POP/ROCK
Black Eyed Peas, "The Beginning" (Interscope)
Dealing with the Black Eyed Peas' dominance of pop radio is like planning for earthquakes in Los Angeles. There's no use in protesting about either anymore. Each is a geologic fact, and you might as well accept the inevitability.
With the Peas' latest, the Big One that will topple freeways is "The Time (Dirty Bit)," a typically house-jacking club track that so flagrantly bites the chorus of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from "Dirty Dancing" that it has a kind of post-authorial genius.
But complaining about such is like lamenting the rise of global capitalism. The better challenge is to find the pearls of techno-caveman beauty in the coke-nose vocal tweaks of "XOXOXO" or the Daft Punk aspirations of "The Best One Yet (The Boy)." They have a song called "Love You Long Time," for goodness sake. That's all the Peas want to do, and they will not be ignored.
AUGUST BROWN, LOS ANGELES TIMES
R&B
Jazmine Sullivan, "Love Me Back" (J)
With a lived-in voice that's scratched and ragged at the edges, Sullivan walks herself to the precipice of emotion without falling off on this sophomore album. Instead she finds the plaintive center, the kind of soothing intimacy that almost seems like the way we'd sing to ourselves in times of trouble. Whether the heartsick R&B of the piano-driven "Stuttering" or the sample-stacked "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)," Sullivan pours herself into the songs yet keeps her ground, no matter the style or tone.
"Love Me Back" gives Sullivan the opportunity to test ideas. On "Don't Make Me Wait," she frolics to Prince-inspired synth-aerobics, her voice a breathy tease. Overall, "Love Me Back" could use more experimentation -- it feels a little static with too many similar-sounding songs. But there's no denying Sullivan's comfort zone. For "U Get on My Nerves," she and sparring partner Ne-Yo capture "the ex doth protest too much" syndrome. As they both rant about the other, you can practically see them climbing into bed for one last try -- and one last fight.
