Gwen Stefani, ‘Bouquet’: new album release, instant reaction live review

So, there we have it, the 33 minutes and 10 seconds that compose Bouquet. 

The initial feeling is that this is a record with too many songs that fail to hit the mark and only the excellent Reminders being the sole track that really impressed on first listen. 

The singles, Somebody Else's and Swallow My Tears are some of the record's stronger tracks and there is a period from track 3, Pretty, through to track 6, Late to Bloom where the music just passed me by without anything redeeming to pick up on.

Fortunately things do improve with the album's latter tracks, including the excellent Reminders and the solid All Your Fault leading into Purple Irises. 

A personal record from Stefani who wears her heart on her sleeve and is happy to share with the world the happiness that meeting Shelton has brought but too many tracks on the album meander into tame formulaic pop-rock territory. 

10) Purple Irises (with Blake Shelton)

Another we were familiar with pre-release and it's a duet with husband Shelton and a very personal track about love and the trials and tribulations of aging.

Quite clearly, Stefani is truly happy with her new husband after a difficult separation from Rossdale and this new found joy is the key inspiration for the track and indeed album.

9) All Your Fault

The Diane Warren penned track.

Another solid pop track that bobs along pleasantly.

The album has gotten better as it advances and just dips with tracks 3, 4 and 5.

8) Reminders

A slower tempo track and again, Stefani's voice soars and stands out.

Do like the chorus here.

This is possibly the best of the new tracks to date on Bouquet in my humble opinion. 

Yes, a solid track and rather good !

7) Swallow My Tears

Stefani slows the pace down at the start of the track and her voice really suits those mellow drops.

One of the better tracks on the record and one of the three that we were aware of pre-release. 

A solid track and one that certainly works on repeated listen ... maybe the previous tracks will be growers ....

6) Late to Bloom

I'm now starting to get J Lo vibes with her various tracks proclaiming her love for Ben Affleck, that to be honest grated after a while.

This is similar, every track is about how meeting Shelton has transformed her live .... the songs, to be fair are far from groundbreaking and the past three have drifted by in unspectacular fashion.

Formulaic pop-rock !

5) Marigolds

Gwen manages to make miracle and spiritual rhyme and it jolts !

A rhythm track that reminds me of a speeded up 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police.

Again, a very personal track and another ode to her relationship:

They said we'd end up hurt
They said it wouldn't work
Our love can't be controlled
And now we're layin' on a bed of marigolds

4) Empty Vase

Pretty was 'pretty' bland it has to be said ...

Another floral reference track and another track about new found love and how Gwen's Empty Vase has been filled by flowers.

The album, it has to be said is very honest, open and personal with plenty of references from Stefani about her sons.

Empty Vase is ... not bad ... 

3) Pretty

With a chorus of 

I, I-I-I-I, I never felt pretty 'til you loved me
I always felt pretty, pretty, pretty unlucky
I, I-I-I-I, I nevеr felt pretty 'til you loved mе
And now I feel pretty, pretty, pretty lucky

another track that celebrates her romance with the Oklahoma native.

Another mid paced pop-rock effort but nothing remarkable on first listen it has to be said.

2) Bouquet

Album title track and another song with a 'floral theme'.

We met when my heart was broken
Thank God that yours was too
So lucky that you were goin'
Through what I was goin' through

Quite clearly a nod to Mr. B. Shelton.

A decent pop rock track with Gwen showing her heart on her sleeve. The country influence, whilst not evident can be detected subtly below the surface ! 

1) Somebody Else's

Off we go with the powerful Somebody Else's, released at the end of the September and well received by radio in the US and Japan.

Now that I found the real thing
You don't compare
And I don't care

Certainly seem like these lyrics could be aimed at an ex !

As someone pointed out on social media, a track that sounds like The Killers meets The Cars !

Bouquet is imminent

We're into the final countdown ahead of the new album... 

We start with the familiar Somebody Else's and wrap up in just over thirty minutes ... 

