Released in a bargain-priced package, this collection of
Black Eyed Peas' third, fourth, and fifth studio albums provides the opportunity to hear how their slick urban sound has progressed since their commercial breakthrough. Includes 2003's
Elephunk, which cleverly bridged the gap between the socially conscious hip-hop of their early days and the
Fergie-fronted pop melodies that have since become their trademark, to 2005's sample-heavy
Monkey Business, which featured an array of superstars from
Sting to
James Brown, to 2009's hugely influential
The E.N.D.; which kick-started the whole urban electro-pop scene that has since become ubiquitous on both sides of the Atlantic.
–
Jon O'Brien, Rovi