Mother. Actress. Pop star. Former Dairy Queen employee? All of these words describe Gwen Stefani. Since her 1992 debut as the charismatic front woman for No Doubt, she has proved she possesses the staying power that rising stars can only dream about.No Doubt rose to super stardom with the release of their third album “Tragic Kingdom,” which went on to sell more than 15 million copies worldwide. Other albums released were “Return of Saturn” in 2000, “Rock Steady” in 2001 and “The Singles 1992-2003” in 2003.Then Stefani bravely stepped out as a solo act.With the release of 2004’s “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” critics weren’t sure what to expect. They all assumed she would stick to her ska roots, but surprised them all with a dance album that sold more than 310,000 in its first week.”Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” spawned many hits, including “Hollaback Girl” which became the first U.S. digital download to legally sell more than 1 million copies.In addition to her first solo album, Stefani became a fashion designer. Her L.A.M.B line and more recent Harajuku Lovers line offer offbeat clothing, hang bags and accessories.In addition to her many projects, her sophomore album “The Sweet Escape” was released on Tuesday.This album is a dance record but is much different than her previous solo release. In a statement from No Doubt’s Web site Stefani said of her new album, “This album is surprisingly different than the last one. The dance sound is very ‘now.’ It’s modern … not so retro.” I would use these exact words to describe this album. “The Sweet Escape” has an almost futuristic quality to it.This is due in part to producing duo The Neptunes. Producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are well known for their unique sound. They have been able to identify themselves as true innovators in the music industry by using instruments like snare drums, synthesizers and sampling keyboards, and as such, Stefani’s sophomore release is like a golden child for The Neptunes.But admittedly the first time I heard the album I wasn’t a huge fan. But then a friend told me that it would take me a couple times to learn to love it, so I took her advice.The first single, “Wind It Up,” is a key track to the overall feel of the album. Sampling from the musical “The Sound of Music” it is a great dance song. It is an East-meets-West kind of thing. Yodeling on top of snare beats make the song pure ear candy.Another standout track is “Yummy.” It features an appearance from Pharrell. His finger prints are all over this song. Snippets of video game sound effects, bongos and bells are heard. These interesting qualities make this a great track.Although this is mostly a dance album, a couple slow songs are scattered throughout.The track “Early Winter” is reminiscent of Madonna or Blondie’s early stuff. Although it is painful, all good things must come to an end and that is what the couple in the song is experiencing.”The Sweet Escape” is ahead of its time. Catchy hooks, imaginative lyrics and overall creativity will propel the album well into 2007.