Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.

Black Eyed Peas took 4 years since 2005's 'Monkey Business' album to record a follow-up, but as the recent 'Boom Boom Pow' proved, the hip-pop collective still have what it takes in the hit department. From the cover art, to the frequent bleeps and slick production, there's a futuristic theme flowing throughout their comeback. But, no matter how varied the tracks are, the problem with 'The E.N.D.' is the record doesn't know what it wants to be.

On one side we have the minimalism set-out by 'Boom Boom Pow' that continues to flow through 50% of the disc on numbers like the slow-grind of 'Imma Be' and the disco-funk of 'Alive' - all achieved through spacey atmospherics, sparse keys and stripped beats. And at the other end of the spectrum, the Peas get their groove on for the uptempo (and more exciting) club cuts, such as the very-now R&B of 'Missing You', the pop-rock of 'I Got A Feeling' and electropop 'Showdown'.

It's a lack of consistency that lets their big comeback down. It's by no means a poor record - individually the tracks are amongst their best - yet their is little to tie them together, leaving the overall experience muddled and messy. But in a day and age of iTunes and individual song purchases, a smooth-flowing concept doesn't seem as necessary anymore.