STEFANI, GWEN

Historically, it's a tricky endeavor for the singer from an enormously successful band to embark on a solo career. Gwen Stefani, the glamorous vocalist for No Doubt, sidesteps the issue on her first solo album, LOVE, ANGEL, MUSIC, BABY, by largely eschewing the No Doubt sound. In its place, there's a strong emphasis on the R&B and hip-hop flavors that were hinted at in preceding No Doubt records. Towards that end, Stefani gamely enlists the assistance of dr_dre_286555.html">Dr. Dre, the Neptunes, Andre 3000 of Outkast, and others, on an album that references everything from Japanese pop culture ("Harajuku Girls") to FIDLER ON THE ROOF ("Rich Girl," featuring rapper Eve). Sensual R&B rhythms, frenetic hip-hop beats, and yes, the occasional pop/rock echo of No Doubt, all share space on LOVE, ANGEL, MUSIC, BABY, filtered through a fun-loving, party-starting sensibility.

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