Album review: Pussycat dolls - Doll domination

Album review: Pussycat dolls - Doll domination | Random J Pop

The pussy dolls (a typo that I'm not correcting) are back to supposedly dominate with their second studio album. It still eludes me how main pussy Nicole Scherzinger failed to take off with her solo career, when she pretty much is the Pussycat dolls, left, right, centre and back. But anywho... She's back with her 4 background bitches for round two.

Doll domination pretty much takes the PCD formula and just runs with it. The difference with this album is that whilst there are several contenders for singles, none are as obvious as those on PCD. When you listened to PCD you knew the likes of "Beep", "Buttons", "Wait a minute" and "I don't need a man" would become singles because they were such obvious choices. Where as on Doll domination it's difficult to call, because whilst most of the songs sound good, nothing in particular hits you as being an obvious choice for a future single.

The uptempos for the most part are all decent affairs. "Bottle pop" is cheesy, but catchy and will get you moving, although Snoop Dogg's verse feels unnecessary. "Magic" bangs real nice and is the only song on the album I feel could probably work as a single, due to its proximity in sound and vibe to "Buttons". "In person" is another decent track, working a very similar vibe to "Wait a minute" with its throwback percussive and brass heavy sound. It has a likeable charm that you can't help but bubble to, although Nicole's voice does get annoying after a while. "Elevator" is a hot club banger which is very reminiscent of Janet Jackson's "LUV". "Whatchamacallit" is a fun song, but it feels odd stuck at the end of the album. Also the sound and the lyrics are hardly original. I mean, how many of these Arabian-tinged songs about shoes that match hats and buying out stores have chicks dropped over the past few years? An okay song, but one which is too easy to skip.

The pussycat dolls should've focused on the uptempo numbers, as it's what they're known for. Plus it gives the background bitches a chance to hold their legs up in the videos. But a good chunk of the album consists of dreary midtempo's and slow songs. "Out of the club" is garbage, but it'll probably end up being a single. The song is dusty and just doesn't go anywhere. It doesn't make me wanna lean or snap fingers. It makes me want to sit down. R. Smells had no business being on the track neither. "Happily never after" sounds like an "Irreplaceable" rip off. "Halo" is Timbo recycled garbage. How many times is he gonna recycle Bubba Sparxxx's "Deliverance"!? He used the style for Justin's "What goes around, comes around", then recycled that for Rihanna's "Rehab", and then recycled that for Madonna's "Devil wouldn't recognize you" and now we get Pussycat dolls "Halo". It's ridiculous.

"Hush hush" is okay, but Nicole's voice grates. Her voice just isn't as smooth here as the song called for. The likes of Beyoncé or Kelly Rowland would've done wonders with this song, but Nicole just runs it into the ground. "I'm done" is some overly egged bullshit. The slow songs are all whack and throw the bounce of the album off. Pussycat dolls should be all about the dancing and no holds barred radio friendly pop with an urban twist. Not sappy slow, midtempo crap with what I'm sure the songwriters thought were meaningful lyrics.

Doll domination is a boring album. I've never thought much of the Pussycat dolls, but even I expected a better album than this. Doll domination feels like it's on auto pilot from the first track to the last. There's nothing as sassy and in your face as "Don'cha". Nothing that's so stupidly silly and funky that you can't help but love it like "Beep". Nothing as sickly sweet as "Stickwithcu". Nothing as slick, hot, retro and lovably camp as "I don't need a man". And this is the problem. Nothing sticks out because everything bleeds into a samey sound of mediocrity. The songs which are good don't stand out as well as they should because they're sandwiched between songs which sound too similar.

It's also becoming more and more of a joke that this group is even able to still keep going. It's glaringly obvious that the other girls don't do anything. You may as well call this Nicole Scherzinger's solo album, because half of it she probably recorded for her shelved album anyway. This album will of course sell shit loads of copies and spawn 13 singles just like PCD did. Cementing that as long as you can look fine in your videos and have a record label willing to invest shit loads in you, that anything can become a success.

