by Michael McCarthy
When I heard that Gwen Stefani was making a country album, I shrieked.
I was a fan of No Doubt, but Gwen Stefani’s first two solo albums are my favorite things she’s done. Both truly brilliant albums and very innovative.
When I heard that Gwen Stefani was releasing a new album, I was only slightly excited because I wasn’t a fan of her last one. I think she released a couple in a row that I didn’t really care for. In any case, then I heard that her new album was going to a COUNTRY album and I lost all interest. I know lots of people love Beyonce’s country album, but I didn’t care for it at all. Granted, I’m not a huge Beyonce fan, but I just didn’t think it was a particularly good album. So if I didn’t like Beyonce’s insanely popular country album and I didn’t care for Gwen Stefani’s music that’s been released during the last several years, I certainly did not think I would like a Gwen Stefani country album.
But I was slightly curious so I started listening to it this morning. The album is called Bouquet. And you know what? I love it. The songs are gorgeous and catchy and she sounds wonderful and the production is top notch. I really can’t say a bad thing about it. I already think it’s one of the best things she’s ever done. Gwen’s voice is nothing like Taylor Swift’s, but the style of the music production reminds me of Taylor Swift’s album Red, the one that was a mix of country and pop before she totally went all in on pop.
I also have to say — this album sounds the way I wish most country albums released today would sound. It has all the best elements of modern country but none of the cheesy stuff. She doesn’t sing it with an exaggerated southern accent and there’s no honky tonk sounding stuff or songs about getting drunk or faux patriot anthems. All the things I hate about modern country are absent here.
I highly recommend this one.
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