Compare Monkey Business by Black Eyed Peas to Monkey Business by Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas: A.P.L., Taboo (vocals); Fergie , will.i.am. Personnel: apl.de.ap (vocals, strings, Clavinet, drum programming); will.i.am (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drum programming); Fergie , James H. Brown, Justin Timberlake, Sting (vocals); Jimmy Limon (guitar, Clavinet, organ, percussion, drum programming); Damon Wood, Jack Johnson, Kevin Rudolf, Ray Brady (guitar); Songa Lee, Katia Popov, Alan Grunfeld, Rene Mandel, Joel Derouin, Sid Page, Jacqueline Brand, Roberto Cani, Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Natalie Leggett, Phillipe Levy, Sarah Thornblade, Josephina Vergara, Charlie Bisharat, Mario Diaz de Leon, Endre Granat (violin); Charlie Baccarat (electric violin); Matt Funes, Vicki Miskolczy, Brian Dembow, Simon Oswell (viola); Suzie Katayama, Stephen Erdody, David Low , Cecilia Tsan (cello); Tim Izo Orindgreff (flute, saxophone); Ron Fair (harmonica); Jeff Watkins, Branford Marsalis (saxophone); Printz Board (trumpet, Fender Rhodes piano, Mellotron, ... Less

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 Ti... Less