Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thank God they re-issued this!, 31 Jan 2004
After becoming a huge fan of No Doubt's more recent releases and Gwen Stefani's huge talent for music and popular culture as a whole, I decided to investigate this band further and, after being warned off their eponymous debut album, plumped for this, their second release.This CD was originally released in 1995, funded by the band themselves after being dropped by their record company when their first single and album were huge flops. Thankfully, smart people recognised its greatness and many snapped it up, which enticed their record label to take them on again! After the huge success of the sequel, Tragic Kingdom (another great) this album was re-issued on a worldwide scale in 1997 - and it's just aswell! There are a great many worthwhile tracks on here that no No Doubt fan should miss out on! My particular favourites are the opener Open The Gate, rockier moment Snakes, the quirky closers Squeal and Doghouse and, best of all, the simply amazing Total Hate '95 - the most original and hard-hitting song I've heard in ages and maybe one of the best ska songs ever! Every fan of the band should definitely own a copy of this album as it's probably their second best ever (maybe even their best at points?) and is an essential part of the No Doubt collection! I'd also recommend it to fans of all good ska and punk music. However if you only realy like No Doubt in smooth, radio-and-chart-friendly, Underneath-It-All-mode, or the more recent electro-influenced It's My Life, this might be one to avoid. No Doubt have shown great diversity between all music genres over the years, but this is definitely a ska-punk-rock album.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refined ska-punk happy magic, 20 Jul 2004
This is No Doubt at a very musically strong point in their career. Their original ska-punk influences from bands such as The Specials are clearly evident here but in a much more refined and, for want of a better word, credible way in comparison to the band's self-titled debut. There's a real sense of musical experimentation, the likes of which No Doubt didn't return to until 2001's Rock Steady.
The album is very upbeat, beginning with the fantastic 'Open the Gate'. The highlights of this album include 'Total Hate '95' (undoubtedly the best song on the album) which is raucous ska punk genius, and 'Squeal' an unashamedly bouncy, loud track. Overall, the album is really hard not to like, it's full of life and is extremely cheerful, sweet and sunny. It's a perfect summer album.
However much I love No Doubt, I do think that occasionally their commitment to the 'wacky' and their very strong emphasis on image affects their output. And subsequently they've lost touch with their ska roots. Albums like 'Return of Saturn', however good they may be and however much I enjoy listening to them do make me miss their early stuff. The more famous they've become, especially the increasing mega star potential of Gwen Stefani, has led them to move away from their early influences, and I do sometimes think that's a shame. If you want to know what No Doubt are really all about, get this album. You will not be disappointed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the second best album they made!!!!!!!!!!!, 30 Aug 2003
By A Customer
This album is amazing.It totally upstages the rock steady album and there return of saturn(not that im saying there BAD albums just not as good as this).
Some of the songs on her are the best songs they wrote,such as "Open the gate","snakes",the high pitched "squeel" and well all the songs on here are great!!!
The complex guitar notes,the ever powerfull vocals, the bass the drums,the ska beats,the the lyrics!!!!Its all soooooo perfect apart from one thing..Its just too damm SHORT of an album ..oh well.
Not as good as trajic kingdom
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