Gwen Stefani - Love Angel Music Baby

Gwen Stefani has recently topped a best dressed list knocking Kate Moss off the top (in fact Moss went into third after burlesque dancer and girlfriend of Marilyn Manson, Dita Von Teese). I admire her high-maintenance look, and liked what little I had heard of this album so decided to give it a go.

Generally, I think this album is a grower, and I am writing this after first hearing it. The songs are quite varied and typical of Stefani in that they are very unique, and not always mainstream.
The album kicks off with the fabulous OTT What You Waiting For? which is a really strong track and followed by Rich Girl sampling If I Was a Rich Man, from Fiddler on the Roof and was the second single on the album, and one where she collaborates again with Eve (previously on Let me Blow Ya Mind). It is another strong track and instantly catchy. Third, is Hollaback Girl, which she has been known to refer to as an 'attitude song'. I am still none the wiser what a Hollaback Girl actually is though. Cool is a slower track, this track especially seems to have an eighties influence to it, and I think there are quite a few influences on this album for the eighties.

Another eighties influenced track is Bubble Pop Electric is a mad electro pop number with some high school lyrics. It features Johnny Vulture and is a whole bundle of fun. Luxurious is another slow number, a grower definitely. Not as grabable as her faster tracks. Next is Harajuku Girls which sounds like it samples Madonna's Papa Don't Preach for a few notes at the beginning. It is a tribute to the Japanese girls that follow her around whilst she has been promoting the album and appear in her videos. There is some Japanese influence in this song, inspite of the fact that it sounds like it had been produced by Georgio Moroder or some such. Crash starts up very bizarre, and continues to be very bizarre. The jury is still out on that one, although the driving analogies are very interesting.

The Real Thing starts off like a proper ballad, almost a proper song (although an eighties inspired one) and probably one of my favourites. Serious is good, although it sounds like something Hazel Dean used to do. Danger Zone is also a good song, one that needs a few dedicated listens to appreciate the lyrics. Long Way To Go is co-written and performed by Andre 3000 (of Outkast) and is about inter-racial relationships with a hip hop/electro beat, and is probably the weakest track on the album on first hearing.

My album includes two bonus tracks - a slow jam version of The Real Thing and an Elevator Mix of What You Waiting For? which is a Hammond Organ-Easy Listening/Jazz version of the song. I don't know if I like it or not as I was too busy laughing at it.

Overall, I really like the album, and I expect most of the tracks to grow further on me after replays.