Published on Jul 19, 1998
Why do I continue to give these guys (and gal) a chance?
Back when I was sent this tape to review for college press in
1992, I hated it. I thought the ska-on-speed back then was
outrageous, and I couldn’t get past the hystrionic warbling of Gwen
Stefani’s voice.
Ah, but guilt crept up on me, seeing that it’s been almost 18
months since No Doubt graced the pages of “The Daily Vault,” so I
crept into the darkest areas of the Pierce Archives (where our
security system is a 110-decibel tape of Vanilla Fudge’s “You Keep
Me Hanging On”) and retrieved this tape. I shouldn’t have bothered;
while age shows that No Doubt was doing the same things six years
ago, it doesn’t mean it’s gotten any easier to listen to.
The only album to feature Stefani’s brother Eric as a full-time
member of the band, it lays out all the basics that made No Doubt
so big just a few years later with
Tragic Kingdom: souped-up reggae with some funk thrown in,
and a horn section. If there’s anything different about No Doubt at
this time, it’s that the songs about lost love and heartbreak
aren’t nearly as common. The first vocal track, “Let’s Get Back,”
seems to delve into a broken relationship, and “Doormat” features
some of the dumbest lyrics I’ve ever heard in support of the
other’s feelings in a relationship. But that seems to be it on this
one.
Instead, some of the songs feature hippy-trippy, sometimes dippy
lyrics (“Ache,” a song one would think is about a broken heart, is
about a
toothache, for Jah’s sake). Other times, Stefani’s vocals
are terribly hidden in the mix to the point where they’re
unintelligible – especially on the thrash-ska numbers, which tend
to drive me up the wall. Take “A Little Something Refreshing” – no,
really, take it and get it the hell out of here.
Fact is,
No Doubt features a band that was still very much in the
developmental phase. Normally, this would mean that I’d be willing
to grant a little leniency, but the problem is I saw no light at
the end of the tunnel back in 1992. I still don’t. No Doubt is very
much locked into the musical style they play, and I don’t think
they can improve on it.
Now that most of the negative has been said, let me go to the
one track I do enjoy: the album’s closer, “Brand New Day”. It is on
this track where things finally seem to fall into place, and the
band actually becomes enjoyable. Of course, once you get locked
into the groove, the album ends. (A brief instrumental version,
“BND,” starts the tape.)
Of course, nothing I’m going to say will change the minds of the
fans. But if you’re expecting early versions of songs in the mold
of “Don’t Speak,” then
No Doubt will even disappoint you. Hey, if you like No
Doubt, it’s your life. But you could spend your money better than
on this turkey.