The Sweet Escape

Average customer rating: 3.0

Don't wind it up
A Highly Misunderstood Piece Of Art!
The Slightly Below Average Escape
Love this Music, Baby!
Creative & amazing

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The Sweet Escape
Gwen Stefani
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
Product Group: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000JJRIN4
2006-12-05

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Amazon.com

There's nothing like a Gwen Stefani disc to rip you from your pop comfort zone and, in the pleasantest way possible, knock you around a bit. On The Sweet Escape, the blows arrive roughly every four minutes: a yodel ("Wind It Up") skitters off ceremoniously before the title track, featuring Akon, catches you off guard with its infectious yelps of "Woo-hoo, YEE-hoo!," and the pouty rap of "Orange County Girl" has barely petered out before we're vectored somewhere back toward the '80s with the indie rock-ish "Early Winter." That the sound of these songs doesn't follow a formula--that they pounce wherever they please, without regard for genres or decades--is no big whoop; this is Gwen Stefani, after all, and her up-for-anything, play-along fans probably wouldn't have it any other way. More surprising is the extent to which Stefani inserts what seems to be her genuine self into the music: "4 in the Morning," a Madonna-reminiscent midtempo groover, drops the wide-eyed Betty Boop pose and basks in a rarely plumbed depth of feeling ("I give you everything that I am / I'm handing over everything that I've got / 'cause I wanna have a really true love," she sings with something like sincerity). A single track later, she's owning up to motherhood in the sexiest, most unapologetic way possible: "I know you've been waiting," she pants, "but I've been off making babies / And like a chef making donuts and pastries / It's time to make you sweat." Lyrics don't get much cleverer than the ones to "Breakin' Up," a kiss-off disguised as a dropped cell phone call, and sounds don't get much swizzier than the ones on "Now That You Got It." Which is to say that Gwen's got game--as much as on Love.Angel.Music.Baby, if not more--and that anytime she's prepared to hollaback, the world will do well to listen. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Don't wind it up.......2007-06-11

I can't even stand the hit songs from the CD wind it up, and sweet escape. I think Stefani's new album shows very little growth from her first solo album. I liked her first album, while very narcissistic I liked most of the songs.
The best song on this album is 4am which is a GREAT song! I really liked it. Other than that there are a few 80's dance sounding songs on here that I like, similiar to her first album. Otherwise, it's a futilie attempt to attract 14 year olds, and lacks any depth or growth. I think you can be funky, and offbeat without lowering yourself to a musical lackey. I wish there were more funky, groovy songs like 4am. Definitely not worth buying the album. I love Gwen, and wish she would try a little harder to show us her talent.

A Highly Misunderstood Piece Of Art!.......2007-06-08

That sums it up right there. This album is so misunderstood and being known as a bad album. The reason that this is happening...Gwen totally switched music styles on us. L.A.M.B. continued to follow the wave of mainstream pop. Now, we realize Gwen is taking a whole different route. So, if you're looking for mainstream pop style, you won't find it here. I believe the negative reviewers for this album were looking for that and realized it can't be found here. This is a very, fun, original type of dance/club album. There are so many great beats here as well. It's a great album to dance to, and on the slower tunes, to just relax. It's a perfect mix of club and ballads that should be well-appreciated. Like another reviewer said, "Shell out and have a good time!"
The Highlights:
Wind It Up
The Sweet Escape
Early Winter
4 In The Morning
Yummy
Flourescent

The Slightly Below Average Escape.......2007-06-08

Yeah... lame title, I know. Anywho, Gwen Stefani's first solo debut Love.Angel.Music.Baby was without a doubt my favorite album of 2004, with it's slick production, catchy hooks, and just all around it was just feel good music. Whether people admit or not, they did like the catchy hook of "Rich Girl", the upbeat production of "Bubble Pop Electric", the sexiness of "Cool" and "Luxurious", the retro vibe of "Serious", and the dark side of "Danger Zone". All those elements that made L.A.M.B. so great were basically stripped for this album, leaving me asking, "...what happened?"

Gwen Stefani achieved her best success in the U.S. with "Hollaback Girl", so I guess she figured if she coppied the same formula she would have a hit record. That's where lead single "Wind It Up" comes in. While it's innovative to use The Sound of Music's "Lonely Goatherds", that's about the only original thing it offers. Saddly, Gwen trying to be a hip hop diva doesn't end there... Swizz Beats produced "Now That You Got It", and "Don't Get It Twisted" doesn't work either. And while a lot of my friends LOVE "Orange County Girl", I couldn't get into it. The tone in her voice annoyed me for one, and the lyrics aren't that best either. Also, I tried to like "U Started It"... but it's lyrics are so dull that it prevented me from doing so. However, the worst song on the album is without a doubt "Breakin' Up"... the stupidity of the song gives me a headache.

However, there are a hand full of good tracks on this album. Second single and title track "The Sweet Escape" was catchy enough to be the most successful single off the album so far. Third single "4 In The Morning" is a sweet ballad a little reminiscent of her past work "Cool". also, Nellee Hooper produced "Early Winter" and "Wonderful Life", the latter being co-written with Linda Perry, are probably my favorites on the album. Also, "Yummy" is probably the best hip-hop song. The slick sexiness of Gwen comes out in this song and it's Neptune's beat.

Gwen is without a doubt a woman who goes to beat of her own drum. Saddly, up 'til now that was always a good thing. However, with The Sweet Escape, the problem was she really didn't follow her own drum anymore. Sure, her STYLE of hip-hop is kinda different than everyone elses, however, all the same she basically made it an all hip-hop album. Maybe it was to compete with people like Fergie, however, Fergie pulls the hip hop angle better than Gwen. I would recomend IF she goes for a third solo album, to go back to her roots because this just didn't work. And that's really sad because I had to go from her last, 5 star, album to this...

Love this Music, Baby!.......2007-06-05

Gwen proves once again that she can be innovative and fun on this record. Although, the sound might not appeal to everyone, the record is a high note all the way through. It's pleasure to the ears.

Creative & amazing.......2007-06-03

this album is amazing!i HATED hollaback girl. Couldn't stand the song and you couldn't (and still cant) pay me to listen to it. BUT this i listen to all the time why? because its creative and she definitly shows her talent to make amazing music. I loved her in no doubt and yes i love her voice when she does use it (like 4 in the morning and fluorescent) but i love her rap thing/ robot sounding thing too. I was definitely sold immediately when i heard wind it up (and I am assuming that most of us that love the sound of music were too!) It BLEW my mind!! She way she embraces her motherhood and is (as the review stated) non apolegetic in "yummy" was very artistic. I love the colaborations with pharell very much. ROCK ON!

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