Customer Reviews

Sweet Escape

5 star:		(92)
4 star:		(62)
3 star:		(49)
2 star:		(38)
1 star:		(60)

 

 

Gwen's second solo album,"The Sweet Escape" manages to incorporate various styles to offer 12 distinctly unique tunes. It opens with "Wind it Up", sampling the Sound of Music's "Lonely Goat Herd", singing about being a girl, and exactly why boys adore them. Suddenly you realise you've missed having Ms. Stefani in your life.
She collaborates with Pharrell on "Orange County Girl", "Yummy", "Breakin' Up" and "U Started It".
Other big names who contribute to the album include Akon on "The Sweet Escape" and No Doubt's Tony Kanal on "4 In the Morning", "Fluorescent and Don't Get It Twisted". Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley collaborated with Gwen on the smooth, soft rock "Early Winter".
A mistress of the synthetic sound, with lyrics that allude to smart girlie conversations over a cuppa, Gwen's taken all the big hitters, ranging from Nellee Hooper to Keane's Tim Rice-Oakley to contribute. She's mixed them all up, soaking up trends that ensure she's played in all the gyms and Topshops nationwide, but she's not letting anyone take over. She's big enough for all of them.
Topics span apologising for being grumpy ("The Sweet Escape") men who lie, making her cry (the Cardigans-esque "Early Winter"), and being an unremarkable small town girl, a la J. Lo ("Orange County girl").
As with her first album there are a few bland fillers, and she seems to lose her way a bit with "Breakin' up", a track about frustrating mobile conversations, but there's enough trademark majorette drumming to carry the album off. "Yummy" sums her up, coquettish, amusing, annoying and hip wiggling in equal measure.
"The Sweet Escape" lives up to the promise. Never afraid to try something new and create something completely fresh, Gwen succeeds in staying cutting edge.
In this album she manages to create a sound that is simultaneously cutting edge and completely different to her older work, yet "The Sweet Escape" remains distinctly Gwen Stefani.
An element of Gwen's success has to be ascribed to her collaborations with some industry bigwigs. She is unafraid to cross genres and draws inspiration from everyone she works with - resulting in an album that offers a great deal of varied sounds and influences.

All this and a new baby. Not bad.
Enjoy !

