The Dutchess [PA] (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Fergie (vocals); Rita Marley & The J-Three's (vocals); will.i.am (rap vocals, keyboards, programming); Ludacris (rap vocals); George Pajon (guitar); Nate Hills (drums, percussion); Jay Anderson (background vocals).

The association that versatile pop chanteuse Fergie (aka Stacy Ferguson) struck up with the hip-hop crew Black Eyed Peas (she was central to their hugely successful 2003 release, ELEPHUNK) proved she was capable of playing in the big leagues, and it was only a matter of time before the singer dropped a solo effort. THE DUTCHESS arrived in 2006 and was packed, not surprisingly, with slick, commercially viable pop-rap.

The first release on Black Eyed Pea will.i.am's record label, THE DUTCHESS seems intent on giving Beyonce, Kelis, and every female pop/R&B singer a run for her money. With production help from Polow the Don and will.i.am (who also contributes raps to a couple of songs), Fergie delivers a record that kicks out spare club tracks inspired by Missy Elliott and M.I.A. (such as the disc's lead-off single "London Bridge"), alongside sultry soul ballads ("Clumsy"). There aren't many surprises here, but THE DUTCHESS is a glossy, fun, and satisfying album, which is exactly what her fans are expecting.

Through all the twists and turns taken by Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson during her 20-year career as an entertainer -- including a stint on Kids Incorporated, background vocals for Martika, two albums with adult contemporary/dance-pop group Wild Orchid, and superstardom with Black Eyed Peas -- she has always sounded as if she is trying really, really hard. That has been the lone consistent characteristic of her output, and it remains in effect throughout The Dutchess. The album has all the characteristics of a release fronted by someone who has been itching to go solo and prove herself, once and for all, as a versatile force all her own. Fergie does cartwheels and handstands, juggles three objects at once, balances books on her head, hangs upside down, rides a unicycle with her hands in the air -- all these things while wearing different outfits. The whole process, produced mostly by fellow Pea will.i.am, is mildly entertaining. There's throwback hip-hop ("Fergalicious," done to the tune of J.J. Fad's "Supersonic"), throwback soul ("Here I Come," done to the tune of the Temptations' "Get Ready"), reggae ("Mary Jane Shoes"), ska-punk ("Mary Jane Shoes"), scat ("Mary Jane Shoes"), vaguely torchy midtempo fluff ("Velvet"), and a classy string-drenched ballad (the appropriately titled "Finally"), among several other passable switch-ups, along with "London Bridge" -- which is terrific, provided you can block out the lyrics or prevent yourself from trying to decipher its meaning. One of the more convincing songs on the album, "Big Girls Don't Cry," sounds exactly like a 2006 version of Wild Orchid, with Fergie's Taylor Dayne kid-sister act in full effect. ~ Andy Kellman

Through all the twists and turns taken by Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson during her 20-year career as an entertainer -- including a stint on Kids Incorporated, background vocals for Martika, two albums with adult contemporary/dance-pop group Wild Orchid, and superstardom with Black Eyed Peas -- she has always sounded as if she is trying really, really hard. That has been the lone consistent characteristic of her output, and it remains in effect throughout The Dutchess. An endurance test like few other pop albums issued during the early 2000s, The Dutchess has all the characteristics of a release fronted by someone who has been itching to go solo and prove herself, once and for all, as a versatile force all her own. Fergie does cartwheels and handstands, juggles three objects at once, balances books on her head, hangs upside down, rides a unicycle with her hands in the air -- all these things while wearing different outfits. The whole process, produced mostly by fellow Pea will.i.am, is mildly entertaining but tremendously taxing. There's throwback hip-hop ("Fergalicious," done to the tune of J.J. Fad's "Supersonic"), throwback soul ("Here I Come," done to the tune of the Temptations' "Get Ready"), reggae ("Mary Jane Shoes"), ska-punk ("Mary Jane Shoes"), scat ("Mary Jane Shoes"), vaguely torchy midtempo fluff ("Velvet"), and a classy string-drenched ballad (the appropriately titled "Finally"), among several other passable switch-ups, but none of them has any lasting (or even immediate) value, with the possible exception of the inexplicably asinine "London Bridge" -- which is terrific, provided you can block out the lyrics or prevent yourself from trying to decipher its meaning. Somewhat ironically, one of the more convincing songs on the album, "Big Girls Don't Cry," sounds exactly like a 2006 version of Wild Orchid, with Fergie's Taylor Dayne kid-sister act in full effect. ~ Andy Kellman minimize