About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

"Wind It Up," the first single from Gwen Stefani's upcoming second album The Sweet Escape, gets high marks for entertainment value, but an overall evaluation is messy. The classic Broadway musical hook worked like a charm for Gwen on "Rich Girl" from Love, Angel, Music, Baby, but this sounds almost like a retread of old ground. It introduces some nerves about the quality of the upcoming album.

Listen to "Wind It Up."

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Pros

• "The Lonely Goatherd" and its yodeling
• Signature Pharrell Percussion From the Neptunes' Production
• It is fun

Cons

• Lazy?
• Lacking Uniqueness This Time

Description

• Glorious "The Lonely Goatherd" sample complete with yodeling
• Fun percussion elements courtesy the Neptunes
• Messy lyrics about the beat getting under your skin

Guide Review - Gwen Stefani - Wind It Up

A year ago in late 2005 Gwen Stefani was making noises in public about having a second solo album out by Christmas. She said that it would include a number of tracks left over from the Love, Angel, Music, Baby sessions as well as some new material. However, the news came out shortly after that Gwen was pregnant and all hopes of seeing that new album right away quickly faded. Fast forward a year later and the album is indeed on its way, and the first single "Wind It Up" sounds like it could be left over from Love, Angel, Music, Baby.

"What You Waiting For?," the first single from Love, Angel, Music, Baby failed to impress audiences, but the second single "Rich Girl," built on the hook from Broadway classic Fiddler on the Roof, did the trick.

It was fresh, fun, and seemed to fit Gwen's style perfectly. "Wind It Up," built from the foundation of The Sound of Music's "The Lonely Goatherd," complete with yodels, would unquestionably fill the fresh, fun category if it weren't that it's a bit too much like "Rich Girl" all over again.

Despite the nagging "we've heard it before" feelings, don't miss the always-fun percussion elements from producers the Neptunes.