No Doubt - Now and Then:

NOW:

Ah The 'Doubt. I was very obsessed indeed with this punky spunky ska-pop band in the mid-late 90s, and indeed spilling over into the new millenium. So it fair brightened up my virus induced week when a new song popped onto the internet to promote their upcoming Gossip Girl performance (hey! When obsessions collide :P) and US tour. It's not a new band song, but rather a cover of the very ace Adam and the Ants classic Stand and Deliver, which was number one for five weeks back in 1981 (knocking the camptastic Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz off the top of the charts!!) It fits in nicely with the pogo-pop style of the group, and frankly sounds like they've never been away. If this had been a proper comeback single, I might have been slightly disappointed, but as something to tide fans over until their next album in 2010 it works rather well and is a decent marketing idea. Plus I am quite enjoying hearing it sung from a girls point of view. For much more about the original song and the group behind it, head on over to Worrapolava.

THEN:

It was 1996 when, much like the rest of the world I discovered No Doubt. I was working at a summer camp for disabled kids in Rochester, New York and having my ears opened to the likes of Jewel, Indigo Girls, Dave Matthews Band, er Rusted Root and of course No Doubt. It was the summer of the Star Chart (counsellors at the camp gave each other stars for doing daring, rule breaking things. Oh we were such outlaws, such rebels) and drinking games in some random field across from the campsite. Looking back on it now, my obsession with No Doubt (and their career successes) mirrors my obsession (and career success) of Maroon 5. Ridiculously successful first album (don't get all technical - i know it wasn't their first album, but it was the first listenable album in my opinion :P) with two brilliant pop singles before a world dominating ballad; a disappointing second album that was still beloved by some, including me; and a solid return to form (I'm predicting this for M5) with a third album before topping off their successes with a greatest hits. Tragic Kingdom was the soundtrack to my summer. Oddly, while of course I loved the power pop balladry of Don't Speak, it was far from my favourite track on the album and it's ridiculous overplay on radio and video meant I tired of it quickly in 1997. It was the other tracks that i repeated non stop and ad nauseum. Just A Girl was my girl power anthem while unbeknownst to me the Spicies were conquering the UK with a very similar but more blatently in your face message. Spiderwebs is another not particularly obvious anthem about breaking free from bad relationships, while Excuse Me Mister rushes along at a breakneck speed yet still manages to fit in this beautifully intricate piano riff in the middle eight that comes straight from a cowboy saloon bar (and one that i took ages to learn on piano and can still play note perfect to this day. Go me ;) ). And of course let's not forget the brilliant Christmas cover version Oi To The World (not on the album but out around about the same time) which scores major extra points for Gwen's delivery of the line "bag of crisps". Its punky yet it's totally pop and that's what won the masses over with this album. I think I saw the band live 6 times in 1996-1997 in the US and UK. Oh my!

Return of Saturn was less loved by the public, but no less beloved by me. They initially came back with a new song (literally) from the Go soundtrack (remember that movie? Was meant to be massive? Wasn't? Also had a glorious track from Natalie Imbruglia on called Troubled By The Way We Came Together? No? Fine.) called New. Amazingly again, I was actually in a cafe in Buffalo NY in early 1999 when I first heard the song, and bearing in mind my obsession and that I hadn't heard new music from the group in nigh on 3 years, I practically screamed at the dude behind the counter to turn it up. Quite nicely he did. The entire song is a brilliant introduction to the album, which this time around has a heavier reliance on the band's new wave influences (though the ska-pop is still ever present). New is a decent restrained tune that sounds like it is itching to go bolting from the gate, but is always reigned in at the last minute. Ex-Girlfriend (the first single "proper") is a more recognisable No Doubt sound, though with a thrashier resonance than ever before. It was definitely kitchen sink pop with flamenco guitars and piano and I absolutely adored every second of it at the time. Ditto Bathwater, which I thought was an immense tune and would restore the album to the top of the charts. I was wrong. It merged forties cabaret swing time with the two tone stylings of Madness and clearly wasn't for everyone. The sentiments of the tune are pretty horrible, but I still think the song is quite avant garde. It's a shame the album didn't do better (hence my comparison to Maroon 5 with their second album), but luckily Rock Steady was just around the corner.

Moving forward from new wave (though not entirely), Rock Steady dabbles in dancehall, dub and reggae in what is an eclectic mix of styles and sounds to delight the senses. First single Hey Baby was quite the shock the first time I heard it - definitely ragga with a touch of No Doubt rather than the other way around, and Hella Good has some exciting electronica sounds mixed in that seemed to give the group a new confidence in their music. However, by far my favourite track on the album is the gorgeous Running with a synth melody so simple and pretty Depeche Mode/Erasure must be kicking themselves that they didn't think it up first. And I really dug the video too :) And let's not forget that Prince collaborated on the album as well! It's a bit of an r'n'b track (Waiting Room) that was probably thanks for Gwen featuring on his pop-lite track So Far So Pleased a year or so earlier. However, Gwen was set up nicely for her "failure to become the next Madonna is not an option" solo career by the marvelous Let Me Blow Your Mind single by Eve that she featured on. Utter pop meets funk heaven. Oh, the Talk Talk cover from the greatest hits is quite nice too :) My preferred greatest hits tracklisting just below for your "enjoyment":
Just A Girl/Spiderwebs/Don't Speak/Excuse Me Mister/Sunday Morning/Oi To The World/New/Ex-Girlfriend/Simple Kind of Life/Bathwater/So Far So Pleased/Hey Baby/Hella Good/Making Out/Underneath It All/Running/It's My Life/Let Me Blow Your Mind

Links and vids coming shortly!