The Sweet Escape

For other uses, see The Sweet Escape (disambiguation).
The Sweet Escape
Studio album by
Gwen Stefani
ReleasedDecember 1, 2006 (2006-12-01)
Recorded2005–2006
Studio
Genre
Length46:54
LabelInterscope
Producer
Gwen Stefani chronology
Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
(2004) 		The Sweet Escape
(2006) 		This Is What the Truth Feels Like
(2016)
Singles from The Sweet Escape
  1. "Wind It Up"
    Released: October 30, 2006
  2. "The Sweet Escape"
    Released: December 19, 2006
  3. "4 in the Morning"
    Released: May 8, 2007
  4. "Now That You Got It"
    Released: August 26, 2007
  5. "Early Winter"
    Released: January 18, 2008

The Sweet Escape is the second solo studio album by American singer Gwen Stefani, released on December 1, 2006, by Interscope Records. Having originally intended to return to No Doubt after her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004), Stefani decided to record a second album as a way to release some of the material left over from the Love. Angel. Music. Baby. writing sessions. The album musically resembles its predecessor while exploring more modern pop sounds. It was released to generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, receiving criticism for its strong similarities to Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

It was preceded by the lead single "Wind It Up", which charted moderately across the world, and produced the follow-up single "The Sweet Escape", which proved to be more successful worldwide. The Sweet Escape reached the top five in the United States, Canada, and Australia and peaked inside the top 20 in the United Kingdom. The album's supporting tour, The Sweet Escape Tour, kicked off in April 2007, covering North America, Colombia, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

Conception

[edit]

Background

[edit]

Following the release of her debut album Love. Angel. Music. Baby., Stefani announced that she had intended to return to No Doubt and record a sixth studio album with the band.[1] After the commercial success of L.A.M.B., she decided to release several leftover tracks from the album as an EP or as extra tracks on a DVD.[2] However, Pharrell Williams, with whom she had collaborated to write "Hollaback Girl", convinced Stefani to create "a L.A.M.B. part two",[2] and the two recorded several songs during sessions in Miami in July 2005.[3]

The two produced "Wind It Up", "Orange County Girl", "U Started It", "Yummy", "Breakin' Up", and "Candyland" during these sessions, and the songs were used for a fashion show premiering the 2006 collection of Stefani's fashion line L.A.M.B.[4] She included performances of "Wind It Up" and "Orange County Girl" when she embarked on the Harajuku Lovers Tour in October 2005.[5] Stefani put the project on hold in December 2005 when she discovered that she was pregnant,[6] before returning to the studio in August 2006.[7] The album's working title was Candyland, sharing its name with an unreleased track that has only been looped via her fashion show soundtrack. The title was changed to The Sweet Escape, the title of the second track.

Album cover

[edit]

The album cover was taken by photographer Jill Greenberg. The image was part of a series of promotional images taken by Greenberg, inspired by her previous End Times exhibition. To create End Times, Greenberg gave lollipops to toddlers but took them back after several moments, provoking emotional outbursts. Greenberg used the images as a representation of American politics and society.[8] Greenberg was accused of child abuse for the photo shoots; Stefani, however, commented, "I didn't think 'child abuse'—I just thought, 'That's beautiful.' Every kid cries [...] Other people reacted like, 'Oh my God. That's so disturbing,' or 'That's so sad.' I guess that's what art's all about. It's supposed to make you think."[9]

Stefani's appearance on the album cover is inspired by that of Elvira Hancock, a cocaine addict portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in the 1983 film Scarface. Stefani first gained inspiration for the style while shooting the music video for "Cool" in Lake Como, Italy. During the shoot, Stefani saw her No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal and his girlfriend, who had on a "long, peach, polyester [late-1970s style] dress". It was this dress that got Stefani thinking "about Michelle Pfeiffer and how amazingly styled she was [in Scarface]", which in turn drew inspiration for the cover.[10] The pair of oversized sunglasses on the album cover is intended to represent her "guarded exterior", and the other images symbolize her various emotions.[11]