Gwen Stefani is one of the most exciting artists working in the mainstream. She oozes style in just about everything she does, while her music is consistently innovative and always inventive.
The former No Doubt lead singer showed with her debut solo album "Love Angel Music Baby" that she had what it takes to compete at the forefront of the mainstream scene, mixing it capably with the likes of Madonna, Pink and Beyonce yet delivering things in a style that was distinctly her own.
Sophomore album "The Sweet Escape" maintains those high standards and proves that her debut was no fluke. It's a fantastic listen, capable of widespread crossover appeal and almost certain to fall prey to flattering imitations.
It impresses from the outset, kicking off with the brilliant lead single "Wind It Up" and tossing in one hit after another in a number of different styles.
"Wind It Up", in particular, is a highlight that's sure to become a signature tune for the artist. With its cheeky "Sound Of Music" sample wrapped around a more distinct tub-thumping beat (think "Hollaback Girl"), it's an absolute riot of energy that appeals to the childlike dancer in every one of us. You'll be foot-tapping and hip-swaying along with its infectious energy in spite of any reservations you may feel. But it's Stefani's gift that she can take something that, on paper, sounds cheesy and make it utterly, utterly cool.
Thereafter, it's a thrilling and eclectic mix packed with the usual smattering of high-profile collaborations - but crucially, with some surprise additions.
Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley provides a telling contribution to "Early Winter", a thrilling keyboard-based ballad that finds Stefani at her most intimate and lovely, while Akon's distinct rapping style works well on the album's title track, the thrilling "Sweet Escape".
"4 In The Morning" is another heart-melter of a track, a slow-burner built around some lush electronic soundscapes, a swooning set of vocals and some well-realised strings. It's one for the romantically inclined and a track that serves as a nice contrast to the more boisterous, semi-rap style of dancefloor fillers such as "Now That You Got It" and "Orange County Girl".
Another highlight is the high-tempo, percussion heavy "Yummy", a duet with Pharrell that finds Stefani at her most sassy and, well, yummy vocally. It drops in a sample of "Wind It Up" but in no way feels like a lazy retread of former hits. The chorus, too, provides an example of the artist pushing the pop boundaries to pleasing effect.
The same applies to the effortlessly hip vibe surrounding "Fluorescent", another contagious offering that gets better and better the more you hear it, and the dark, grinding "Breakin' Up", which finds the singer at her most feisty and defiant. Both tracks hint at the new directions taken by both Madonna and Nelly Furtado, albeit with Stefani's distinct spin.
There's a sweet '80s vibe surrounding final track "Wonderful Life" that's also engaging, while the live version of "Wind It Up" that brings things to a close is utterly enchanting.
Like we said, this is an inspirational piece of work that makes Stefani's artistic brilliance impossible to escape. Our advice is to shell out and enjoy - it's one of the hippest releases of the year.Jack Foley.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I, like so many others, am a huge fan of Gwen Stefani's solo debut, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. It has been one of my favorite guilty pleasures since the day I got it. Such a great, refeshing, fun pop sound. And when I heard she was working on her next solo record, naturally I was excited. I was also extremely curious as to what direction she would go in, because I had a hunch that Gwen wouldn't want to simply do another album that sounded exactly the same as its predecessor. I figured she wold branch out. Anyway, when I discovered the first single had dropped, "Wind It Up", I eagerly listened to it...and found myself in shock. Not the good kind either. In fact, by the time the chorus rolled around, I was actually covering my ears and I had to turn it off. After a while, after hearing the song on radio and seeing the video a couple of times, it began to grow on me. The first time I heard the entire album, I must say I was also disappointed. I thought a few tracks were incredible but as a whole, it seemed very bad, especially compared to the masterpiece that is L.A.M.B. However, began listenng to it over and over, and just like "Wind It Up" did, it grew on me and now I love it. My point is, if you don't like this at first, give it time. You might find yourself loving it. I know I did. And I will without hesitation say it's better than the first. They're both very different, however. This record definitely has another sound and focus than L.A.M.B. Now a track-by-track review...

1.)Wind It Up-The first single. Like I said, I hated it at first, but hate has become love. Unique, awesome beats. Very catchy.

2.)The Sweet Escape featuring Akon-If I'm not mistaken, this has been announced as the second single. Very catchy and sugary-sweet, yet somewhat of a twist for Gwen. The chorus is vaguely reminiscent of the 80's.

3.)Orange County Girl-A simple hip/hop/pop song. Consists of a beat and piano. Very Brooke Hogan. I think this should be a single for sure. It's Hollaback Girl Part 2, in my opinion, only better.

4.)Early Winter-AMAZING song!! Gwen co-wrote this with Tim Rice-Oxley from the popular band Keane. It has an 80's indie feel to it. Emotional and powerful. The lyrics are good as well. "It's sad/a map of the world is on you/The moon gravitates around you/the seasons escape you." Beautiful-one of my favorites.

5.)Now That You Got It-The only word that can appropriately describe this song, and I hate to say it because I think it's a stupid expression, is hot. Hot beat, catchy. The bridge is hilarious. This song also has the alarm sample used in songs like Beyonce's "Ring the Alarm." But I think it works best in this song. Awesome track, all-in-all.

6.)4 in the Morning-Another highlight. An absolutely gorgeous song, co-written with fellow No Doubt-er Tony Kanal. Good beat, beautiful synths, beautiful chorus, just wow. Gwen has also said this is her favorite song on the album. It's easy to see why.

7.)Yummy featuring Pharrell-Ok, I have NO idea why, but I absolutely LOVE this song! It's so fun and cute! Another unique beat, and the lyrics are so funny. Yes, it is mostly talking/rap with a few verses of singing, but I adore it. I can't seem to get tired of it or get it out of my head. Another fave.

8.)Fluorescent-I was surprised when I heard this, because it sounds like it could be on L.A.M.B. It's 80's Madonna/dance pop-esque. One of only three tracks that could have possibly been on the first album. I like it a lot. And I love the line, "and as I watch you sleep in the dimlight/I closemy eyes and pray/another fluorescent night/yeah, you and I."

