Take my word here, i’ve never been a No Doubt fan, and Gwen Stefani’s voice never really charmed the pop music lover that i am, but with collaborators such as Linda Perry, Nellee Hooper, Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook of New Order, i had to give up my pre-conceptions and give this album a try.
Inspired by Gwen’s pop idols – Depeche Mode, Club Nouveau, early Madonna, Prince and The Cure – Love, Angel, Music, Baby happily suprised me with its groovy girly electro funk tracks.
The album takes pop music from the 80’s up ’till now, with tracks such as ‘What you waiting for‘, where she’s into writter’s block
– Like an echo pedal you’re repeating yourself. You know it all by heart, why are you standing in one place? Born to blossom, bloom to perish –
and the romantic ‘The real thing‘, with beautiful à la New Order baselines and 90’s house beat
– Don’t go away. My lover. I need you, you’re my love supply –
while songs like ‘Cool‘ and ‘Serious‘ are gonna give you the feeling that you are listening to newly mixed madonna stuff recorded in the 80’s.
“I wanted to make a very good feeling, classic upbeat dance record that when you first heard it, it would be your guilty pleasure.”
With this album and his few outstanding tracks, Gwen Stefani will definitely join the like Madonna, Kellis, Missy Elliot and Kylie as a pop diva.
* Gwen Stefani’s debut: Love, Angel, Music, Baby website
* link to the album