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. GMaster
    Dec 10, 2006
    2
    Other than the sweet escape, this CD is horrible. GWEN GET BACK WITH NO DOUBT!!!
  2. 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!
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. ArtM
    Dec 4, 2006
    2
    I would really like to hear that she just threw this together. The idea that she spent time working on this album seem wasteful. No doubt she should return to No Doubt.
  9. GregD
    Dec 4, 2006
    3
    What happened here? I was a big fan of Gwen in No Doubt, as well as her first solo album "L.A.M.B." "The Sweet Escape" is a different story; everything from the uneven production, awful lyrics and oddly pitch corrected vocals make this escape anything but sweet. Half of the album sounds finished and somewhat fresh ("Early Winter", "The Sweet Escape"), and the other half is perplexingly What happened here? I was a big fan of Gwen in No Doubt, as well as her first solo album "L.A.M.B." "The Sweet Escape" is a different story; everything from the uneven production, awful lyrics and oddly pitch corrected vocals make this escape anything but sweet. Half of the album sounds finished and somewhat fresh ("Early Winter", "The Sweet Escape"), and the other half is perplexingly awful ("Breaking Up", "Now That You Got It", "Orange County Girl"). Gwen seems to be under the impression that every hip-hop-esque song she does has to follow the blueprint of Hollaback Girl with chanty, military drill like choruses ("Now That You Got It", "Breaking Up", "Wind It Up" all suffer from this) or have to involve Gwen talking about how great but down to earth she is. This is the sound of Gwen stepping into cringe-worthy Jenny From The Block territory. The pop structured songs work better, but Gwen's voice sounds extremely pitch corrected on the album highlight "Early Winter", as well as "Flouresant". Wha't's hard to ignore is the traces of Peaches, with all the "talk-singing" Gwen does and Kelis ("Yummy" has the exact same beat as "Milkshake") just to name a few of familiar vibes on the album. Either way, this album is a mess, a misguided and decidedly unhip mix of hip-hop and pop, with flat song structures and production.… Collapse
  10. vqi
    Dec 4, 2006
    1
    there is nothing listenable on this album. pharrell can't save this.
  11. ToddW
    Dec 5, 2006
    3
    Gwen, darling, while I no doubt love your band, this second solo album is a hint that you have some serious inclinations toward jumping a shark tank in your near future. I mean, look at the cover photograph. Who are you trying to emulate, a female Moby? You sure don't look like Madonna, who tried - in vain - to cop some of Marilyn's heat. But at least Madonna has a set of Gwen, darling, while I no doubt love your band, this second solo album is a hint that you have some serious inclinations toward jumping a shark tank in your near future. I mean, look at the cover photograph. Who are you trying to emulate, a female Moby? You sure don't look like Madonna, who tried - in vain - to cop some of Marilyn's heat. But at least Madonna has a set of cajones; I mean, anyone who walks down an interstate au natural is either crazy or has thicker skin than the rest of us, and also wants us to see it. This offering seems to indicate that you're running out of ideas and you're just going for weird to buy time. Are you looking for a sweet escape from the terribly boring life of the garden variety rock star, or is this your pathetic plea for help?… Expand
  12. przemekp
    Dec 9, 2006
    3
    I love Gwen, but this album is a piece of crap. Ony 'the Sweet escape' and 'Early winter' are good, rest are not worth to listen.
  13. MairiK
    Jan 5, 2007
    0
    This CD is going in the garbage
  14. 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.
  15. ssskkk
    Dec 17, 2006
    2
    another brick in the wall
  16. lenny
    Dec 24, 2006
    0
    oh what has happened to gwen..........i would of liked to be there when she told no doubt that she was leaving the band to pursue a carear in crap hop music.
  17. MC
    Dec 29, 2006
    1
    horrible, produces a continous flow of drivel
  18. 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.
  19. MaxImum
    Jun 18, 2007
    0
    This album is so annoying! and so is Gwen Stefani.
  20. dyker
    Dec 12, 2006
    0
    Are your folks serious? Gwen was cool when she emulated Bjork. She was ok when she looked on Madonna for inspiration. Now on this record, she sounds like a cheap desperate wannabee hiphop ho who can neither rap nor sing.
  21. SabrinaG
    Dec 19, 2006
    0
    Nothing new...same ole...all of the wigga girls in the industry can sing each other's bubble gum stuff and you wouldn't miss a thing. You're 39, not 19.
  22. Jenny
    Dec 19, 2006
    2
    Gwen didn't seem to know the difference between wonderfully wacky and totally annoying. This album is awful.

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 »