9.)Breakin' Up-Ok, like other reviewers, I didn't like this one either when I first heard it. It's your typical hip/hop R&B song, with a regular beat and piano. Yes, it is repetitive, but I love it. Very different for Gwen, although since it's co-written with Pharrell, I guess it shouldn't surprise me so much. Like "Yummy," this is another song that I LOVE and I'm not sure why. Another favorite.

10.)Don't Get It Twisted-This song is so creative and inventive. The chorus is bouncy but not typical at all. I'd say this is the "Serious" of The Sweet Escape.

11.)U Started It-Like "Fluorescent", this track could also have been on L.A.M.B. It combines 80's pop with a bit of a soul/Neptunes sound. Good. Although Pharrell's part in this song seems a bit unneccessary. Just let Gwen sing, ok, "P?"

12.)Wonderful Life-Ohhh...this song is SOOOOO AMAZING!!! Another favorite. This could also have possibly been on L.A.M.B., although it's much better than anything from that record. Co-written with Linda Perry, it's kind of 80's electropop and the song has a dark, bittersweet, longing feel to it. It's as if Gwen is struggling through the ennui and darkness that threatens to drag her down to sing, "It's a wonderful, wonderful life." If only singing it could make it so.

I'm sorry this review is so long-winded, but I think this album is great and contrary to what everyone else seems to believe, Gwen did a great job. The Sweet Escape is NO sophomore slump. Give it a fair chance and if you truly liked Gwen's music before, there's no reason why you won't like this record.

PUT ON REPEAT:
Wind It Up
Early Winter
4 in the Morning
Yummy
Breakin' Up
Wonderful Life

PUSH THE BACK BUTTON:
The Sweet Escape
Orange County Girl
Now That You Got It
Fluorescent
Don't Get It Twisted
U Started It

PUSH THE SKIP BUTTON:
None!

I made the fatal mistake of waiting too long to buy Stefani's monster solo Love.Angel.Music.Baby. and when I listened to it and began to fall in love with it, it was too late. I didn't make the same mistake twice, even though I wondered how she would top her first blockbuster. I don't know if The Sweet Escape tops LAMB, but it comes really close. I do not know why people are hating on her: how could you resist the 80s reminiscent "Sweet Escape" or the tricked out "Orange County Girl" or the infectious club-banger "Now That You Got It". Even when she does ballads, she is the s*it, like in the incredible "4 In the Morning". The standout track "Yummy" featuring Pharrell is a must-be single and the Kelis-esque "Breakin Up" could be a hot one too. I don't know what other people are talking about but The Sweet Escape is a winner.

It really, really grows on you. Wonderful Life, Yummy and 4 in the Morning make the entire album. I can't stop listening to it - it's great for the gym.

To be exact, I rate this album with 3.5 stars, but I've decided to round it off to 4 instead of just 3 stars. I'm not sure if i'm too biased or anything, but to be honest, similar to the many reviews on Amazon.com awarding "The Sweet Escape" with 1- and 2-star ratings, I actually DID feel like this album was an absolutely terrible one.
Upon my first listen, I thought the album was... passable (2.5 stars, that is) due to a few good tracks. The first single 'Wind It Up' was what attracted me to buy the album, but soon after, i realised that the song wasn't really worth the buck for this album.
People may say that the lack of creativity (in terms of both LYRICS and TUNE/BEATS) have caused the poor performance of "The Sweet Escape", but after one or two listens, i finally caught on. In my own words, this album is probably not one of the best albums of our time, but it is certainly a guilty pleasure...

