With the untimely demise and disbanding of virtually ever talented all-female groups in existence, the music industry has seen an uprising of female collectives all vying for the crown and title as the next duo, trio, quartet, or quintet of history-makers. ATL natives Cherish came charging out the gate with their debut album, Unappreciated, and while they showed promise and potential, their album still lacked that immediate spark that indicates greatness on the horizon.

So next up in the contender’s ring are five talented women from all across the country who united as a result of a nationwide audition held by none other than music mogul Sean Combs aka Diddy. After a near, two-year selection process - as documented on his hit series Making The Band (responsible for both O-Town and Da Band) - Aundrea, Aubrey, Dawnn, D. Woods, and Shannon were the winners of the show‘s grand prize: a spot in Diddy‘s self-proclaimed “worldwide super-group“. Roughly 6 months after being selected, the girls chose a name - Danity Kane - and recorded their self-titled debut album. But is this just another pop music gimmick set to flashy lights and a catchy beat? Or are Danity Kane truly history in the making?

No surprise the group is planted firmly in the middle. But even if their origins are the textbook definitions of “manufactured” and “prepackaged”, there’s no denying Diddy read the assembly instructions correctly. Yes, they are all striking in the looks department and yes, they can gyrate their hips and shake their assets with the best of them. What’s surprising is that each member has vocal talent; no one singer in the group is a powerhouse but each girl has a strong, defined voice that shows being coached by soul legend Betty Wright boded well for them.

Considering the album was recorded in a two-month time span, there left little time for groundbreaking material. Meaning the album is basically made up of pre-assembled R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop songs. But, considering Diddy is at the helm, it’s top-tier pre-assemblage and ensures that DK received the best “for the moment” music money could buy and two months time could allow to be recorded.

The album only has two solid ballads buried towards the end of the album which means the album is front-loaded and top-heavy with pulsating club records and mid-tempo make-out sessions. Lead single, Show Stopper, is R&B’s smartest foray into “snap music” yet, with a sparse yet flexible arrangement and clean, 4-part vocal. The banality of the subject matter - them bragging about cars they obviously don’t own (but hope to, granted Diddy lets them make it to album #2) - is even somehow lessened by the overall execution. Producer Jim Jonsin also laced them with quite a smart pop record in the form of Heartbreaker. Here, The girls flaunt their sassiness and brag about their effortless ability to break hearts over an upgrade of the staccato bassline from Britney Spears’ “Toxic”.

Once again in-demand producer Timbaland puts his staccato drum loops into overdrive, along with Keri Hilson’s genius vocal arrangements, for both Want It and Right Now. The former is basically just his drum loop - with a faint synth that bubbles and buzzes in-sync - and features the ladies’ sauciest vocal as they send out a warning to all potential troublemakers. And the latter weaves the drum loop around a gorgeous piano riff and hyperactive tabla drums to create quite simply the sexiest song about not having sex to come along in a while.

Describing the plethora of tracks remaining on the album would be a bit redundant since they all follow a similar template. Both Hold Me Down and Back Up both have thundering drum loops, pounding bass lines and insanely catchy hooks which makes them club-ready for release at any given time. B. Cox gets points for adding a Middle-Eastern edge to the pulsating One Shot, which makes the girls flex their vocals the most on any up-tempo, and Touching My Body may be the most fun pop song radio isn’t playing.

But tight beats and catchy hooks can make ANY artist sound momentarily decent. The two ballads left are the platforms to demonstrate the girls ability to actually carry a record vs. singing to a beat.

B. Cox replicates J. Dupri’s WBT formula for the aching Ride For You. Adding a tabla drum to the piano riff and skittering drum loop was wise as it adds a touch of personality but the strength of the song is found in the girls performances. Each individual performance injects emotion and understates the song’s natural vulnerability; same goes for Stay With You. The ethereal and atmospheric production may be a bit overdramatic but the gentle and controlled vocals are proof enough of the group being true singers and not just microphone puppets.

Out of the bevy of girl groups emerging now and in the near future, Danity Kane’s formula is the most taut. Despite the gimmicky basis of their inception, they’ve proven to be naturally talented combined with a strong sense of control and solidarity. And given Bad Boy’s track record, 90% of its roster rarely makes it to a second release or self-destructs shortly after its impact.

So here’s to hoping that a similar fate doesn’t befall Danity Kane.

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One Shot | Heartbreaker | Want It | Right Now | Show Stopper | Hold Me Down | Come Over (Interlude) | Ooh Ahh | Press Pause | Ain’t True (Interlude) | Ride For You | Touching My Body | Back Up | Stay With Me | Sleep On It
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Retail Price: $13.29

Retail Worth: $28.75

Final Analysis: When even the interludes are good, you know you’ve got a great album!

Recommended: Yes