Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Her name is Nicole., September 25, 2008
This album is a strong album full of mostly slow/mid tempo and some fun dance tracks.To me the sound of the album does not capture the Pussycat dolls.It sounds more like Her name is Nicole(Nicoles solo album that was shelved) with the Pussycat dolls name on it.She did say they took songs from that album and put it on this one.But doing this just lost the flavor that the other album had.
I wish the other girls would get a chance to have parts in songs(If you get the deluxe edition there is 5 solo songs introducing each girl and they all have decent voices)Why Nicole has a solo boggles my brain..lol
Anyway...a nice album but I personally would have like to have heard more dance tracks.It seems that the only think dominating this album is slow and mid tempo songs.But most are strong songs.
Songs that stand out to me:
I Hate this Part(My fave)
When I grow up
Elevator
Halo
Love the way you love me
Takin' over the world
Very nice album that will bring hits into 2010, I'm sure.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good music but disappointed with PCD, November 20, 2008
Since the success of PCD, many critics called them the next Spice Girls, which I think got in their heads. They are not the next Spice Girls, and they should not attempt to follow their lead, but utilize their own talents. I feel the title for their second album, "Doll Domination" is an obvious similarity to the Spice Girls "SpiceWorld." This was bad a move that left listeners with a poor taste in their mouth from the very beginning.
As you listen to the album, you begin to see how much the Pussycat Dolls attempt to be something different from their debut album, "PCD." Unfortunately, this backfires. Fans wanted the Pussycat Dolls to continue producing music similar to the first album, when you hear all the ballads and unique songs, you realize this is not the same Pussycat Dolls you remembered, for the good and the bad.
Track by Track Review:
Disk 1
1. When I Grow Up - This song is at the heart of the Pussycat Dolls. It is fun, flirty and danceable. I doubt the Groupies/boobies similarity was a mistake. It adds sexual intrigue, which is signature Pussycat Dolls. It is no wonder it ended up as successful as it was on the charts and sales. It lived up to expectations.
2. Bottle Pop - This track has a urban techno feel. Can be addicting after listing to it a few times, however, it is very repetitive. Beware of the annoying factor! Snoop Dogg plays his role nicely, much like buttons. The lyrics reference a metaphor of a woman being compared to a bottle. Which begs the question, how is a bottle metaphor supposed to be sexy? You will either love this song or hate it.
3. Whatcha Think About That - Missy Elliott really added a unique twist to standard Pussycat Dolls music for this song. The music for this song does not seem very radio friendly and does not blend well with other Urban/Hip-hop music of today. Not likely a good club song as it was clearly intended for. However, it is still an unique and interesting song to listen to.
4. I Hate This Part - A wonderful emotional ballad about a break up. Very radio friendly, addictive and you can feel the emotion running through you as you listen to the song. However, very Nicole heavy and not quite typical Pussycat Dolls.
5. Takin' Over the World - Could be one of the best club tracks, but it failed. This song has great potential, but it feels more like a demo than a finished version, mostly due to the odd flow. It feels like it should be a faster tempo then it is. The basics are amazing. It includes a good amount of vocals from Melody, it has great lyrics, a good combination of sounds/instruments, just lacks is the flow which makes it difficult to listen to frequently.
6. Out of This Club - Feels like it could be a relatively successful single, however, it just doesn't "Wow!" you. Once again, it is very Nicole heavy. If it wasn't the Pussycat Dolls, this song would be fairly good, but since there is an expectation of the Pussycat Dolls name, it is disappointing.
7. Who's Gonna Love You - A great song from Nicole solo album attempt, but which it would be labeled as such, since in the track it clearly says Nicole's name not any other Pussycat Doll. Just seems odd to be in the middle of the album and even on the album at all. I guess I would assume Nicole's solo songs would be a bonus track, not filler tracks.
8. Happily Never After - Another Nicole solo song. This is a great woman empowerment song, but it follows the same line as the previous Ballads and Nicole solos do.
9. Magic - An excellent song. This has vibe from old school of En Vogue with the new styles of Timbaland. Its fun and flirty, in line with the Pussycat Dolls persona. "Magic" has energy, variety and a catchy chorus.
10. Halo - A unique flavor to this song. It reminds me of Timbaland and One Republic's Apologize style, but gone female. With a touch of comedy (the meows in the background), it provides another unique song with a different style. However, it feels a bit out of place with the rest of the album.
11. In Person - This song feels like a touch back to old school Pussycat Dolls, however in a too aggressive way. Nicole sounds completely different than we have previously heard her, outside of the tours. She is very direct and almost shouting during the entire song. Its clever and inventive, but definitely hurts the ears a bit.
