No Doubt : Releases >>
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The Singles 1992-2003 >>
Though they've suffered death, departure and fraught internal and external relationships, No Doubt have kept faith with fun throughout, as The Singles very clearly proves. As their troubles have made them far from prolific, it's culled almost entirely from three albums--Return of Saturn, Rock Steady and their mega-hit Tragic Kingdom--with just the quirky, warped ska of "Trapped in a Box" to represent their eponymously titled major label debut.
As said, it's excellent fun, from the opening power anthem "Just a Girl", through the ultra-modern, Madonna-like "Hey Baby" and the urgent, melodious power pop of "Excuse Me Mr" to the Chicago-style break-up ballad "Don't Speak". It's easy to see how this colourful band of Anaheim skanksters came to be seen as an energising antidote to the crushing male miserabilism of grunge. There are a few extras; a reverent cover of Talk Talk's "It's My Life", a dance-metal "Hey Baby" remix and a live repeat of the cute, Leonard Cohen-quoting "Underneath It All", featuring Gwen Stefani's vocal and a simple acoustic guitar. But, naturally, it's the hits that count and they're all here, every bouncing, beaming one of them. It's a fine testament to one of America's most enduring pop acts. --Dominic Wills
Tragic Kingdom >>
No Doubt's 1995 release, Tragic Kingdom, brought Southern California's ska scene to a national stage while elevating the band to star status. An irresistible mix of reggae, punk, and power pop, Tragic Kingdom scored several hits, among them "Spiderwebs," "Just a Girl," and "Don't Speak." Singer Gwen Stefani's looks made the group MTV shoo-ins, but her soaring voice is the real star, as evidenced by such songs as "Happy Now?"--a classic you'll-regret-you-dumped-me anthem that recalls Blondie--and the bouncy "Sunday Morning." Despite recurring themes of pain and regret, Tragic Kingdom manages to somehow feel sunny throughout. --Courtney Kemp
Rock Steady >>
Album released with 2 slightly different CD covers. One cover will have a black background and the other will have a white background. Orders will be filled at random.
Return of Saturn >>
After No Doubt sold more than 10 million copies of Tragic Kingdom, riding that wave of success without toppling over must have been a daunting mission. No sweat for No Doubt. The band toiled as national unknowns with a loyal local following for a decade before that album's release, and during that time the band members were learning how to be better songwriters and musicians. The follow-up, Return of Saturn, glides along that continuum of songcraft perfection. The band presents a cleaner, less apologist representation of their influences. They pull off some of the more difficult maneuvers of pure reggae, ground-pounding ska, and Cars-esque New Wave. Gwen Stefani, the fearless Orange County princess, belts a powerful pout, her Mae West-meets-Siouxsie Sioux vocal bravado the bungee cord that springs in between the band's retro tendencies and SoCal pop-punk attitude. It seems believable that she could stamp her foot and always get her way, but her self-deprecating confessions evade brattiness. Songs like "Bathwater" and "Ex-Girlfriend" reveal the singer's vulnerability to being hurt or dumped on, and the band's sense of humor and exploration (albeit firmly controlled) matches the songs' sentiments. This group is growing out and tightening up, and while the rest of the ska-punk surfer-dude bands do nothing more than repeat history, No Doubt is creating it. --Beth Massa
The Beacon Street Collection >>
No Doubt >>
Everything in Time >>
Boom Box >>
Tragic Kingdom >>
Rock Steady [Limited Edition w/ Bonus Tracks] >>