PCD

PCD is The Pussycat Dolls' debut studio album which was released on September 13, 2005 by A&M Records.
==Tracklisting==
#Don't Cha (featuring Busta Rhymes) 4:32
#Beep (featuring will.i.am)	3:49
#Wait A Minute (featuring Timbaland)	3:41
#Stickwitu	3:27
#Buttons	3:45
#I Don't Need A Man	3:39
#Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)	3:46
#How Many Times, How Many Lies	3:55
#Bite The Dust	3:32
#Right Now	2:27
#Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go	3:25
#Feelin' Good	4:18
#Sway	3:11
#Flirt	2:56
#We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going 3:50
==Album Background==
The Pussycat Dolls were created by choreographer Robin Antin and her roommate Christina Applegate in 1993 after inviting several dancers to explore Antin's idea of classic Las Vegas-style burlesque and give it a more contemporary spin.
In 1995, the group began performing every Thursday at Johnny Depp's Los Angeles club, the Viper Room. 
In 2002, Gwen Stefani was invited to sing and perform with the Dolls and brought along Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine and then-president of A&M Records; both took interest into turning it in a singing group.
In 2003, Antin struck a joint venture with Interscope Records to develop the Pussycat Dolls into a brand, with Iovine assigning the project to Fair.
Fair stated that he wanted to create an album which would "involve music and visuals." He explained that "there's going to be some technological changes as well as creative changes in the way we go about it."
The auditions drew about 500 aspiring performers, of which two singers: Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton were recruited, joining Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta & Kimberly Wyatt to form a new recording group.
Fair stated that even though "there were some adequate voices in the original group," Scherzinger and Thornton where needed "to bring the ability."
In 2004, the group recorded "We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" for the "Shark Tale" soundtrack and recorded their own version of "Sway", which was released as single to promote the movie, "Shall We Dance?"
At the suggestion of Doug Morris—then chairman of Universal Music Group, "Don't Cha" (which was originally recorded by Tori Alamaze and became a minor success on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart) was given to the Pussycat Dolls as the label was trying to reinvent the girl group.
While "Don't Cha" became an international success worldwide, an album hadn't been recorded yet. Fair stated, "we scrambled, got into formation" and worked on the album within 30 days at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California.
According to Scherzinger, they took the time to put out the best record possible. She further explained that they were very selective with their songs and producers.
As one of the executive producers, Fair enlisted a wide range of songwriters and producers for PCD, including CeeLo Green, Rich Harrison, Timbaland, and will.i.am.
While searching for songs for the album, an A&R at Interscope Records and friend of Siobhan Fahey (a founding member of the girl group Bananarama) played to Iovine the song, "Bitter Pill" which was included on Shakespears Sister's "Songs from the Red Room" album.
After Fahey emailed the backing track to the label, it was renamed "Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)" as they added Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" in the chorus. Although Fahey didn't like the group's version, financially, she was delighted as it helped her fund her recordings.
===Composition===
"PCD" is primarily a dance-pop and R&B album; some of the songs on the album are other genres such as post-disco music.
The album's opening track "Don't Cha" featuring Busta Rhymes was written by songwriter and recording artist CeeLo Green. The group struts around and taunt a hapless man in its chorus: "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me/ Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me."
The song's is based from the chorus of "Swass" performed by Sir Mix-a-Lot. "Beep" features will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas and is built on an orchestral sample from Electric Light Orchestra's song "Evil Woman."
The third track, features the final guest of the album, Timbaland. Lyrically, the song discusses about "lustful desires" and suggests oral sex.
"Stickwitu" is soul ballad that celebrate's relationship that lasts. Scherzinger's voice reaches at the thin end of her alto-into-soprano register.
In "Buttons", the group sings about the desire to be undressed over Middle Eastern synths.
"I Don't Need a Man" described as "post-disco anthem" finds the self-objectifying Dolls flipping the script for female empowerment.
The eight track, "How Many Times, How Many Lies" a R&B downtempo song which sees Scherzinger lamenting.
"Bite the Dust" uses "dramatic strings" and was compared to the works of Destiny’s Child.
The three remaining songs on the album are covers.
"Right Now" instrumentation consists of accentuated horns, congas and Latin-infused beats.
The following song is mash-up between "Tainted Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go", the same way British duo Soft Cell did in 1981. The song was noted for utilizing the "elements of the synth pop classic."
The twelfth and final track, a cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" was described as a "faux-jazz" version of the original song.
==Chart Performance==
"PCD" debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling 99,000 copies during the first week.
It was certified double platinum by the RIAA in January of 2011 for shipment of 2,000,000 copies.
==Critical Reception==
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic provided a favorable review of "PCD", opining that the great thing about the album are the producers and songwriters who are willing to play with the group's "hyper-sexual image, creating a sleek, sexy sound ideal for both nightclubs and strip joints." However, he did go on to criticize the albums's ballads.
Slant Magazine writer Sal Cinquemani felt that if "the Pussycat Dolls really want to make their mark in the giant litter box that is popular music today, they need more of the big band burlesque of 'Right Now' and less of Diane Warren."
In his consumer guide for MSN Music, Robert Christgau gave the album a "one-star honorable mention", commenting that the group is "sexier than your average prefab sexpots, but no fabber."
Elysa Gardner of USA Today wrote that despite their superficiality and "insipid lyrics" acknowledged that "lead singer Nicole Scherzinger and at least a couple of her fellow Dolls have supple voices."
In a more negative review, Raymond Fiore of Entertainment Weekly commented that "not even B-squad urban cabaret pop from A-list production heavyweights can arouse our interest for a whole 45 minutes."
Darryl Sterdan, when reviewing the album for Jam!, described the covers as "embarrassing" and the ballads as "overcooked".
A reviewer of The Ledger wrote that the album is "essentially a solo release" from Scherzinger while noting songs like "Right Now" "make it clear that she really needs to keep around those dancing, singing/not-singing gals."
Category:2000s albums
Category:Pop
Category:R&B
Category:Dance-Pop
Category:Pussycat Dolls albums