#1: Wind It Up (7/10) Creative it may seem... but truth be told, it is simply a poorer and weirder rehash of "Hollaback Girl"
#2: Sweet Escape (8/10) Soothing chorus with a feel-good song opener (courtesy of Akon). A nice blend of hip-hop and pop.
#3: Orange County Girl (7.5/10) Ok, i know that the chorus and Gwen's attempt at rapping is laughably bad, but take the verses (which were angsty, well-performed... and at the same time nonsensicle) into consideration!
#4: Early Winter (8.5/10) One of the better songs on the album... it sounds so different from the other tracks.
#5: Now That U Got It (7.5/10) Don't take this song too seriously and the weirdness (and coolness) of the song will just get to you. Groovy!
#6: 4 in the morning (8/10) To put it simply -- a nice song.
#7: Yummy (8/10) Hot! Hot! Hot!... Despite the apparent similarities to Kelis' "Milkshake".
#8: Flourescent (7.5/10) An ok pop-electroclash song. Listenable.
#9: Breakin' Up (6/10) Some may say it is a smart song ("a kiss-off disguised as a fading phone call")... but then again, who the heck wants to ENJOY listening to this?! Gwen and Pharrell did something wrong here!
#10: Don't Get It Twisted (7/10) Very enjoyable as a song, but the lyrics are, er... rather difficult to comprehend. Was Gwen thinking at all?
#11: U Started It (7.5/10) A simple song with simple lyrics that is listenable. Nothing too bad about it.
#12: Wonderful Life (9/10) Hands-down the best song on the album (courtesy of Linda Perry, who worked with X-Tina). The opening tunes are just, er, wonderful! This song emits a slightly spooky, yet longing and sad resonance within.

On the whole, there were noticeably good (and not-so-good) songs, but "The Sweet Escape" is mostly recommended to be listened to on a cold day. Just sit back, open the lyrics booklet, and relax... (and skip track Number 9... don't say i didn't warn y'all)

Continuing her "solo project" as she claims, Gwen's second record is a mixture of success and failure. The first single `wind it up' is just awful it has a decent/so so beat but her whiny vocals and lyrics that continue the infatuation she has with her own clothing line get played out real quick. Moving on, the record does produce some catchy and genuinely enjoyable tracks; `the sweet escape' is one and `early winter' another. The latter with its strong chorus line and great music backing it up help the listener forget the previous track `orange county girl' which is really hard to hear all the way through (mind you the song is only three minutes and some seconds). I hate to say this but a white pop singer should not be rapping about growing up in orange county. All the songs produced by the neptunes (a.k.a. pharrell) are stupid, awkward and generic with the exception of `u started it' a very refreshing tune(pharrell's music production ability is over rated anyway). Please Gwen, stop trying to be ghetto fabulous and please please stop rapping/ yelling/ speaking fast etc. I suppose because `hollaback girl' was such a success she decided to evoke that theme more on this record but it does not work. Tracks like `breaking up' and `yummy' just skip right past them because you will be disappointed as they do not capture a positive side of Gwen (too fake even for her). On the contrary Gwen shines when she sings more 80's Madonna influential stuff and sticks to the new wave genre; tracks such as `florescent', `wonderful life'(which is a really good song reminding me of depeche mode), and `don't get it twisted' show a much more charismatic and genuine Gwen. Ironically the two or three songs produced by her band mate T. Kanal show case Gwen's vocal talent and remind fans why they even bothered to purchase (or even download) the record.

The first time I listened to this album, I wasn't that impressed. The more and more I listen to it, the more addictive it becomes. Everyone has heard "Wind It Up" by now, some people love it and some people hate it, but this album has so much more to offer. The best songs are: "Yummy", her mellow collaboration with Pharell, "Sweet Escape", another collaboration, this time with Akon. It has a catchy pop/reggae sound. "Now That You Got It", which is probably my favorite. This is a fun song with a good beat that I could listen to over and over. Another song I could listen to again and again is the reggae-ish "Don't Get It Twisted". Last but not least, are the 80's inspired "Wonderful Life" and "Early Winter", which are both terrific songs. They're probably the best-written and her voice sounds great on these songs. I listen to these songs when I'm on the treadmill and they're so fun and upbeat, it makes the time pass very quickly.

This CD is a big disappointment. I really liked her last CD but this one falls short. It doesn't flow well and some songs have sounds that you would make if you were cooing a baby. She talks about liking to ride, but I wouldn't be caught dead ridin' to this CD. Less motherhood, more rock please.

I bought this CD without listening to a single song first because I loved the last one so much. Boy was I dissapointed! Aside from a catchy opening track the rest of the CD left me bored. Don't get me wrong, this isn't bad CD, its just not a good one. Nothing overtly original, to me it sound likes songs that were rejected from the pussycat dolls CD. I dont know what happened between this new CD and the last one, but I think Gwen needs to go back to those old producers, or just take more time making a great album instead of rushing one out.

Just my opinion