Youtube has been such a defining element of the last part of the 2000s and early 2010s, so it's only natural that there are popular web stars who try their hand at mainstream success, right? Unfortunately, said success outside of the web has been pretty illusive sans one floppy haired teen with a rabid fanbase. Granted, there have been TV movies (Fred) and some international accolades (Esmee Denters), but there has been nobody in the same stratosphere as Justin Bieber in terms of name recognition and commercial viability.
Dondria (known by her Youtube username Phatfffat, hence the title of the album) is looking to go more toward the Bieber side of the spectrum, though her first week sales and year-long album delay seem to indicate that not being a possibility. Signed to So So Def (aka where urban artists go to die if Bad Boy's roster is full) since 2008, Dondria finally saw her debut album released last month after two years of buzz singles and record label red tape. Surprisingly, it's a listen that requires some attention.
Probably the biggest theme of the album is how old it sounds. For the most part, Dondria vs. Phatfffat could have been made during So So Def's mid-late 90s heyday and it wouldn't sound out of place. Songs like Making Love and Where Did We Go Wrong both give me flashes to early Monica records in terms of production (subtly urban with clear cut, easy melodies) and overall presentation. The first, an ode to the physical, takes a youthful slant on the subject; instead of a steamy bedroom ballad, it focuses more on infatuation and desire, riding a skittering drum machine and forceful vocal to album highlight status. I appreciated the fact that Dondria, only in her early 20s, didn't make this into a too grown pontification on her, ahem, abilities. The latter, more of a pensive plea for answers in an obviously failing relationship, reveals some of Dondria's more Knowles-ian vocal tendencies, a trait that goes in and out on the album. Fortunately she tends to get the better of the two (Beyonce's power and Solange's emotional connection), which helps keep this from being too mopey. I often feel like this type of song tends to get a little needy, but the atmosphere is lighter and the vocal is more matter-of-fact than woe-is-me. Kissed By the Sun was the biggest surprise on the record. What little I knew about Dondria told me that her album would be a fizzy, feminine collection of pretty ballads and lightweight uptempos, but I never expected something like Kissed. Instead of the pleasant but bland, you get a powerhouse piano ballad that showcases a gorgeous voice just yearning to break out. For the only time on the record, she sings out and what comes forth from this romantic album closer is mature, lush, and beautifully executed. The melody is lithe while this is a perfect way to end things. You feel hopeful with where she can go from here and earn a new respect for her abilities. Well done.
The only track that I actively skip is Believer, a track that goes absolutely nowhere. It fits in with the sound of the record, but the melody is beyond limp and everything seems almost washed out. With some serious lyrical retread (it's more cliché than usual) and pretty monotone vocals, there's nothing to grasp onto. Some of the other tracks on the record have extenuating reasons why they're not that great, but at least they're listenable or stick out in your mind for some reason. Believer isn't memorable at all and almost brings the record to a complete standstill. No More is undone by the sample. I know there are some "old faithful" samples that have been used to death in r&b, but this pretty much sounds like a carbon copy of 50 Cent's 21 Questions. While that remains one of my favorite 50 Cent singles, its prolific presence has diminished the quality of No More. Instead of sounding like an album track on a release from a pretty well known label, it gives me cheap homemade mixtape vibes and that's not the feeling to invoke on your first record. The sample is actually well used and fits her voice, but it just sounds like it was recorded 5 years too late. Probably the most maddening thing about the record is the fact that after multiple years of delays, it's really only ten songs with one remix/reworking. That may be fine for an established artist, but for a new artist it's disappointing. That being said, You're the One (JD's Jeep Mix) has a really nice mid 90s vibe and actually feels like a completely different track than the original. No, it's not just the same vocals slapped on another beat; this is a lot more youthful and edgy than the restrained (and somewhat stuffy) first single, a happy medium between the Shawty Wus Ups and Kissed by the Suns of the world. The laidback confidence of the production feels more like Dondria's comfort zone, the age appropriate bounce allowing her some freedom to just have some fun. Had it been an entirely separate track, it would have been elevated but the record would have been better off without it.
Dondria vs. Phatfffat is such a generic album but it's one of the more likable releases this year. I recognize all the faults of the album (cheap production, lazy tracklisting, indistinct voice) but it's not stopped me from really immersing myself in it since the August 2010 release. What she lacks in originality Dondria makes up for in charisma and her easy presence. She never strains, never tries too hard, and just seems to be comfortable in whatever is thrown her way. There are moments that hint at a potential for being an interesting artist in the future, but she needs to work on being herself and not trying to be everybody else in the industry at once. Until then, I think Phatfffat has won. Your move, Dondria.
0 comments:
Post a Comment