RATING: 3 / 10

Album highlights:
■ Bottle pop
■ Magic ★ J's fave
■ In person
■ Elevator
■ Whatchamacallit

Comments

  1. You so rarely give anything a good review anymore these days, lol.

    It seems the other girls don't mind being looked upon as being absolutely worthless. Whatever floats their boat. At least they're getting paid!

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  2. I've been waiting a long time for your "Doll domination review" cauz I got things to say:surprisingly you pretty much said A BIG part of what I thought.

    At first I wanted to post my comment firs and then read yours,but I got a little excited When I saw the post and begun (without knowing) reading the post..oh well!

    That said:My problem with this album is that a lot of songs Aren't Original AT ALL...

    When I first heard "Halo" I was like :" What the FUCK? Is HE got to be kidding me..."
    I mean, I can EASILY SING "What goes aroung comes around" and "Rehab" with the musi playing. I'TS THE SAME FUCKING THING! "The devi'l wouldnt recognize you" SAME SHIT!
    *I swear to you that I said The EXACT same thing J*
    "Bottle pop" could have been on Britney's "Blackout": This song is just ok for me, they could of switch a little in some parts , and Snoop didnt need to rap the second time round *unecessary*
    "I hate this part" right here": Single material:one of the songs that I really like!Nothing special about it,but can very succesful.
    "Take over the world" : I dont like it! Why? reminds me A LOT ogf "DO IT TO IT" --> CHERISH : SAME SHIT ... pffffff...and beside that it's Too gansta for the PCD in My Opinion...

    "Magic": that song could have been on DAnity Kane's "welcome to the doll house" *I remember you saying to me to go listen to the album J, Well, I did! In fact "Magic" reminds me a lot of songs on this album* --> not original At all!
    "out of this club": --> TOTALLY BULLSHIT! I just hate it!
    "Elevator":One of my favorite songs:reminds of "LUV" (Darkchild said it himself "typical darkchild classic") *I was going craaazy when U said it reminds U also of "LUV" lool*
    "Halo":Single material Right here!One of my Fav.They absolutly need to put that one out if they want a possible No1 song on the charts.
    "In person":One of my fav. Its THE out of the box joint on the album,nothing real special about it but I like it. I can see my girl Bey singing this one -->B'Day.
    "Whachtamacallit":one of my fav.I like it.A little too repetitive,but still like it!

    And that's it for me!

    I prefer BY FAR the first album! This one is not original at all for me!

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  3. CORRECTION :"Hush Hush" :Single material right here...

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  4. You didn't say what you thought of Halo Random. I agree with 90% of what you said though. Love the quiet feel of your blog too.
    -Mileka

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  5. *LMAO* @ "I mean, I can EASILY SING "What goes around, comes around" and "Rehab" with the music playing. IT'S THE SAME FUCKING THING! "The devil wouldnt recognize you" SAME SHIT!

    I damn near fell of my chair when I read this. I could feel the frustration! *lol* It is a joke though. The recycling isn't even subtle. And like you said, you can sing lyrics from one song over the beat to one of the others and it all fits perfectly. Timbaland is so much better than this. Plus, it's not even like "Halo" is good. The beat sucks and the lyrics try to be all cool and meaningful, but come off sounding whack.

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  6. My bad, I just read the review PROPERLY and see you did comment on it. :-)

    Mileka

    Did you like Bubba Sparx's "Nowhere"?

    M

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  7. I didn't like Bubba Sparxxx's "Nowhere" at first - because I thought it sounded way too much like "Cry me a river" at first (a song I wasn't all that keen on to begin with). But then it really grew on me and I love it now. The beat is actually swtiches up out of "Cry me a river" as it progresses, Bubba's verses are hot and Kiley Dean sounds great on the track.

    I actually liked the whole of Bubba Sparxx Deliverance. It's one of the few rap albums I actually bought and liked from start to finish.

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