The Sweet Escape
by Gwen Stefani
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 211 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 151 out of 211
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 211
  3. Negative: 38 out of 211

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  1. Rodkrieg
    Apr 3, 2020
    10
    People don’t know anything, this album is great and she sounds better than some other pop trashy female artists out there, she’s between Madonna and Kylie Minogue...
  2. Annah305
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Gorgeous iconic album, I don't know why people on here have been so negative.
  3. gabsgomes
    Jul 10, 2018
    10
    The album is incredible. Early Winter, 4 In The Morning and so many other tracks are well performed.
  4. RARE
    Aug 8, 2016
    10
    "The sweet escape" remains one of the best albums of Ms Stefani, the divergeance is incredible include all different styles but this mixture wonder is always something that stopped me in this creation, it is really great
  5. Glitter
    Aug 30, 2013
    8
    Cementing herself as a pop staple with her debut, L.A.M.B., Stefani returns with a sophomore album that boasts as an athenaeum of marriage between zany dance-pop and classic slow-jam. Tracks such as Wind It Up, Breakin' Up, and Yummy are bizarre, jarring, and alien to the mainstream pop world. But with glistening production and perfect execution, Stefani delivers avant-garde in a time whenCementing herself as a pop staple with her debut, L.A.M.B., Stefani returns with a sophomore album that boasts as an athenaeum of marriage between zany dance-pop and classic slow-jam. Tracks such as Wind It Up, Breakin' Up, and Yummy are bizarre, jarring, and alien to the mainstream pop world. But with glistening production and perfect execution, Stefani delivers avant-garde in a time when pop was lacking such. The Sweet Escape is equally solidified by the aforementioned slow-jams. With tracks such as Fluorescent and U Started It, balancing out the upbeat circus that precedes them. In album where the product is complete, Early Winter and Wonderful Life beg to steal the show, as planets in a sky of stars.… Expand
  6. BWETMatangi
    Aug 14, 2013
    9
    I love it! With songs like "Orange County Girl", "Don't Get It Twisted", and "Breakin' Up", what's not to love? Gwen is a much better solo singer than in No Doubt.
  7. ScarTissue1990
    Feb 23, 2013
    5
    This album actually isn't a particularly "bad" album. It just has some major flaws. Highlight tracks: "Early Winter", "Sweet Escape", "4 in the Morning", "Wonderful Life", "Now That You Got It."
  8. MusicForever
    Dec 23, 2012
    8
    Just A Great Classic Album!
  9. GagaForGhibli
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    I Like This Album Alot! I Do Feel Like A Few Of The Songs Felt Rushed Which Effected This Album With Critic's And Fans.. But I Really Enjoyed It Alot! Gwen If Fore Sure Not Going Down Hill!
  10. Frogmime
    Jul 11, 2012
    9
    The songs that are best are The Sweet escape , Early winter , 4 in the morning , Don't get it twisted and Wonderful life The other songs are ok and good but the worst song is breaking up which is totally stupid but ignore that its a good album :)
  11. inad.
    Sep 15, 2007
    10
    love this so much!!
  12. MaxImum
    Jun 18, 2007
    0
    This album is so annoying! and so is Gwen Stefani.
  13. MC
    May 14, 2007
    7
    I Rated Each Song: Wind it up - 8/10 The Sweet Escape- 9/10 Orange County Girl - 6/10 Early Winter - 6/10 Now That you Got It - 7/10 4 in the morning - 10/10 Yummy - 9/10 Fluorescent - 7/10 Breakin' Up - 7/10 Don't Get It Twisted - 6/10 U Started it - 6/10 Wonderful Life - 8/10
  14. WK
    May 5, 2007
    6
    This album is not half as bad as some say, but L.A.M.B. was a far higher quality album than this. For overall strength this one was pretty weak; some good songs, some bad. But Gwen has conceded to the 'trends' and 'raps' way too much instead of singing, which she does best. And ironically enough, the best track would have to be 'The Sweet Escape'. This is This album is not half as bad as some say, but L.A.M.B. was a far higher quality album than this. For overall strength this one was pretty weak; some good songs, some bad. But Gwen has conceded to the 'trends' and 'raps' way too much instead of singing, which she does best. And ironically enough, the best track would have to be 'The Sweet Escape'. This is what pop should be, clean and simple. Other than that other good tracks would be Early Winter (9/10; emotional and a decent follow up to Cool, although not as good), Fluorescent (9/10; very well put together and catchy/retro), 'Wind It Up' (7.5/10; a little weird, but it's decent listen), Yummy (9/10; catchy and fun song lyrically), and Wonderful Life (9/10). But really there are some shockers on this album, like 'Orange County Girl' (3/10; horrible production values, and truly annoying), 'Now That You Got It' (4/10; not in Gwen's style at all and doesn't suit her), 'Breakin' Up' (1/10; this song is awful. Spare yourself and skip it). And the rest just aren't very strong, '4 in the Morning' (7/10; too sappy), 'Don't Get it Twisted' (5.5/10; an attempt to be quirky), and 'U Started It' (6/10; OK but nothing great). So with only five of the tracks being strong enough to comprise of a decent album, I'd only be able to say 'OK'. The others are just average or downright awful.… Expand
  15. JakieM
    Apr 8, 2007
    8
    I think it is a good CD. The quality and sound of her music is great and I think she gets an 8.
