Double Dutchess

これがプリンセスのハ・ナ・レ・ワ・ザ――!8度のグラミー受賞!長年に渡り、チャートを賑わし続け、全世界で450万枚以上のセールスを記録した世界の歌姫:ファーギーの2ndソロ・アルバム『DOUBLE DUTCHESS』遂に発売!

Fergie made the most of her first solo album, The Dutchess, the culmination of over 20 years in the business, a multi-platinum smash with five singles that were either unavoidable or close to it. Eight years later, after two more albums with the Black Eyed Peas, she released the first single off what became her follow-up. "L.A.LOVE (La La)," outfitted with co-production from DJ Mustard and a verse from YG, and shouts to many other locations including Kingston and Jamaica, arrived just after the somewhat Fergalicious Iggy Azalea crashed the mainstream. It wasn't nearly as successful as the debut's singles -- not in the U.S., at least -- but it did go platinum. Three more years passed prior to the arrival of Double Dutchess, which seemed to signal some hesitancy, though the period was likely lengthened by Fergie's split from Interscope and the establishment of her BMG-supported Dutchess Music label. With a little help from BEP partner will.i.am, and input from past and new cross-genre production associates ranging from Toby Gad and Polow da Don to Cirkut and Alesso, Double Dutchess is similar to The Dutchess in makeup. It mixes nostalgic and contemporary rap elements, applies references to various global sounds, and veers from cartoonish club tracks and belting pop ballads. Fergie's in typically uninhibited, sometimes irreverent form, commanding "Ladies, rub on your titties" (on a track where she also recalls Salt-N-Pepa and Audio Two), swapping carefree verses with Nicki Minaj over the inexhaustible "Think (About It)" break, singing in falsetto over slick neo-disco, and wailing in the red on the cathartic finale. Amid all the sensible updates to the debut's approach is a slight surprise, "Enchante (Carine)," a loopy, sugary French-English number with Fergie's son along for the ride, sounding like the second coming of Jordy. Fergie is demonstrably energized, and having a ball with nothing left to prove. ~ Andy Kellman

全世界で800万枚を超えるセールスを叩き出した『The Dutchess』から11年、ファーギーが新レーベル、ダッチェスを立ち上げてようやくセカンド・アルバムをリリースした。"Top Billin'"や"P.S.K. What Does It Mean?"などお馴染みのヒップホップ・クラシックのフレーズが次々と繰り出されていくウィル・アイ・アム制作の"Like It Ain't Nuttin'"、ロブ・ベース&DJ E-Zロック"It Takes Two"の実質的なリメイクといえるヒップ・ハウス"You Already Know"、カイリー・ミノーグの十八番を奪うようなフューチャリスティックなディスコ・チューン"Tension"、マイティ・メイトーンズのルーツ・ロック古典"Madoness"を引用した"Love Is Blind"など、現在に至るアーバン・ポップの潮流を築いた『The Dutchess』のコンセプトを継承/増強した看板に偽りなしの全13曲。エモーショナルな破局ソング"Love Is Pain"でアルバムを締め括る構成は、先日離婚を公表したばかりの元夫ジョシュ・デュアメルへの当てつけか?
bounce (C)高橋芳朗