fun of the disabled. Fine, it's a comment that can be interpreted as saying that dancing like a fool is similar to being retarded, but it's just about letting loose and having fun. Generally speaking, the actions of severely mentally disabled people are considered unusual to most people. Whether you like it or not, that's the way it is. They're saying to act in such a way when having fun, and not caring what other people think. And that's reading a lot into it. And the music is good. It's true that it's not exactly hip hop. It's more like like a funk cd, but if you're judging them based on their older stuff, then you need to get your head out of your ass and review what's here, not what you wanted or expected. It's fun, well put together music. Where is the Love? and the APL Song are really good, with great messages. And if you think Where is the Love? is corny or insincere, then maybe you're just a little too cynical. The lyrics make good points about what's goin' on in the world. Anxiety is great, and in no way invalidates Where is the Love? No matter how much you love others, there are times when you will go through so much anxiety that you feel like you're going insane, and one result of this can be the urge to "smack somebody." Screw being PC, it's just the truth. They didn't say to smack somebody, just that the anxiety gives them the urge to. Fine, most of it is party music, but at least it's good party music, and they certainly have a decent number of serious songs with insight. So stop bitching about supposed insensitivities and not having your expectations met, listen to the damn music, and then decide.