"Once upon a time, there were five little girls -- Shannon, Aundrea, D. Woods, Dawn, and Aubrey. These girls had a dream: they wanted to make music and entertain. They go by the name of Danity Kane -- Welcome to the Dollhouse." The aforementioned quote is the opening of the highly anticipated sophomore CD from reality TV sweethearts. Though the intro is seemingly suited for a demographic of prepubescent girls with a penchant for bubblegum pop, Diddy's girls display a more sophisticated and sonically charged sound than that heard on their self-titled debut.
Of course, their lead single, "Damaged," a fierce party starter, is already a big hit amongst the ladies, and it is the perfect way of re-introducing the girls to the masses. However, this cut is only one of many potential club-bangers. Nate "Danja" Hills helps DK fine tune their sound with a trio of strong tracks: the addictive "Bad Girl," featuring Missy Elliott, "Pretty Boy," which is anthem-like invitation to alluring men, and the slickly layered "Strip Tease." Grammy Award winner, Bryan Michael Cox, lends his hit-making prowess to two songs on the record: the mid-tempo tantalizer, "Sucka For Love," and the bouncy "2 Of You." "The Boss," aka Ricky Ross, also sprinkles his swagger on the blazing ballad, "Ecstasy," helmed by The Runners.
Surprisingly, it's Diddy and his Hitmen team who really bring the heat with their contributions. First there's the ultra groovy "Lights Out;" then there's "Poetry," a lush ballad which showcases the individual vocal talents of each DK member; and finally, the perfect album closer, the superb, "Is Anybody Listening."
Welcome to the Dollhouse is obviously a production-driven record; although the girls co-wrote on six of the sixteen compositions, the album does contain a couple of minor missteps. Never the less, it still stands head and shoulders above their platinum-plus 2006 debut. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, Danity Kane are definitely still showstoppers.
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