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The Sweet Escape Image
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 211 Ratings

  • Summary: The singer's second solo set features production work by Nellee Hooper, The Neptunes, Swizz Beatz and Dave Stewart.

Top Track

4 In The Morning
Wakin' up to find another day The moon got lost again last night But now the sun has finally had its say I guess I feel alright But it hurts when I... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 24
  2. Negative: 3 out of 24
  1. It's the kind of album that drifts through '80s poolside jams and breathy trunk-bump bangers in all the best ways.
  2. There's such effortlessness in the confident pop music making here you get the sense she could keep knocking out hits this way in her sleep.
  3. Billboard
    70
    All spun together it works well, and maybe even better than on the debut. [16 Dec 2006]
  4. Blender
    60
    Stefani gets her groove back when she sticks to two essentials: sex and the Neptunes. [Jan/Feb 2007, p.88]
  5. No one listens to Gwen Stefani to hear her rap. Or sing a sentimental power ballad. In fact, if there’s a Gwen song that can’t be described by putting two (or more) genres together, I’d suggest skipping it altogether.
  6. Escape‘s songwriting is woefully thin.
  7. Even Linda Perry, Swizz Beatz, Nellee Hooper and the Neptunes have their share of duff tracks, and it appears that's all they had to offer when Stefani came calling.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 86
  2. Negative: 22 out of 86
  1. EricW
    Dec 4, 2006
    10
    i love her almost as much as i love gary. i love to dress like her and sing to her music and she is really popuular at the gay bar i go to i love her almost as much as i love gary. i love to dress like her and sing to her music and she is really popuular at the gay bar i go to its called the dirty sattle i love her Expand
  2. ixata
    Dec 21, 2006
    10
    i dont understand d critics... n evn allmusicguide gave less den 80 when diz record shud be 100!! i agree wit Valterri, "early winter" is a i dont understand d critics... n evn allmusicguide gave less den 80 when diz record shud be 100!! i agree wit Valterri, "early winter" is a masterpiece... an emotional number, too... wind it up is an ingenious production and the sampling of "the sound of music" is a hell of an idea -in a good way-! this rocks even better than LAMB! Expand
  3. 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 betweenPeople 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... Expand
  4. BonnieL
    Dec 4, 2006
    8
    There are a few clunkers... but the tracks Wonderful Life, Early Winter, Flourescent, and The Sweet Escape abolish any bad feelings I have There are a few clunkers... but the tracks Wonderful Life, Early Winter, Flourescent, and The Sweet Escape abolish any bad feelings I have toward the other songs. Expand
  5. JayM
    Dec 25, 2006
    6
    For the most part a great album, make no mistake, it's no L.A.M.B. From the lead "Wind It up" to the title track, and "Yummy" a dance For the most part a great album, make no mistake, it's no L.A.M.B. From the lead "Wind It up" to the title track, and "Yummy" a dance track produced by Pharrell, and in my opinion the best song on the album is the final track "Wonderful Life" in lieu of a "The Real Thing"-esque light dance track. From its highest points, I beleive that "Breakin' up" was the worst excuse for music Stefani has ever produced simulating a fake cell-phone conversation. All in all, if you're a die-hard fan, as am I, it is a great choice, otherwise, you may not like it, but it's worth a shot. Expand
  6. Alexis
    Dec 4, 2006
    4
    4 good song. 1 point for each: 1. wonderful life 2. early winter 3. the sweet escape 4. 4 in the morning
  7. 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 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. Collapse

See all 86 User Reviews