CD reviews (January – February 2011)

THE BLACK EYED PEAS
CD: The Beginning

Reviewed by Tyler Bradshaw
15, Redondo Union HS

The Black Eyed Peas are a worldwide sensation with good reason. Their loud party music makes me want to get up and fist pump. On their new CD, The Beginning, they took a more electronic turn, using more keyboard and electric guitar to make different sounds.

“Light Up The Night” is my favorite song on the CD, because it reminds me of the fun times I’ve had with my friends when we are at the Del Amo mall at night and the whole place is lit up and the sky is black. Every time I hear the lyrics “It’s on and poppin’/ And we ain’t stoppin’/ Let’s light up the night/ Let’s light up the night” I want to scream with excitement.

“The Time (Dirty Bit)” is my second-favorite song, because it starts slow, but then goes into a disco-type beat. The song samples an 80s song from the movie Dirty Dancing, but I think The Black Eyed Peas transformed it into a great hit. When the beat suddenly switches, it puts me in a good mood.

I also like “Just Can’t Get Enough.” It expresses how I feel about a girl right now (I can’t get her out of my mind). “Boy, I think about it every night and day/ I’m addicted wanna jump inside your love.”

Some songs weren’t as good. I didn’t like their slow songs, like “Fashion Beats,” “Don’t Stop The Party” and “The Best One Yet (The Boy).” But I think anyone into pop music should buy this CD. You won’t regret it. You’ll be singing in your sleep. This CD is addicting.


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FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
CD: Lungs

Reviewed by Victor Beteta
17, University HS

The moment you hear Florence + The Machine, her voice drags you into her world. It’s powerful, like a pleasant scream. She holds long notes so it’s opera-like, but her sound is a mix of pop, rock and soul.

Florence Welch is a British singer and The Machine refers to all the musicians who collaborated with her on her first album, Lungs. It is filled with amazing songs and all of them are worth downloading.

“Dog Days Are Over” is the first song I listened to. Because of this song I decided to purchase the album. I was hooked from the first word Welch sang. It felt like she was right in front of me because her voice filled the room.

My favorite track is “Drumming Song.” She sings, “There’s a drumming noise inside my head/ That starts when you’re around/ I swear that you could hear it/ It makes such an all mighty sound/ Louder than sirens, louder than bells/ Sweeter than heaven/ and hotter than hell.” It’s about love and how it sometimes drives us crazy. When someone I really like is near me I can hear a drum, my heartbeat.

Welch sings about love the way it is, with not only its ups but also its downs and about overcoming them. Even though songs like “Kiss With A Fist” and “Hurricane Drunk” have dark titles and are not happy songs, they’re still musically upbeat.

I’d recommend this album because it’s unique compared to what’s out there right now. With Florence + The Machine you hear the true power of the human voice.


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MAROON 5
CD: Hands All Over

Reviewed by Julia Waldow
16, Beverly Hills HS

I absolutely love Maroon 5. Their songs, which deal with heartbreak, love and friendship, are fun, easy to relate to and the beats are hard to get out of my head. When I found out that they had released another album this past September, titled Hands All Over, I knew that I had to get it. Overall it was a good album, although I liked their previous album, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, better.

This album has something for everyone. Faster songs, like “Stutter” and “Last Chance,” are great to listen to at a party with friends, while slower songs, like “Just a Feeling” and “Out of Goodbyes,” keep me company on sad days.

I like the song “Misery” because I can identify with the lyrics, “Why won’t you answer me/ The silence is slowly killing me” because I don’t like it when I’m in a fight with friends and we ignore each other.

I also really enjoy “Don’t Know Nothing.” I especially like the lines “Living inside my head pulling my strings/ Letting me think I’m in control/ Giving you all my heart was a good start/ But it turns out you want my soul.” When I hear this song, I think about guys I’ve liked who turned out to be different than I thought they’d be.

Despite all of the great songs on this album, I feel that the title track, “Hands All Over,” fell short. The tune sounded like some sort of mantra, the same beat repeating over and over.

Despite a few missteps, I would definitely recommend this album to people looking for great dance beats and soulful songs.

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