Well, it's taken its time getting here, but the pop album of the year has finally arrived. Finally liberated from her ska-punk backing band No Doubt, Gwen Stefani has brought a host of top-notch collaborators on board for her first solo effort, including Eve, the Neptunes and Dr Dre - and the result is a gloriously kitsch classic that's about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. The music blends 80s synth-pop with up to the minute R'n'B, complete with hip-swivelling melodies that would grace any of Madonna's classic albums. Best of all, Stefani's voice has been transformed from the Minnie Mouse squeak of old into a fruitier instrument that's far better suited to her new role as a pop diva. Bright, bold and highly infectious, Love Angel Music Baby is packed with electro-pop classics that will be filling dance floors well into 2005. Go on, indulge yourself.
