The Pussycat Dolls - PCD

There's a kind of beautifully perverse brilliance to the Pussycat Dolls. Not only are they a sextet who got their start as neo-burlesque dancers in Los Angeles, but they make no bones about being a gleefully manufactured dance-pop act. Open the booklet for their 2005 debut, PCD, and their artificiality is made clear: the first page reads "All lead and background vocals by Nicole Scherzinger," a former member of Eden's Crush, the failed prefab teen pop group assembled on the WB's pre-American Idol reality music show Popstars. There is no pretense that Kimberly, Carmit, Ashley, Melody, and Jessica are there for anything besides filling out the illusion that this is a real performing musical group and providing some serious eye candy for a group that is all about the visuals. The great thing about PCD is that the producers and songwriters behind the album -- and, since this is a big-budget urban dance-pop album in the mid-2000s, there are many credited writers and producers -- are eager to play with the Pussycat Dolls' hyper-sexual image, creating a sleek, sexy sound ideal for both nightclubs and strip joints across this great land. And, at least at first, the songs are about how irresistibly sexy the Pussycat Dolls are, starting with the genius hit single "Don't Cha," where Nicole and the rest of the Pussycats strut around, taunting a hapless man with such come-ons as "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me/Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me." There has never been a sex song quite as knowingly ironic yet undeniably sexy as this, and for a while the album keeps the momentum up, first with will.i.am's "Beep," a rewrite of Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps," except this is funny, not embarrassing, and since Nicole is sexier than the Peas' Fergie, it's also sultrier. Timbaland's "Wait a Minute" is in the same vein and, for a brief moment, it seems like PCD will be that rare thing: a mainstream club/dance album devoted to nothing but dance songs. Then, reality comes crashing in with the fourth song, "Stickwitu," the inevitable romantic slow jam whose sappiness undercuts the joyous carnal celebration of the first three songs. Although the rest of the album has more dance tunes than ballads -- and some catchy ones, too, like Beyoncé-styled "I Don't Need a Man" -- the album never quite recovers, since the fantasy of a girl group that's only it for the sex, not love, has been ruined. Since that fantasy is the very reason the Pussycat Dolls exist as either a dance troupe or a pop group, it's a bit of a disappointment, but PCD is still worthwhile because there enough good cuts to make it a fun soundtrack to parties or strip clubs, even if there aren't quite enough to make this the camp classic that the beginning of the album suggests it could have been. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Abe Laboriel, Jr. Drums Alan Grunfeld Violin Alex Al Bass Allen Sides String Engineer Alyssa Park Violin Anatoly Rosinsky Violin Andy Chatterley Arranger Andy Chatterly Arranger Andy Martin Trumpet, Trombone Angel City Horns Performer Anthony Kilhoffer Digital Editing, Engineer Ariel Chobaz Mixing Assistant Armen Garabedian Violin Armen Ksadjikian Cello Ashley Roberts Vocals (Background) Bill Churchville Trumpet Bill Hughes Orchestra Contractor Bill Liston Woodwind Bill Reichenbach Jr. Horn Bill Schnee String Engineer Brandon Fields Woodwind Brian Gardner Mastering Brian Vibberts Mixing Assistant Bruce Dukov Violin Bruce Otto Trombone Carmit Bachar Vocals, Vocals (Background) Cecilia Tsan Cello Cee-Lo Green Producer Charlie Bisharat Violin, Violin (Electric) Chris Tedesco Trumpet, Horn Conductor, Contractor Cori Jacobs Fender Rhodes Dan Higgins Woodwind, Horn Darrin McCann Viola Dave Pensado Mixing David Low Cello Dean Nelson Mixing Assistant Deb Fenstermacher A&R Endre Granat Violin Ethan Mates Engineer Frank Wolf Horn Engineer Gary Grant Horn, Trumpet Hylah Hedgepeth Assistant J.D. Andrew Engineer, Vocal Engineer Jack Joseph Puig Mixing Jacqueline Brand Violin Jerry Hey String Arrangements, Trumpet, Horn, Horn Arrangements Jessica Sutta Vocals (Background) Jimmy Iovine Executive Producer Joel Derouin Violin Joel Peskin Woodwind John Goux Guitar Josephina Vergara Violin Jun Ishizeki Mixing Assistant Justin Siegel Production Coordination Katia Popov Violin Keri Hilson Vocal Producer Kimberly Wyatt Vocals (Background) Larry Corbett Cello Larry E. Williams Woodwind Larry Hall Trumpet, Trombone Luis Conte Percussion Marcella Araica Engineer Mario Diaz de Leon Violin Matt Funes Viola Melody Thornton Vocals (Background), Vocals Michael C. Ross Mixing Michael Eleopoulos Vocal Engineer, Engineer Michelle Thomas Artist Development Mike "Angry" Eleopoulos Vocal Engineer, Engineer Mike Hogue Mixing Assistant Natalie Leggett Violin Nick Lane Trombone Nicole Scherzinger Vocals, Vocals (Background), Vocal Arrangement PCD Orchestra Strings Peter Mokran Mixing Phillipe Levy Violin Polow da Don Arranger, Programming, Producer Ray Herrmann Saxophone Rich Harrison Producer, Programming Robert D. Palmer Drum Programming Robert Zimmitti Tympani [Timpani] Roberto Cani Violin Robin Antin Executive Producer Robin Olson Violin Ron Fair String Arrangements, Fender Rhodes, Vocal Producer, Assistant, Clavinet, String Conductor, Wurlitzer, Conductor, Arranger, Mixing, Piano, Harmonica, Vocal Arrangement, Executive Producer, Organ, Glockenspiel, Producer Samuel Formicola Viola Sara Parkins Violin Sarah Thornblade Violin Scotty Beats Engineer Sean Garrett Producer Sid Page Violin Simon Oswell Viola Siobhan Fahey Producer Songa Lee Violin Stephen Erdody Cello Steve Baughman Mixing Steven Gallifent Engineer, Producer Suzie Katayama Cello Tal Herzberg Digital Editing, Programming, Bass, Engineer, Producer Tereza Stanislav Violin Tim Carmon Organ Timbaland Producer Tony Maserati Mixing Tyler Coombes Programming Vinnie Colaiuta Drums Wayne Bergeron Trumpet will.i.am Producer Young Smoke Producer