The Beginning |
DANCE-POP
The Beginning-the Black Eyed Peas' fourth album since going mainstream with Fergie-picks up where 2009's The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) left off. Although not as fresh as its Grammy-winning predecessor-even with 12 cuts, it feels more like an addendum to The E.N.D. a la The Fame Monster-it demonstrates that the Peas (namely beatmaster will.i.am) haven't run out of steam exploring electro club sounds. Heck, they can even take a cheesy hook from the Dirty Dancing hit "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and turn it into a party jam on "The Time (Dirty Bit)." Highlights include "The Best One Yet (The Boy)," one of several tracks that recall the euphoric vibe of "I Gotta Feeling," and the glam disco "Fashion Beats," with Fergie cooing like Deborah Harry on "Rapture."
Justin Bieber
My Worlds Acoustic |
TEEN POP
You know you're hot when, barely a year after making your recording debut, you can do an unplugged album of your old songs. At 16, no less. And while these acoustic versions of faves like "Baby" and "U Smile" aren't exactly essential for anyone who already has My World and My World 2.0, they give Justin Bieber's artistic cred a boost. The tunes, seven of which he cowrote, hold up impressively well in these stripped-down settings, showing that the teen idol is more than a good head of hair.
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