Composition

[edit]
Stefani performing "Wind It Up" during the Sweet Escape Tour

The Sweet Escape is a primarily dance-pop, electropop, and rap album,[12][13] featuring themes of romantic situations and details of her career and personal life, while sonically the album features "sparsely rhythmic tracks where she chants as much as she sings" and "pop songs that aim for choruses."[14] The album opens with "Wind It Up", which features fanfares and samples from The Sound of Music's "The Lonely Goatherd", having "material-minded lyrics touting her fashion line and her shape."[15] The second and title track, "The Sweet Escape", is a dance and doo-wop song,[15][16][17] which features Akon providing a "wee-oh!" hook,[15] with lyrics about a "feisty sort of apology."[16] "Orange County Girl" is an autobiographical rap song,[15] where Stefani shows how she is "grateful for her success while recalling the simpler days of her youth."[18] The album's first ballad, "Early Winter", has influences of 1980s soft rock and lyrics about the need for fidelity and transparency in romantic relationship.[18] "Now That You Got It" features military snare drums, loping hip-hop beat and a staccato piano sample.[14][17] Its lyrics has Stefani "act[ing] as if she's doing a lover a favor and challenges him to come through."[18]

The sixth track "4 in the Morning" is a 1980s-inspired synth-pop ballad[19] that lyrically deals with a relationship on the edge,[20] while "Yummy" is a dance song, with a tribal rhythm,[21] cameo by Pharrell Williams and lyrics that finds Stefani declaring that "making babies leaves her eager to feel sexy again."[18] "Fluorescent" features Angelo Moore on saxophone,[22] and was compared to the works of Madonna and Prince,[15] while "Breakin' Up" has influences of hip hop[21] and electronica[13] and it is "a breakup song built on a dying cell phone metaphor."[15] The tenth track, "Don't Get It Twisted", talks about an unexpected pregnancy,[14] in a song influenced by reggaeton.[17][21] "U Started It" was noted for having "lilting melody, silken harmonies, and pizzicato strings",[15] while the final track, "Wonderful Life", was named a Depeche Mode-style synth ballad about how much she misses her first love and how the person had a profound impact on her.[23][18]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic58/100[24]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[25]
The Guardian[13]
NME4/10[26]
The Observer[27]
Pitchfork6.5/10[17]
PopMatters4/10[16]
Q[28]
Rolling Stone[23]
Slant Magazine[29]

The Sweet Escape received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 58, based on 24 reviews.[24] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote, "From the stilted production to the fashion fetish, all the way down to her decision to rap on far too much of the album, all the dance-pop here seems like a pose."[15] Alex Miller of NME was more emphatic, dubbing it "this year's bargain-bin fodder", and stated that "the majority of this record serves only to bury what made Gwen Stefani unique in the first place."[26] At Entertainment Weekly, Sia Michel noted that the album "has a surprisingly moody, lightly autobiographical feel" but that "Stefani isn't convincing as a dissatisfied diva".[25] Pitchfork's Mark Pytlik described the album's oddities as a career risk for Stefani, where most of the "gonzo pop songs yield some degree of payout" but that Stefani's tight scheduling during production of the album leaves the result "somewhere between the vanguard and the insipid."[17] Paul Flynn of The Observer characterized the album as less interesting than Fergie's The Dutchess and Nelly Furtado's Loose.[27] Robert Christgau cited the song "Yummy" as a "choice cut" ((choice cut)).[30]

The album received criticism for its similarities to Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine opined that "[h]istory will likely view The Sweet Escape as a retread of Stefani's well-received solo debut, but it shares that album's general inconsistency and, thus, its peaks and valleys".[29] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone agreed, viewing it as "her hasty return" to music lacking the energy of L.A.M.B. and in which "she sounds exhausted."[23] The New York Times' Jon Pareles commented that Stefani "rebooks some of the same producers and repeats some of the old tricks with less flair", adding that "superficiality is more fun when it doesn't get so whiny."[14] Caroline Sullivan disagreed in her review for The Guardian, in which she stated that although some of the songs date back to the 2003 writing sessions for L.A.M.B., "generally The Sweet Escape feels minty-fresh."[13] Quentin B. Huff of PopMatters, however, referred to The Sweet Escape as L.A.M.B.: Reloaded and described The Sweet Escape and L.A.M.B. as "the same album, just add more rap, a glossy Next-Top-Model-ish photo for the cover, and a few more recent-sounding influences."[16]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The Sweet Escape debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 243,000 copies in its first week.[31] It sold another 149,000 copies during its second week, falling to number 14.[32] The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 25, 2007,[33] and had sold 1,733,000 copies in the United States by February 2016.[34] The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) certified The Sweet Escape platinum eight days prior to the album's release, and double platinum on March 5, 2007.[35]

In the United Kingdom, The Sweet Escape debuted at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 33,632 copies.[36] Three months later, on March 4, 2007, the album reached a new peak position of number 14.[37] It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on July 22, 2013[38] and, as of March 2016, has sold 365,143 copies in the UK.[39] The album was moderately successful across Europe, peaking in the top 10 in Norway and Switzerland; the top 20 in Austria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Sweden; and the top 40 in Belgium, Denmark, France and the Netherlands.[40][41][42] The Sweet Escape reached number two for two consecutive weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart in Australia,[43] and was certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[44]

The Sweet Escape Tour

[edit]
Main article: The Sweet Escape Tour
Stefani and Akon performing title track "The Sweet Escape" during The Sweet Escape Tour

The Sweet Escape Tour was Stefani's follow-up to the Harajuku Lovers Tour. It went worldwide as compared to her previous tour which was constricted only to North America and had more than double the number of shows. It was Stefani's last solo effort as she rejoined her band No Doubt after the tour ended.[45] The main feature were usage of various props such as a prison for Stefani's opening act, a six-piece band and a large multimedia screen in the backdrop showing videos and animations.[46]

The tour had its own set of controversies. A group of students making up for The National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students banned Stefani's concert that was slated to take place on August 21, 2007, at Putra Indoor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. The union's vice president, Abdul Muntaqim, said, "Her performance and her attire are not suitable for our culture. It promotes a certain degree of obscenity and will encourage youth to emulate the western lifestyle. The concert should be stopped." The organizer of the event, Maxis Communications, later responded, "Stefani has confirmed that her concert will not feature any revealing costumes. She will abide by the Malaysian authorities' guidelines to ensure that her show will not be offensive to local sensitivities."[47] In April 2007, Akon, one of the tour's opening acts, drew criticism for engaging in on-stage dirty dancing with a 14-year-old girl at a club in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as part of a fake contest.[48][49] As a result, Verizon Wireless terminated its sponsorship of the tour.[50]

Stefani donated $166,000 from her October 30, 2007, concert in San Diego to the San Diego Foundation, in benefit of the victims of the October 2007 California wildfires.[51] On her June 22 and June 23 concerts in Irvine, California, Stefani was joined onstage by her No Doubt bandmates. They performed the band's songs "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs", "Sunday Morning", "Hella Good", and their cover of Talk Talk's "It's My Life".[52]

Track listing

[edit]
The Sweet Escape track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Wind It Up"
3:09
2."The Sweet Escape" (featuring Akon)
  • Thiam
  • Tuinfort[c]
4:06
3."Orange County Girl"
  • Stefani
  • Williams
The Neptunes3:23
4."Early Winter"
4:44
5."Now That You Got It"
2:59
6."4 in the Morning"
4:51
7."Yummy" (featuring Pharrell)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
The Neptunes4:56
8."Fluorescent"
  • Stefani
  • Kanal
4:18
9."Breakin' Up"
  • Stefani
  • Williams
The Neptunes3:46
10."Don't Get It Twisted"
  • Stefani
  • Kanal
3:36
11."U Started It"
  • Stefani
  • Williams
  • The Neptunes
  • Stent[a]
3:08
12."Wonderful Life"
3:58
Total length:46:54
International edition bonus track[53]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Wind It Up" (Harajuku Lovers Live version)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
Guy Charbonneau3:24
Total length:50:18
Australian and UK edition bonus video[54][55]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Orange County Girl" (Harajuku Lovers Live version)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
Charbonneau5:06
Total length:55:24
Japanese edition bonus video[56]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Wind It Up" (Harajuku Lovers Live version)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
Charbonneau3:24
Total length:58:48
US iTunes Store edition bonus tracks[57]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Wind It Up" (Original Neptunes Mix)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
  • The Neptunes
  • Stent[a]
3:08
14."Wind It Up" (live) (video)
  • Stefani
  • Williams
Charbonneau3:24
Total length:53:26
Target edition bonus DVD[58]
No.TitleLength
1."Sessions@AOL Interview" (The Making of L.A.M.B.) 
2."Behind-the-Scenes Footage" (The L.A.M.B. Tour) 
3."Wind It Up" (live performance) 
4."The Making of 'Wind It Up'" 
5."The Making of The Sweet Escape" 

Notes[59]

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[b] signifies an orchestra producer
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[d] signifies an additional vocal producer
  • "Wind It Up" contains interpolations from the composition "The Lonely Goatherd", written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Sweet Escape.[59]

Musicians

[edit]
  • Gwen Stefani – vocals
  • Talent Bootcamp Kids – additional vocals (track 1)
  • Pete Davis – additional mix programming (tracks 1, 4–6, 8, 10–12); additional keyboards (tracks 1, 4–6, 8, 10–12)
  • Akon – vocals, programming, keyboards (track 2)
  • Giorgio Tuinfort – programming, keyboards (track 2)
  • Tony Love – guitar (track 2)
  • Aidan Love – programming (track 4)
  • Tim Rice-Oxley – piano, keyboards (track 4)
  • Mark Ralph – guitar (track 4)
  • Greg Collins – bass guitar (track 4); guitar (track 6)
  • Loren Dawson – keyboards (track 5)
  • Sean Garrett – backing vocals (track 5)
  • Neil Kanal – programming (tracks 6, 8, 10); keyboards (track 10)
  • Tony Kanal – programming, keyboards (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Gabrial McNair – keyboards (tracks 6, 8); trombone, baritone (track 10)
  • Matt Beck – guitar (track 6)
  • Pharrell – vocals (track 7)
  • Kingston James McGregor Rossdale – baby sounds (track 7)
  • Angelo Moore – saxophone (track 8)
  • Alex Dromgoole – guitar (tracks 8, 10); bass guitar (track 10)
  • David Emery – guitar (track 8)
  • Stephen Bradley – trumpet, baritone (track 10)
  • Scheila Gonzalez – saxophone, flute, clarinet (track 10)
  • Anthony LoGerfo – percussion (track 10)
  • Ewan Pearson – programming (track 12)
  • Martin Gore – guitar (track 12)
  • Richard Hawley – guitar (track 12)

Technical

[edit]
  • The Neptunes – production (tracks 1, 3, 7, 9, 11)
  • Brian Garten – recording (tracks 1, 3, 7, 9)
  • Ron Fair – orchestra production (track 1)
  • Hart Gunther – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 3, 9)
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – additional production (tracks 1, 4, 6, 8, 10–12); mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 8–12)
  • Alex Dromgoole – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 8–12)
  • David Emery – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 8–12)
  • Akon – production (track 2)
  • Giorgio Tuinfort – co-production (track 2)
  • Mark "Exit" Goodchild – recording (track 2)
  • Bojan Dugic – recording (track 2)
  • Keith Gretlein – recording (track 2)
  • Kevin Mills – recording (tracks 2, 5); engineering assistance (track 12)
  • Yvan Bing – engineering assistance (track 2)
  • Rich Travali – mixing (track 3)
  • Nellee Hooper – production (tracks 4, 12)
  • Greg Collins – recording (tracks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12); additional vocal production (tracks 6, 10); additional vocals recording (track 11)
  • Ian Rossiter – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 12)
  • Swizz Beatz – production (track 5)
  • Sean Garrett – co-production (track 5)
  • Angel Aponte – additional recording (track 5)
  • Glenn Pittman – engineering assistance (track 5)
  • Steve Tolle – engineering assistance (track 5)
  • Tony Kanal – production (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Neil Kanal – recording (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Colin Mitchell – recording (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Andrew Alekel – recording (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Dror Mohar – engineering assistance (tracks 6, 8, 10)
  • Andrew Coleman – recording (tracks 7, 11)
  • Ryan Kennedy – engineering assistance (track 7)
  • Phil Tan – mixing (track 7)
  • Julian Chan – recording (track 8)
  • Jonathan Merritt – recording (track 8)
  • Jason Finkel – engineering assistance (track 11)
  • Simon Gogerly – recording (track 12)
  • Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)

Artwork

[edit]
  • Jill Greenberg – photography, fine art concept
  • Jolie Clemens – art direction, layout
  • Nicole Frantz – photography, art and packaging coordination
  • Cindy Cooper – photography, art and packaging coordination

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for The Sweet Escape
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[35] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[103] Gold 20,000^
Germany (BVMI)[104] Gold 100,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ)[105] Gold 3,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[106] Gold 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[107] Platinum 15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[108] Gold 20,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[109] Gold 10,000*
Russia (NFPF)[110] 2× Platinum 40,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[111] Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Platinum 365,143[39]
United States (RIAA)[33] 2× Platinum 1,733,000[34]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history for The Sweet Escape
Region Date Label Ref.
Australia December 1, 2006 Universal [55]
Germany [112]
Netherlands [113]
France December 4, 2006 [114]
United Kingdom Polydor [54]
United States December 5, 2006 Interscope [115]
Sweden December 6, 2006 Universal [116]
Italy December 7, 2006 [117]
Japan January 31, 2007 [118]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Tracks 1, 3, 7 and 9
  2. ^ Tracks 1 and 7
  3. ^ Track 1
  4. ^ Tracks 2 and 11
  5. ^ Track 2
  6. ^ Tracks 2, 5 and 12
  7. ^ Tracks 4 and 12
  8. ^ Track 5
  9. ^ Tracks 6, 8 and 10
  10. ^ Tracks 6 and 10
  11. ^ Tracks 6, 8, 10 and 11
  12. ^ Track 8
  13. ^ Track 9
  14. ^ Track 10

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "No Doubt 'will return'". NME. November 10, 2005. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer; Pak, SuChin; Reid, Shaheem (November 11, 2005). "Gwen Cheats On Gavin To Make Family-Affair LP With Pharrell". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  3. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Gwen Stefani, Gang Of Four, Korn, Christina Aguilera, Jewel, 'Idol' & More". MTV News. July 25, 2005. Archived from the original on December 6, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  4. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (September 19, 2005). "Gwen Stefani's New LP, The Sweet Escape, Set For December". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  5. ^ Stevenson, Jane (December 10, 2005). "Air Canada Centre, Toronto – December 9, 2005". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2016 – via Jam!.
  6. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (December 24, 2005). "Gwen Stefani Confirms Pregnancy While Onstage In Florida". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  7. ^ Salmon, Chris (March 2, 2007). "'I just want to make music and babies'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  8. ^ Glaister, Dan (July 26, 2006). "Critics call foul over LA exhibition". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  9. ^ Doherty, Mike (December 5, 2006). "The thrills are alive: Gwen Stefani's new disc". National Post. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
  10. ^ Collins, Clark (November 22, 2006). "Holla Back". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  11. ^ "Q&A". GwenStefani.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
  12. ^ Day, Elizabeth (September 23, 2007). "She's a can-do kind of woman". The Guardian. Retrieved August 23, 2015. The Sweet Escape album, a catchy confection of offbeat electro-pop and rap, ...
  13. ^ a b c d Sullivan, Caroline (December 1, 2006). "Gwen Stefani, The Sweet Escape". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c d Pareles, Jon (December 4, 2006). "Critics' Choice: New CDs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani". AllMusic. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  16. ^ a b c d Huff, Quentin B. (December 14, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". PopMatters. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  17. ^ a b c d e Pytlik, Mark (December 7, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
  18. ^ a b c d e Hoose, Bob. "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". Plugged In (publication). Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  19. ^ Levine, Nick (June 21, 2007). "Gwen Stefani: '4 In The Morning'". Digital Spy. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  20. ^ Lamb, Bill. "Gwen Stefani – 4 in the Morning". About.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
  21. ^ a b c du Lac, J. Freedom (December 5, 2007). "From Gwen Stefani, A Madcap Mash-Up". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  22. ^ Merwin, Charles (December 6, 2006). "Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  23. ^ a b c Sheffield, Rob (December 12, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 20, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
  24. ^ a b "The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  25. ^ a b Michel, Sia (December 1, 2006). "The Sweet Escape". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Miller, Alex (December 1, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". NME. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
  27. ^ a b Flynn, Paul (December 10, 2006). "Gwen Stefani, The Sweet Escape". The Observer. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  28. ^ While The Sweet Escape is not as garishly over-the-top as its predecessor, Stefani maintains an admirably off-kilter sound, catchy yet electronically edgy. [Feb 2007, p.106]
  29. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (December 1, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  30. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Gwen Stefani". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  31. ^ Hasty, Katie (December 13, 2006). "Ciara, Eminem, Stefani Overtake The Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  32. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (December 20, 2006). "Young Jeezy, Hicks Enter Atop The Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  33. ^ a b "American album certifications – Gwen Stefani – Sweet Escape". Recording Industry Association of America. July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  34. ^ a b "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  35. ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Music Canada. March 5, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  36. ^ Jones, Alan (December 11, 2006). "Take That make it three weeks atop singles chart". Music Week. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  37. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  38. ^ a b "British album certifications – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". British Phonographic Industry. July 22, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  39. ^ a b Jones, Alan (March 25, 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Adele holds off James, Iggy at albums summit". Music Week. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  40. ^ a b c "Ultratop.be – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
  41. ^ a b "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2007. 27. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  42. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography Gwen Stefani". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  43. ^ a b "Australiancharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  44. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  45. ^ Greene, Andy (June 7, 2007). "No Doubt Hit the Studio; Gwen Stefani Oversees Proceedings From Afar". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  46. ^ Davis, Aaron (November 2, 2007). "Gwen Stefani puts on pop performance at arena". The Record. Retrieved March 18, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  47. ^ "Malaysian group urges ban on Gwen Stefani concert". Reuters. July 31, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  48. ^ Telesford, Nigel (April 14, 2007). "Akon 'cons' Trinidad". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  49. ^ Ramnarine, Kristy (April 20, 2007). "Zen owner: Age limit 21 for club". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  50. ^ Leeds, Jeff (May 10, 2007). "Verizon Drops Pop Singer From Ads". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  51. ^ Hall, Sarah (October 29, 2007). "Gwen Stefani's Sweet Donate". E! News. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  52. ^ Kaufman, Gil (June 25, 2007). "Gwen Stefani And No Doubt Surprise Fans With Hometown Reunion". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  53. ^ "The Sweet Escape: Gwen Stefani". Amazon (Germany) (in German). Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  54. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani: Sweet Escape". HMV. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  55. ^ a b "Sweet Escape, The – Stefani, Gwen". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  56. ^ "The Sweet Escape : Gwen Stefani". HMV Japan. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  57. ^ "The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  58. ^ The Sweet Escape (Target exclusive edition liner notes). Gwen Stefani. Interscope Records. 2006. B0008261-00.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  59. ^ a b The Sweet Escape (liner notes). Gwen Stefani. Interscope Records. 2006. B0008099-02 IN02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  60. ^ "ARIA Urban Album Chart – Week Commencing 11th December 2006" (PDF). The ARIA Report. No. 875. December 11, 2006. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  61. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  62. ^ "Ultratop.be – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
  63. ^ "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  64. ^ "Top Kombiniranih – Tjedan 2. 2007" [Top Combined – Week 2, 2007] (in Croatian). Top of the Shops. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  65. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 04.Týden 2007 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  66. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  67. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  68. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 11. March 18, 2006. ISSN 0006-2510.
  69. ^ "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  70. ^ "Lescharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  71. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  72. ^ "Top 50 Ελληνικών και Ξένων Αλμπουμ" [Top 50 Greek and Foreign Albums] (in Greek). IFPI Greece. December 31, 2006 – January 6, 2007. Archived from the original on January 4, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  73. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  74. ^ スウィート・エスケイプ | グウェン・ステファニー [Sweet Escape | Gwen Stefani] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  75. ^ "Mexicancharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
  76. ^ "Charts.nz – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  77. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  78. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  79. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  80. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  81. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  82. ^ "Taiwan 50/2006" (in Chinese). Five-Music. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  83. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  84. ^ "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  85. ^ "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  86. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  87. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  88. ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2006" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 5. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  89. ^ "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2006" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  90. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  91. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  92. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 2007". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  93. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2007 – Albums" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  94. ^ "Year End Charts – European Top 100 Albums". Billboard. 2007. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  95. ^ "Classement Albums – année 2007" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  96. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2007" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  97. ^ "Összesített album- és válogatáslemez-lista – chart-pozíció alapján – 2007" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  98. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  99. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  100. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  101. ^ "Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard.biz. 2007. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  102. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  103. ^ "Guld og platin i august og september" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. September 28, 2007. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  104. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Gwen Stefani; 'The Sweet Escape')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  105. ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2007" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  106. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved January 4, 2010. Select 2007年03月 on the drop-down menu
  107. ^ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  108. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  109. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2007 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. November 19, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  110. ^ "Russian album certifications – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape" (in Russian). National Federation of Phonogram Producers (NFPF). Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  111. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('The Sweet Escape')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  112. ^ "Gwen Stefani | The Sweet Escape" (in German). Universal Music Germany. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  113. ^ "The Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani". bol.com (in Dutch). Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  114. ^ "The sweet escape – Gwen Stefani" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  115. ^ "Gwen Stefani : Releases : The Sweet Escape". Interscope Records. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  116. ^ "Sweet Escape – Stefani Gwen" (select "Specifikation" tab). CDON (in Swedish). Sweden. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  117. ^ "Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape". IBS.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  118. ^ スウィート・エスケイプ [The Sweet Escape] (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved January 22, 2014.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sweet_Escape&oldid=1255585200"