Fergie — The Dutchess

The Dutchess

A&M

James Simons (CHARTattack)

09/19/2006 10:06am

True to the Black Eyed Peas' expansive JanSport and fuck-me-heels stylistic approach, Fergie's solo debut tries to be everything to everyone. Confident that her lady lumps will once again bring the boys to her yard, Fergie opens the album slinging sex-charged playground rhymes over old school beats like some rapidly passing JJ Fad ("Fergalicious"). Similarly, unoriginal sin-gle "London Bridge" simulates the sound of MIA's "Galang," J-Kwon's "Tipsy" and Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" playing simultaneously. Elsewhere, the former Wild Orchid singer returns to her Christina Aguilera-lite R&B roots ("Pedestal"), combines Fugees-style Marley theft with No Doubt punk outbursts ("Mary Jane Shoes"), flosses mainstream materialism (the mildly enjoyable Ludacris-assisted "Glamorous") and even tries her hand at some emotive acoustic sentimentalism ("Big Girls Don't Cry"). Despite a few genuinely interesting moments, including a cool Little Richard sample on the Will.I.Am-produced "Clumsy," Fergie's focus group has failed to bring us anywhere we haven't been before.

Get it from