Imagine, if you will, a kingdom where every official decree is written in Old English lettering, where all women wear four inch platform heels, where every citizen is assigned four Japanese female muses named Love, Angel, Music, and Baby. This is Gwen Stefani’s world, and she’s Queen G.
Stefani, lead singer of pop-punk band No Doubt, busts out her solo debut like gangbusters. Despite its slower moments, “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” is a legitimate pop album that will dance you all the way to Japan’s Harajuku district.
“What You Waiting For?” the banger opening cut has Gwen panting and huffing over the stop watch beat, while her Harajuku girls make exclamations in the background. “Take a chance you stupid ho,” Stefani gasps, in this song which presumably is about herself, or at least another girl with a “million-dollar contract.”
It was a wise move to bookend the album with the best tracks at the beginning of the album (the other being her funky duet with Outkast’s Andre 3000 “Long Way To Go”). What was not a wise idea was recording as many ballads and weak attempts at hip hop as she did. When Stefani sticks with disco, she’s gold.
For as prolific as he is, Dr. Dre does a weak production of “Rich Girl,” which Stefani raps about her Harajuku girls, Love, Angel, Music, and Baby. Yes, they have names. Rap mistress Eve drops a few lines, but this song can’t compare to their previous collaboration “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.”
Between songs about Harajuku girls and backseat lovin’, the album covers a variety of material. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough songs that name check Egyptian cotton sheets, like in “Luxurious.” Still, in spite of the fluffy lyrical content, the bubbly beat rules supreme.
Speaking of bubbles, the catchy “Bubble Pop Electric” is reminiscent of an ’80s dance party. This is better suited to Queen Gwen. How could someone not picture Stefani pogoing like mad in her platforms to this?
The ubiquitous Neptunes provide “Hollaback Girl” with a minimalist melody and beat reminiscent of Britney Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U.” Gwen weakly flows over the track, but manages to avoid “American Life” territory. This, no doubt, is the result of her Harajuku girls watching her musical back.
The one slow song that really works for Stefani is “The Real Thing.” Not only do Lisa and Wendy of the Revolution play on the track, but it is co-written by Linda Perry, who has had a recent streak of success with such material. Images of Champagne and wispy pineapple-colored halter dresses come to mind, something fashion-minded Stefani wouldn’t mind.
Though “L.A.M.B.” is a highly-self conscious album (as well as a shameless plug for Stefani’s designer fashion line by the same name), what good pop album isn’t? As Stefani clearly states, she’s a cat in heat in a hot car. Get your wicked style on, Gwen!
