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

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. stephenv
    Dec 13, 2006
    6
    best songs: early winter, 4 in the morning, wonderful life and the sweet escape. worst song: breakin' up.
  2. 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...
  3. 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."
  4. vina
    Jan 3, 2007
    10
    Wow..a lot of people saying Gwen should go back to No Doubt. Well I personally think that No Doubt suck and Gwen should stick to her far more interesting solo work - this album is pretty good.
  5. TylerM
    Jan 4, 2007
    9
    I enjoyed it a lot. True there are some *weird and horrible* songs but i love... Wind It Up Orange County Girl Yummy Don't Get it Twisted
  6. 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
  7. Sublimonade
    Dec 10, 2006
    9
    I Absolutely LOVE Gwen's New Album. All the songs are wickedly infectious! The tunes are catchy and upbeat. I know "The Sweet Escape" ft Akon will hit the top charts next. I love Pharrell's work too. She's got the LAMB and he's rocking the Ice Cream blend it together they got something fresh and kinda in between.
  8. GMaster
    Dec 10, 2006
    2
    Other than the sweet escape, this CD is horrible. GWEN GET BACK WITH NO DOUBT!!!
  9. SkyM
    Dec 22, 2006
    9
    I absolutely loved this album, personally I like it better than the first one which is saying alot. I find it intresting that so many people are calling her a "wigger" when the whole album is much more pop based than hip-hop. You should listen to it in it's entirety more than once and I promise you won't be disappointed.
  10. tonyg
    Dec 4, 2006
    7
    I like most of it. I like the music and beat of breaking up but it is too monotonous for me fast becomes annoying. stand out tracks in my opinion: sweet escape, 4 in the morning, yummy. Wind it up would have been better with more mature lyrics and less rap. worst songs: dont get it twisted and orange county girl. Still, I have listend to the whole album a million times already.
  11. ChrisW
    Dec 5, 2006
    0
    There's only only one White Female Rapper that pulled it off correctly. Anyone remember Tarrie B? Gwen's debacle on Wind it up was the most treacherous thing I've heard since I heard Milli Vanilli try and talk. Gwen needs to grow-up and go back to No Noubt and make some REAL music. Stop the Pop and go back to your roots... please!
  12. PaulR
    Dec 5, 2006
    9
    This album is completely amazing. Almost all the tacks are instantly memorable and catchy...and doesn't that make for a great album?? I hate these little comments about Gwen trying to catch up to Fergie....excuse me if I'm wrong but Fergie's "London Bridge" sounds like Hollaback girl with a little more melody...and Fergie's "Glamorous" sounds an awful lot like This album is completely amazing. Almost all the tacks are instantly memorable and catchy...and doesn't that make for a great album?? I hate these little comments about Gwen trying to catch up to Fergie....excuse me if I'm wrong but Fergie's "London Bridge" sounds like Hollaback girl with a little more melody...and Fergie's "Glamorous" sounds an awful lot like gwen's "Luxurious"...if anything..Fergie's a few years behind..though both album are very good....Gwen's sound isn't for the older type of listeners..which seem to be the professional critics rating her… Expand
  13. ShamekaJ
    Dec 5, 2006
    10
    A triumph. Yes, some of its songs are a tad sappy, but every one (besides the wretched "Breakin' Up, but I'll ignore that) is a pleasure to listen to. "Wind It Up," "Don't Get It Twisted," and "Yummy" are among the most fun and the funniest songs of Gwen's career, and "The Sweet Escape" is positively brilliant. On the whole, a spectacular album.
  14. Devin
    Dec 5, 2006
    0
    Throw one more on the pile of treasonous, unlistenable garbage from Gwen Stefani's recent years. Once one of the most compelling female figures in all of mainstream music, Gwen seems to be doing all she can to bury her personality under a thick coat of gloss and thumping beats. Wheras her voice once spoke of both power and pathos, it now falls flat on track after track, lifeless and Throw one more on the pile of treasonous, unlistenable garbage from Gwen Stefani's recent years. Once one of the most compelling female figures in all of mainstream music, Gwen seems to be doing all she can to bury her personality under a thick coat of gloss and thumping beats. Wheras her voice once spoke of both power and pathos, it now falls flat on track after track, lifeless and soulless. Did Gwen homogenize herself willingly, or is she yet another victim of bad decisionmaking by her record label? Either way, on Sweet Escape, Stefani is even less than a shadow of her former self. She's a shadow of every other cloying, disposable female booty-shaker out there.… Expand
  15. JohnW
    Dec 5, 2006
    10
    This album is 1000 times better than L.A.M.B., though the first single "wind it up" is a horrible song.. the rest of the album has amazing songs, such as Wonderful LIfe with Depecho mode,, or Early Winter with Keane... go and get it...
  16. Pee-DroughA
    Dec 6, 2006
    9
    This Album is something speacial, this breaks into her R&B side. Gwen did an awesome job. Sounds to me like the Hills still have music! ha!
  17. MichaelC
    Dec 7, 2006
    1
    'the sweet escape' wins this year's 'worst comeback album' - gwen's half-assed attempt on her second solo album gives listeners the impression that she just doesn't care anymore, and her confidence in the album's success doesn't help either (in one of the song's lyrics, saying she'll get a grammy...pfft - as if). half the album makes 'the sweet escape' wins this year's 'worst comeback album' - gwen's half-assed attempt on her second solo album gives listeners the impression that she just doesn't care anymore, and her confidence in the album's success doesn't help either (in one of the song's lyrics, saying she'll get a grammy...pfft - as if). half the album makes you want to spew, tracks such as 'orange county girl', 'yummy' and the most tragic song you've ever heard, 'breaking up', in which gwen repeats every line about 5 times each. 'breaking up' reeks of a washed up singers career - i'm sorry gwen, but it looks like 'the sweet escape' listeners of the album will be wanting is your retirement...give it up… Expand
  18. JulesM
    Dec 7, 2006
    4
    I love gwen, but this album has no edge. It sounds like everything on the radio.
  19. Scott
    Dec 9, 2006
    7
    It has its hits, and its misses. But all in all, it's a pretty decent album. Most of the best tracks are in the ballads, like "Early Winter". Some of the powerpop songs seem a bit forced and recycled.
  20. ToniK
    Jan 1, 2007
    10
    great album.. lamb was better but... gwen is awesome
  21. 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.
  22. AmandaC
    Jan 3, 2007
    9
    IF you haven bought this album i do recomend it. If you Havent listen to the album and only listend to the single wind it up. i recomend that you hear the single The Sweet Escape featuring Akon. i have heard that the single Wind it up wasnt a big big hit but it was good. Just beacuse u didnt like the first single that doesnt mean that the album is annoying
  23. ficlare
    Jan 9, 2007
    8
    it waz real gd!
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. 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.
  27. EmoKid
    Mar 5, 2007
    8
    Really well done with catchy beats. But still not the best album of the world.
  28. 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
  29. LeandraW
    Dec 10, 2006
    5
    Lackluster effort from Mrs. Stefani. Sounds rushed with no evident hits.
  30. paulac
    Dec 10, 2006
    10
    This album is so catchy i loved it although there are some songs that i wasnt particularly fond of they all were sweet i hope she keeps making more cds like this their all so catchy and u cant stop singing them.
prev
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »