The Dutchess

Rolling Stone (p.69) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[F]ull of Eighties-style electro bangers, mostly produced by the Peas' Will.i.am, though Atlanta mogul Polow Da Don steals the show on 'London Bridge'..." Entertainment Weekly (p.92) - "[She] retains the group's proven gift for indelible melodies....Here, she proves herself equally adept at well-deep reggae riddims, giddy dance-floor jams, and fervent ballads." -- Grade: B+

Through all the twists and turns taken by Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson during her 20-year career as an entertainer -- including a stint on Kids Incorporated, background vocals for Martika, two albums with adult contemporary/dance-pop group Wild Orchid, and superstardom with Black Eyed Peas -- she has always sounded as if she is trying really, really hard. That has been the lone consistent characteristic of her output, and it remains in effect throughout The Dutchess. The album has all the characteristics of a release fronted by someone who has been itching to go solo and prove herself, once and for all, as a versatile force all her own. Fergie does cartwheels and handstands, juggles three objects at once, balances books on her head, hangs upside down, rides a unicycle with her hands in the air -- all these things while wearing different outfits. The whole process, produced mostly by fellow Pea will.i.am, is mildly entertaining. There's throwback hip-hop ("Fergalicious," done to the tune of J.J. Fad's "Supersonic"), throwback soul ("Here I Come," done to the tune of the Temptations' "Get Ready"), reggae ("Mary Jane Shoes"), ska-punk ("Mary Jane Shoes"), scat ("Mary Jane Shoes"), vaguely torchy midtempo fluff ("Velvet"), and a classy string-drenched ballad (the appropriately titled "Finally"), among several other passable switch-ups, along with "London Bridge" -- which is terrific, provided you can block out the lyrics or prevent yourself from trying to decipher its meaning. One of the more convincing songs on the album, "Big Girls Don't Cry," sounds exactly like a 2006 version of Wild Orchid, with Fergie's Taylor Dayne kid-sister act in full effect. ~ Andy Kellman

ブラック・アイド・ピーズ（以下BEP）加入前から長い芸歴を誇る苦労人のファーギー。ポロウ・ダ・ドン制作のバカ格好いい先行シングル“London Bridge”でこちらのロンドン橋も開きっぱなしのところに、待望のアルバムが開帳!　で、これはアイデア豊富なBEP以上に何でもアリな傑作だ。UJT先生にも聴いていただきたいJJ・ファッド（!）使いのエレクトロ“Fergalicious”で幕を開け、以降もコモドアーズ使いのアーバン曲、リュダクリスとのプリンス風鬱ポップ、乾いたスカ、テンプス使いの土臭ファンクなど逸曲がズラリと並び、男気と可愛げの間で歌とラップを行き交う主役の存在感を多面的にアピール。他にも、リタ・マーリー&アイ・スリーズを従えたレゲエがパンクに飛躍したり、ジョン・レジェンドのピアノ伴奏で熱唱したり……別掲のジャスティンといい、ネリー・ファータドやパリスといい、ポップスの頂上決戦は凄いことになってるね!
bounce (C)出嶌 孝次