2 x vinyl formats of Bouquet

Vinyl fans have been well catered for with not one, but two vinyl versions of the new album being released. 

Both are web only releases and feature a blue vinyl edition along with a Bouquet picture disc.

Gwen confirms UK tour dates for 2025

Although there are no US shows pencilled in at present, fans in the UK can look forward to six Stefani shows next June with two standout gigs at London's Hyde Park.

Friday 23 June – Warwick Castle, Warwick
Saturday 24 June – American Express presents BST Hyde Park, London
Sunday 25 June – American Express presents BST Hyde Park, London
Tuesday 27 June – Harewood House, Leeds
Wednesday 28 June – Bolesworth Castle, Chester
Thursday 29 June – Broadlands Estate, Romsey

The theme of flowers seems to be a constant in the record...Empty Vase, Marigolds and the duet with husband Blake Shelton, 'Purple Irises'.

Early Winter

Please allow this moment of self indulgence with my personal favourite from the Gwen Stefani solo songbook... absolutely sublime and penned by the gents from English band Keane. 

The Jacques Lu Cont remix of 'What You Waiting' for' is a close second. 

The Cars meets The Killers is how some fans have described 'Somebody Else's'... not a bad shout !

Stefani's voice still sounds excellent on all three tracks from the record that have seen the light of day.

The Making of Bouquet

A nice social media post from Gwen as she talks about the recording inspiration behind the new record.

All tracks are co-written by Stefani herself along with Fred Ball, Jacob Kasher, Hindlin, Nick Long, Madison Love, Jake Torrey and Henry Walter.

The great Dianne Warren has contributed the lyrics to track 9: 'All Your Fault' which is certainly one to look out for.

The record in its entirety was produced by Scott Hendricks (who has worked with the likes of Faith Hill, Alan Jackson and Drew Parker in the past). 

So, 'how does this live review thing work' I hear you ask.

Well.... in roughly 45 minutes, as soon as the album drops, we'll go through each track and offer an non-partisan and objective review as the tracks unfold with the premise of being as unbiased as possible.

It goes without saying that some of the best music needs repeated listening !

The album itself is pretty short with the ten tracks clocking in at just over 33 minutes.

The public figure of Gwen Stefani

After finding fame with No Doubt, Stefani married Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale with the couple splitting acrimoniously after 12 years with the couple having three children.

Stefani is highly popular for her appearances on a number of series' of The Voice and remarried country star Blake Shelton in OKC in 2021 with the 48-year-old's musical influences apparent on Stefani's latest musical output.

Somebody Else's on Kimmel

Stefani performed the track live on Kimmel live on 1 October in front of a live audience.

"Somebody Else's" is the first single from the album and was released on September 20. The track has performed well in the US reaching number 23 on the Adult Airplay chart. In Japan (a big market for Stefani), "Somebody Else's" appeared on Billboard Japan's Hot Overseas chart at number 9.

Despite Stefani stating that Bouquet is not a country album, there has been a wider shift of high profile pop stars embracing the genre with the likes of Beyoncé's ‘Cowboy Carter‘ with Post Malone showing her musical versatility with the summer's 'F-1 Trillion’.

Bouquet: tracklisting

Bouquet - Tracklist

1.    Somebody Else’s

2.    Bouquet

3.    Pretty

4.    Empty Vase

5.    Marigolds

6.    Late to Bloom

7.    Swallow My Tears

8.    Reminders

9.    All Your Fault

10.   Purple Irises (with Blake Shelton) 

The Fullerton (California) born Stefani described new album Bouquet as being full of "seventies pop-rock radio gems" with Nashville influence.

The Blake Shelton influence is very apparent it would appear.

'Swallow my Tears'

A belter of a second single from the album, Swallow my Tears was released on 25 October.

Ten new tracks to look forward to from the former No Doubt singer and Gwen's first studio offering since the 2017 holiday album, 'You Make it Feel Like Christmas'

Hello and welcome to our live review of Gwen Stefani's brand new studio album 'Bouquet'