PCD Grow Up

The Pussycat Dolls are back, and not much has changed. Nicole is still the only singer on the track, production values are still high, and the lyrics are still childish in a knowing sort of way. The string of success for these girls has been a bit of a skanky fairy tale. Starting as an on-location neo-burlesque dance troupe, someone had the idea that a group of these girls should be marketed to the mainstream. Meet Nicole Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, and Melody Thornton. Beginning with the obnoxious "Don't Cha," the Pussycat Dolls released a string of steady club-ready tracks. The standout tune by this ensemble was undoubtedly the catchy and naughty "Buttons," later released as a Snoop Dogg collaboration. "Buttons" pretty much summed up the girls' musical style: fun, skanky, seemingly mindless pop that served as nearly perfect musical entertainment for those who just want to dance.

So did they "grow up"? Not a chance! Who knew that a song about childhood dreams could sound like such a stripper call? Breathy "haha-ha-ha"s abound, and the track boasts with a tune that would make Danity Kane jealous. Nicole teasingly reminds us to "be careful what [we] wish for, 'cause [we] just might get it." Arrogant as to be expected, the song is pretty much a glorification of the girls' star status, but with PCD's typical seemingly out-of-place empowerment message.

The Dolls enlisted the help of the always-able Darkchild to aid in the production of this latest pop confection. The result is his typical club-infused sound with a cleaner-sounding product than, say, the overindulgent Timbaland sound. Avoiding the obnoxious production that seems to currently infect the radio, Darkchild has engineered possibly the most respectable stripper-song since... well,PCD's last single "Wait A Minute."

To Those Who Wait should be a satisfying follow-up to the self-titled PCD if "When I Grow Up" is any indication.

**** out of *****

(The single "When I Grow Up" is available now as a digital download, and the upcoming album To Those Who Wait is slated for an August release.)