Music Notes: No Doubt, Rock Steady

September 18th, 2006

Tanja received a box of promo CDs from a record label, so I think it will be fun for me to post my aging, Gen X thoughts about this “new music.”

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Music My introduction to No Doubt was in Hawaii, riding in a car with my brother blasting Tragic Kingdom along with Sublime and Bob Marley. On Rock Steady, the 80s recycling vibe is in full force, as No Doubt pilfers Funky Town, Blondie, Gary Numan, Siouxie and the Banshees, Prince, and Boy George. For example, on the song Underneath It All, it’s impossible not to hear “Do you really want to hurt me … underneath it all.”

To be fair, Stefani has a voice with chops, character, and control, a rare combination. She takes a lot of this admittedly mediocre material to another level. In My Head would be meaningless without the vocal contrast of the whispered verses and belted chorus.

My favorite songs are stacked at the front: Hella Good, Hey Baby, and Underneath It All, after which exists a huge swath of aimless keyboard bleeps and disco drumming until In My Head. By the time the album closer Rock Steady arrives, whatever promise established from the first few tracks is lost.

After this 2001 release, Gwen Stefani recorded the solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. which in terms of audacity alone, I find much preferable to Rock Steady. Stefani is likely in the realm of singers who have outgrown their bands en route to bigger fame.