Gwen Stefani – This Is What The Truth Feels Like (2016)

June 2, 2016

It’s been a while since the last Gwen Stefani solo album, and being a No Doubt fan and enjoying the bands last release (Push and Shove), I was interested to hear how this new solo effort would sound, and mainly the vibe it’d have this time around.

Opening track “Misery” is a great introduction to the album; and in regards to the route the album goes down, this album is an awful lot less R’n’B/hip hop-influenced than any previous Gwen Stefani solo releases (which may or may not be of preference for some listeners). However, I’d say this is a lot more closer to No Doubt’s latest sounds than that of the pop and R’n’B sounds Gwen has been known for as a solo artist.

There’s a really good sound to this album overall; a bold production filled with strong tracks, and very little – if any – filler. You can actually hear the reggae/ska vibes coming through in parts too; the sounds that have so obviously influenced the No Doubt sound and there is one track that shows this absolutely perfectly – “Where Would I Be”, which has a very chilled out and laid back ska-influenced groove. Aside from that, there is a nice mix of great pop songs.

I personally think this is the strongest record as a whole that Gwen has put out solo; her vocals shine throughout and we are presented with a very enjoyable solo comeback.