  16. J.J.Rouce
    Mar 30, 2007
    4
    i gave it a four....because thats how many songs on this album are any good.....the rest are abismal at best.....it fell WAY short of LAMB
  17. EmoKid
    Mar 5, 2007
    8
    Really well done with catchy beats. But still not the best album of the world.
  18. GauravS
    Mar 2, 2007
    10
    Excellent Album.Though it is not as good as the previous Gwen Stefani's previous album,But our of the 13 songs,i liked 9 of them.Excellent album.
  19. NickM
    Mar 1, 2007
    3
    I never bought this cd with the intention of hearing highly sophisticated lyrics, all i really expected was some catchy tunes, much like her first solo, which i thought was amazing. however this cd mostly had lame beats, and lyrics that were so horrible that at some points it made me cringe. sorry gwen, but ya shoulda stuck with just one solo like ya said ya would.
  20. andrewarctic
    Feb 17, 2007
    9
    best pop album of 2007
  21. HennyH
    Feb 12, 2007
    10
    WOW! amazing CD!
  22. christianv
    Feb 6, 2007
    3
    This album isnt as good as the first solo album from gwen, i mean, it could have been better, muchh better
  23. MarcusL
    Feb 5, 2007
    10
    This was a great album Gwen Did Great Job!
  24. BrandonW
    Jan 26, 2007
    1
    I really wish she'd get off of her solo aspirations, because honestly without the aid of her band, producers don't know what the hell real music is. And if I hear Wind It Up one more time, I'm going to snap.
  25. josha
    Jan 25, 2007
    4
    this album is for fans only. and not necessarily fans of gwen's music, because we all are, but fans of gwen. people who may be perfectly content to sit around and think about gwen for the entire duration of the album. it's full of her personality but lacks the musical discipline that shot her to the top.
  26. DudeDoe
    Jan 23, 2007
    0
    Didn't expect anything good from an album lead by a "lady sovereign'esque pop grime beat meets yodel"-single like "Wind It Up", and boy, how right I was. This album is a frankenstein made of pop-cultural remains, just like Ms. Stefani herself.
  27. laurels
    Jan 9, 2007
    2
    First and last tracks take a chance. (I personally love the step off into The Sound of Music.Fun. Who cares if no one else gets that?! Hope their Lederhosen chafe them.) But dear Gwen, you coulda waited a while to holla back if this is all you had to offer. I have faith that you'll climb your next musical mountain and kick ass again. love to you--you talented amazing young woman.
  28. ficlare
    Jan 9, 2007
    8
    it waz real gd!
  29. JorgeS
    Jan 6, 2007
    9
    I think it is really good music, perhaps not a deep album, but it works well, here my review of every song: 1. Wind It Up.- Fun, upbeat, neptunes-production 7/10 2. The Sweet Escape.- Damn! What a great tune. Reminds me the old Gwen 10/10 3. Orange County Girl.- Love the beat 8/10 4. Early Winter.- Nice down-tempo, coulda sound better 7/10 5. Now That You Got It.- Mmmm I didn't like I think it is really good music, perhaps not a deep album, but it works well, here my review of every song: 1. Wind It Up.- Fun, upbeat, neptunes-production 7/10 2. The Sweet Escape.- Damn! What a great tune. Reminds me the old Gwen 10/10 3. Orange County Girl.- Love the beat 8/10 4. Early Winter.- Nice down-tempo, coulda sound better 7/10 5. Now That You Got It.- Mmmm I didn't like this song, but it's pretty catchy 6/10 6. 4 In The Morning.- What can i say?? Just a piece of art 10/10 7. Yummy.- I can almost be sure this would be a single, it's a great tune, like it was Hollaback Girl 4 L.A.M.B. 9/10 8. Fluourescent.- At first I skip this song but then it just start to grew up on me and now I really like it 8/10 9. Breakin' Up.- Nice beat, bad lyrics, too boring 5/10 10. Don't Get It Twisted.- Another outstanding song, I just can't get sick of this 10/10 11. U Started It.- Cool but something's missing 7/10 12. Wonderful Life.- The only left-over of L.A.M.B., enjoyable 8/10 Avarage: 7.9… Expand
  30. JordanA
    Jan 6, 2007
    4
    Just isn't on par with the genuis of No Doubt. Fun for a day, gets old quick. Gwen is so forgettable.
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Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Discussed Album of 2006
50
#50 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 24
  3. Negative: 3 out of 24
  1. The Guardian
    80
    Pharrell Williams' production and Stefani's fizzy personality make for an unexpected Christmas treat.
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  2. Slant Magazine
    60
    It's not that The Sweet Escape is an unwelcome diversion or that it comes too soon on the heels of Stefani's debut (it's been two full years), but it's starting to feel like No Doubt's future—you know, the one left in question after 2001's Rock Steady, the band's third consecutive creative zenith—is being squandered amidst all the solo stargazing.
    Read full review
  3. AllMusic
    60
    If the dance production on The Sweet Escape were better, these hipster affectations would be easier to forgive, but they're not: they're canned and bland, which only accentuates Stefani's stiffness.
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