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| The Sweet Escape | 
 enlarge | Artist: Gwen Stefani
Label: Interscope Records
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy Used: $1.99
You Save: $11.99 (86%)
New (55) Used (68) Collectible (1) from $1.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  286 reviews
Sales Rank: 4495
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000809902
UPC: 602517144118
EAN: 0602517144118
ASIN: B000JJRIN4
Release Date: December 5, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: listen to a couple times in original jewel case Does not include front cover art fast ship cheap
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| Tracks:
| • | Wind It Up | | • | The Sweet Escape - featuring Akon | | • | Orange County Girl | | • | Early Winter | | • | Now That You Got It | | • | 4 In The Morning | | • | Yummy - featuring Pharrell | | • | Fluorescent | | • | Breakin' Up | | • | Don't Get It Twisted | | • | U Started It | | • | Wonderful Life |
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| Editorial Reviews:
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
Album Description
Limited Edition Enhanced Japanese pressing of the sophomore album from the No Doubt vocalist and fashion icon features one bonus track ('Wind It Up'-Harajuku Lovers Live Version) plus two bonus enhanced videos: 'Orange County Girl' (Live) and 'Wind It Up' (Harajuku Lovers Live Version). On her second album, the music and fashion icon takes you on a wild musical and visual ride featuring some of the most creative collaborators of our time, including Pharrel Williams, Nellee Hooper, Tim Nice-Oxley Of Keane and Tony Kanal Of No Doubt. Other contributors to the album include Akon, Sean Garrett, Swizz Beatz, Dave Stewart and Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. This album is surprisingly different than the last one. "I started recording it last year before Kingston was born and it's definitely evolved over the last year. The dance sound is very `now.' It's modern not so retro," says the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 281 more reviews...
 What the...??? December 6, 2006
164 out of 270 found this review helpful
I don't even know where to start. Gwen's solo debut was one of my favorite guilty pleasures of 2004. I was immediately addicted to its fun, creative, catchy, retro electropop tunes. It was the type of stuff that (unfortunately) you don't typically find on mainstream radio. But she made it work, and shone a light on a cool "new" sound. For a minute there, I thought she alone was going to bring pop back to what it once was (and should be), but wow - was I completely wrong. Instead of expanding on her incredible and inventive electropop, she decided to take the one really crappy song from LAMB ("Hollaback Girl") and make an entire album that all sounds just like it. I mean, there are no melodies here! It's just generic hip-hop beats with dumb lyrics that you can't even sing along to. The only decent song on the entire album is "Wonderful Life." Ugh! I can't express how extremely disappointed I am in her. All my love and respect for her has suddenly gone bye-bye. I was really looking forward to her becoming the new Pop Queen - but instead it appears she's just another bland R&B clone. At least she's chosen a core demographic: teens. Sadly for her, though, she's going to have to say "so long" to all her fans over 21 years old.
 It's a fantastic listen.Shell out and have fun: it's one of the hippest releases of the year !! December 12, 2006
114 out of 129 found this review helpful
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
Time To Take A LONG Break December 7, 2006
83 out of 154 found this review helpful
Long time fan but Miss Stefani takes these scraps from Love Angel Music Baby sessions and becomes a self parody. Like Boy George, Cyndi Lauper et al her cartoon persona and run away slave to fashion status have become greater than her musical output. It's interesting that the record company is promoting this recording like it's new material and accompanying it's release with a tour -- when in fact this B rate materail would have been better served as a L.A.M.B. extras disc. Sad to see artists get consumed with their own hype. This is a low point in her career. And how old is this woman anyway???
Everyone's favourite hollaback girl is back ! December 14, 2006
81 out of 86 found this review helpful
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 !
 The Coolest B*tch on the Planet December 21, 2006
31 out of 38 found this review helpful
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.
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