I know all my faithful blog readers have been wanting to ask me my thoughts on the new Gwen album and been too bashful. Fear not, I didn’t forget to buy the album at lunch yesterday during the gale force winds and smile all the way home. And don’t think I haven’t listened to it 10 times within the last 36 hours – what kind of girl do you take me for?

So far as the album goes, I’d never miss a new project of hers, but I’m not in love with it yet. I think it might be analogous to another sophomore project of hers, The Return of Saturn (admission: it’s not technically a sophomore album, and also, I still love it.) At the time, the reviewers said it was a typical sophomore slump, and I can see what they mean given the previous album and the extent to which it kicked butt. But—and this is what gives me hope—it was then followed with an Album of Great Strength (Rock Steady) . . . I can only hope that Gwen’s junior-year effort will have a similar success. Unfortunately, I don’t have the love yet for The Sweet Escape that I have for the Return of Saturn. Perhaps this will happen in its own sweet time.

So far as tracks go so far, I like Wind it Up, Early Winter, and “Don’t Get it Twisted.” And I dig the Sound of Music grabs, and the fake hair. (Perhaps she will do a video as a lion tamer, plain?)

That reminds me, one of my goals for 2-0-0-7 is to go and see Bonnie Raitt in person, hopefully with my Dad.