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Gwen Stefani - Love.Angel.Music.Baby (2004) Reviewed on 1/10/05

Good

Nation: United States

Album Genre: Synth Pop, Retro Pop

Pros: I have always enjoyed Gwen's vocals in No Doubt. She has a VERY original and sexy way of bringing out her ska driven alternative rock group. I have always been a decent fan of No Doubt's earlier work. With this album, Gwen's first outing as a solo artist, she takes on the reigns herself, and goes in a pure pop direction losing her rock background. Depending on the song however, this can be a good album. The tunes that take on a New Wave feel are damn catchy. For example, the opener "What You Waiting For" is quite catchy until she starts repeating the "take a chance you stupid ho" having seemingly run out of lyrics (which are crappy to begin with, but the focale point of the song is the stylings of her voice along with the synth). The song "Cool" is one of my faves on the album. Being a big fan of 80's New Wave, this song buckles onto that electronic feel with some cool melodies steered by Gwen's beautiful vocals.

And whoa.."Bubble Pop Electric" is a friggin kick ass tune. Ridiculously catchy! I thought it was going to start off being another "Hollaback Girl" kinda number and I was about to hit skip into the speedy synth number came on. Good stuff. "The Real Thing" is a 80's style Madonna inspired pop song done MUCH better because Gwen runs circles around Madonna with this style of music. And whoa, the retro stylings continue with "Serious" which is decent but utterly retro.

"Long Way to Go" is probably the most creative song on this album. I am quite proud of Gwen for really putting this on her album. By combining synth, classic r&b and vocalized jazz and the original lyrics, I was quite impressed by this tune. She should abandon modernized crap like "Hollaback Girl" and do creative stuff like this if she continues on with her solo career outside of No Doubt.

FInally, I listened to the album with the bonus version of "The Real Thing." This is a much slower version of the original, and I think it is alot better. Gwen is able to really exponentially harness her vocals on this tune.

Overall, I would recommend this to fans of 80's pop and synth music in the vain of Kylie Minogue. This is definitely not something I would listen to on a regular basis, but I don't usually like Pop anyway. But for those who do like Pop, this is quite the original album.

Cons: "Hear ya yo...the shit is bananas....B-A-N-A-N-A-S! oooooh this mah shit this mah shit." Hollaback Girl is a fucking travesty of a musical number. Gwen Stefani is NOT a ghetto chick, she should not be singing urban style pop. Gwen knows music and shouldn't fall into the sad state shitty mainstream Eve style sex driven ghetto pop. Next song was good, and then BOOM! I jump into a time machine without knowing it and am zipped back to 1993! GWEN GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! GET BACK INTO 2004! 1993 SUCKED FOR POP! FOR CHRIST SAKES! "Luxurious" is a terrible R&B number, again, a number she shouldn't be delving into, Gwen should know better. "Harajuku Girls" was done well, but I didn't really like it personally. "Crash" is repetitive crap.

 


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