No Doubt

Tragic Kingdom

Whatever Happened to Stuff Like This?

Review Score:

(8/10)
This early album from No Doubt gives you a taste of how good the band was before the AWFUL "Rock Steady" which, by the way, fails miserably both to Rock and to be Steady. But, if you really want to listen to good stuff from a once-great band, "Tragic Kingdom" is definitely a good place to start.

Though it is on the lighter side of punk, this album is real, compelling, grab-you-by-your-collar music. Gwen Stefani shows effectively how much ... she can kick with vocals that manage to be grating, melodic, dramatic, and fun all at once. Brother Eric Stefani, on keyboard, creates sounds that range from humorous to creative and, on a couple of tracks, a little eerie. Tom Dumont does a masterful guitar, and Adrian Young's rythyms give the album its punk edge. But it's Tony Kanal, the bassist, who is truly unique. His bass is strong enough to add to most of the background, but subtle enough not to overpower everyone else.

All in all, this album, with its poetic lyrics and amazing talent is definitely not one to to miss. It truly baffles me that the group can go from a powerful, dynamic album like this, to "Rock Steady". Hopefully the next album can live up to the high standards that fans have set for No Doubt.

More Reviews: