Producer, rapper, designer and now actor Sean "P Diddy" Combs hopes to score big and bring credibility back to his record label Bad Boy with Welcome to the Dollhouse, the second album from his handpicked female group Danity Kane.
Danity Kane, famously known for its hit MTV reality television show "Making the Band," tackles the dreaded sophomore hump and manages to produce a decent pop album.
Welcome to the Dollhouse is a perfect blend of R&B, pop and great marketing, and it's a fun, flirty, dance-friendly album that is sure to earn the group more fans and popularity.
For its second album, Combs pulled out all of the stops and used some of the industry's top producers to create hit records for the group. Talented producer and hit-maker Brian Cox produced two tracks on the album, "Sucka for Love" and "2 of You," the latter being the better track.
Another stand-out track on the album is "Lights Out," produced by Flex & Hatal and Akeem Lee. The track, written by band member Dawn Richard, is another upbeat track that is sure to be a fan favorite. The song features impressive vocals and excellent production.
The album also has a few ballads, two of the best being "Ectasy" featuring rapper Rick Ross, and "Poetry".
With Welcome to the Dollhouse, it's clear that Danity Kane was going for a much more aggressive and assertive sound. Many of the tracks scream of confidence and self-assurance and show that the girls are much more comfortable with themselves and their newly found fame. On "Lights Out," the girls boast of their sexual prowess ,singing, "turn off the lights/ and see if you wanna get into my dark side/ you ain't never, ever had it better when the lights go out."
One of the drawbacks of Welcome to the Dollhouse is that it is slightly over-produced and many of the dance-friendly and bass-filled tracks, often overpower the girls lyrics and vocals. One of the things that set Danity Kane apart from other pop acts is that all of the girls are genuinely talented and have good voices; however it's hard for listeners to tell at times due to the extensive production.
Another drawback of Welcome to the Dollhouse is that all of the members of the groups are not equally represented on the album. One of the biggest downsides of being in a group with five members is that it is difficult for all of the members to have equal exposure. On Welcome to the Dollhouse, only three of the five girls manage to separate themselves from the pack: Dawn, D. Woods and Aundrea. The three girls are vocally present on the majority of the tracks and their vocals are the most recognizable.
Although Welcome to the Dollhouse is a good album and establishes the girls as certified rising pop stars, it fails to establish them as credible artists. The album is very entertaining, but its superficial lyrics and heavily produced tracks make it impossible for the women to compete with some of the true artists of today such as Alicia Keys, Kanye West and others.
Critic's Conclusion: Welcome to the Dollhouse is a good album that embodies pop music and will hopefully give the girls the level of success that they are seeking. The lyrics aren't too deep, the tracks are club and radio friendly and the many of the songs have the potential to be hit singles. Although the album is very well put together, there is nothing distinct or unique about the sound. This album could have easily been recorded by the Pussycat Dolls or pop singer Rihanna. With Welcome to the Dollhouse Danity Kane has yet to find its own sound and style. B-
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