12. Elevator - Quite possibly the best potential for a new single on the album. Produced with the combination of Darkchild and Lady Gaga, "Elevator" utilizes other dolls, is radio friendly, emotional and has dance potential. This song is what Pussycat Dolls fans were expecting.
13. Hush Hush - A great emotional ballad. Could be single worthy, however will not likely do well due to the Pussycat Dolls reputation. Once again, it is Nicole heavy, but definitely shows why Nicole is the lead singer.
14. Love the Way You Love Me - This song reminds me of childlike summer single. For some reason it reminds me of the beaches of Hawaii. Melody has a few solo verses, which adds a nice innocence, since she is the Baby Doll. Overall, this song isn't any special, just a fun, sweet summer song.
15. Whatchamacallit - This track is fairly unique. It is a great international track, has a good instrumental with some interesting choices for background sounds. The vocals have a different flavor than previous Pussycat Dolls' songs. However, it does take a bit to get used to the change. It is not a instant favorite.
16. I'm Done - Sweet love song that reminds me of old school Celine Dion, just without Celine's unique vocals. It feels like a filler track, but it is worth a listen.
Disk 2
1. If I Was a Man - The best solo song on the deluxe edition. Jessica choose well for her solo track. It has an 80's dance feel, flirty lyrics, sexy vocals, and catchy chorus. I want more Jessica!!
2. Space - This is a great song, but the vocals are a bit disappointing. I was expecting more signature Melody (AKA from the solo verses from previous songs), but she didn't perform up to that standard. She is very talented, but I like her fast tempo songs more.
3. I Don't Wanna Fall in Love - A remake of an old 90's song, Kimberly really proved that she can sing, but the problem, she doesn't have a radio friendly voice. I am glad she is a background singer only.
4. Played - A surprisingly wonderful song. Ashley was said to not be a good singer, but she sings with this innocence that keeps you captivated. I can't wait to hear more solo verses and/or songs from Ashley.
5. Until U Love U - Nicole's song, is as beautiful as always. However since the vast majority of the Pussycat Dolls' albums have Nicole's vocals saturate the songs, by the time you listen to the album to get to this track, you had enough of her. The song has a good message, but I kind of feel like there is enough Nicole, we don't need another solo song on the album.
Overall, this album has good music, but bad for the Pussycat Dolls reputation. The Pussycat Dolls has been known for their amazing dance skills, therefore, they would produce amazing dance tracks. This album falls short of that expectation. There are some beautiful ballads, however they tend to lose value due to the fact that Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer, is the only one who sings the vast majority of these tracks. During the PCD tours, the fans were told that the next Pussycat Dolls album was going to feature more of the other dolls, but Doll Domination ended up worst than the first album, outside of the additional tracks from the deluxe edition. I would have called this album Doll Exploration, not Doll Domination. This album, would have fared better as a third of fourth album, not the second.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination 2/10, September 23, 2008
Everyone's favorite burlesque troupe and leather corset supporters return to the pop spotlight with second album, the rather cockily titled Doll Domination. It's not clear what arena of the pop world they are trying to dominate, as few can claim to be as overtly skanky since Christina Aguilera's "dirrty" days and none are as completely and totally manufactured as the Dolls (although Danity Kane comes to mind), who branched out from stripping in a series of calculated moves to become famous that included a reality show, a Vegas show, and some classy clothing.
Doll Domination immediately plays its best hand off the bat with lead single "When I Grow Up," an electro-pop song about vapidity that signifies everything that is wrong with the Dolls' music and sounds eerily similar to Basement Jaxx's far superior 2003 track "Plug It In.". Bouncy synth lines and thudding bass provided by A-list producer? Check. Voices Auto-Tuned to perfection? Check. Lyrics about being famous and rich that include such Hilton-esque lines as "you can talk about me / `cause I'm a hot topic"? Check. Sure, it's catchy, but if you're looking for any sort of depth or anything more than a guilty pleasure, you're not going to get it here.
Unbelievably, the album continues for fifteen (!) more songs, all of them marking a low point in the 2008 music year and none of them approaching the single marketability of "When I Grow Up." Snoop Dogg's entirely appropriate guest spot on "Bottle Pop" (after all, he did host a few Girls Gone Wild) is one of the weaker ones of his career to say the least, and the track's lackluster chorus deflate any energy he might have afforded them. Although the Dolls didn't hold back on production, which benefits from help by Timbaland and Darkchild, or guest spots from R. Kelly, Ne-Yo, and Missy Elliot, no amount of help is able to give the Dolls any sort of identity separate from the obvious "models playing as singers." Main singer Nicole Scherzinger's vocals come off as vanilla diva pop, and while the beats are definitely club-ready, there is nothing mind-blowing enough here to qualify the Pussycat Dolls as anything more than artificial pop stars propped up by an industry desperate to make a buck.
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by The Pussycat Dolls 
