Customer Reviews

Rock Steady [Limited Edition w/ Bonus Tracks]

5 star:		(263)
4 star:		(128)
3 star:		(59)
2 star:		(58)
1 star:		(123)

 

 

No Doubt is my all-time favorite band, and has been for awhile now. My favorite CD is Tragic Kingdom. I picked up Rock Steady today, a little bit iffy on how it was going to sound. I liked Hey Baby, but not as much as their older stuff. I was blown away by the CD. I loved it. It was like 80sdiscorockpoptechnotrancereggaeskadancehall. Heh. Anyways, it was a big risk for No Doubt to add all of this new flavor into their sound but I think it turned out great.

I know all of the die-hard old school No Doubt fans are probably (...) off. To be honest, I was a little at first. I mean, their old stuff...her words are so powerful and the sound was something I don't think anyone else had. But listen...before Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt had been a band for 9 years doing ska-type music. And how many years ago did Tragic Kingdom come out? 1995...so um...6..almost 7 years or so. Gwen was fifteen when she
started, she's now 32. Your music tastes change. The band has evolved and each album you can hear the change. This is another evolution of No Doubt. You can say "Oh, it's pop music...blah blah...". But I don't think the average pop album has what Rock Steady has. This is the exact same thing people said when the new Garbage album came out. Beautifulgarbage, as it is titled, is a wonderful CD. Sure, they aren't as hard or loud as in the past but it is still a great CD. I think No Doubt has gone though the same thing. If you compare the lyrics between Tragic Kingdom and Rock Steady, the lyrics have no less depth, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart without hearing the song. When people say that No Doubt has sold out, I look at it as taking a big risk. Hello? They had already sold over 10 million copies of Tragic Kingdom alone...they are already a "hit" band. They wanted to experiment with some new sounds, and I applaud them for it.

I think Tragic Kingdom is still my favorite ND CD (I have all 5 of their albums), but I would have to go with Rock Steady as my second favorite. I mean...how boring would it be if they repeated almost the same type of song over and over from album to album? You've got to change somewhere to keep people interested in you. I love this new CD and I urge everyone who is mad that they've changed their style a bit to re-listen to it. It really is a great CD. I think my favorite track right now is Hella Good. Maybe I'll change my mind, I don't know.

Exposed navels, bleached blondes, three guys and a cheeky charismatic lead singer are usually the images that come to mind when describing the Southern California quartet No Doubt. Now with that, add a seasoning of Caribbean style rhythms and catchy hooks to get the band's latest offering, Rock Steady. The foursome's fifth studio longplayer is a collection of delectable island-splashed pop with dance club appeal.

Always the explorationists, the group takes a new creative step in their sound and music. Released only a year after their 2000 smash Return To Saturn, the boys and girl of No Doubt fall into no particular formulaic pattern. Rather than boring their listeners by treading the same musical ground of past hit albums, the band expands and further defines its own unique brand of So Cal ska.

Innovating instead of reduplicating, Rock Steady takes chances and experiments with new soundscapes. The album takes its cue from dancehall-reggae, hip hop and new wave, never juxtaposing but intermixing - exploring their influences in the genres like never before.

Songs indicative of this newfound exploration include the lead single, "Hey Baby," the dance numbers "Hella Good" and "Start The Fire" and the retro-pop of "Underneath It All," which harks back to the second wave ska of The Specials.
Working with a mix of producers ranging from hip-hop virtuosos the Neptunes (Mystikal, Kelis), Nelle Hooper (U2, Björk), reggae duo Sly & Robbie and former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, who provides the songs "Making Out" and "In My Head," the album is musically eclectic while managing to stay conceptually cohesive.

Vocally, it's still Gwen's show, but the album offers one noteworthy guest appearance. The artist once again known as Prince, a long time No Doubt collaborator who offered his services for the group's last LP and various B-sides, reappears with "Waiting Room," a tribal, funk-laced duet. On a majority of the songs, Stefani's vocals are strong and assured accentuating nicely with her band's sound.

Lyrically, the songwriting is less confessional and regret-oriented due in large part to No Doubt's decision to include new writers. You won't find a syrupy ballad in the vein of "Don't Speak" or "Simple Kind Of Life" here; the vibe of Rock Steady is contextually mid-tempo with emphasis on bass speaker approval - dealing with everything from raucous fans to the typical Stefani templates of longing love and bedazzlement. All night parties and good times seem to be the principal theme of the group's dancehall tinged melodies and upbeat subject matter.

Rock Steady, after all, is a celebration of No Doubt's influences and appreciations combined with a forward-thinking inimitability. Though inventive, their native So Cal punk origins are still visible. While other members of the ska-punk community opt for re-creation, No Doubt continually pushes the supposed limitations of the genre and gerrymanders its boundaries.

No Doubt took five years to follow up Tragic Kingdom with Return Of Saturn, but they quickly turn around a year and half later with Rock Steady. Unlike their previous two albums, which were heavily weighted with emotional based songs like "Don't Speak" and "Simple Kind Of Life", Rock Steady is a good time party record. The band moves back to their earlier days with a heavier ska/reggae sound throughout the album, eschewing most rock sounds. There are liberal doses of 80's arcade game sound effects (pinging and popping effects) sprinkled through songs. Gwen Stefani is playing up the homegirl image she put forth on the big hit "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" she had with Eve. Songs like "Hella Good", "Making Out", "Rock Steady" and the first single "Hey Baby" all find her working the sex kitten angle. "Running" is the lone ballad on the album and it is a gorgeous song and one of their strongest. Former Cars leader Ric Ocesak produces two songs on the album including the superb "Platinum Blonde Life" while the band traveled to Paisley Park Studios and recorded with the Purple One himself, Prince, on the sultry "Waiting Room". Several other producers including Sly & Robbie, Nelle Cooper and William Orbit (most famous for Madonna's Ray Of Light album) produce tracks, but the album has a uniform sound despite this hodgepodge production approach. No Doubt has become famous for their turmoils, but they finally seem to have exorcised their personal demons and are letting loose and having fun. Rock Steady isn't as good as Tragic Kingdom, but it's got a great party vibe.

The previous review is a little bit off target. It turns out that the track listing on Amazon.com is incorrect - the bonus tracks are featured on a supplemental second disk, and the first disk contains the entire album in its original form. No tracks have been removed.

The last reviewer was way out of line reviewing this limited edition version of No Doubt's multiplatinum "Rock Steady". Yeah, maybe there's only two extra acoustic bonus tracks, but if you are like me, and didn't get the original version of the album before this came out, you should get this version. Afterall, for the same price, you do get two acoustic tracks that are unrehearsed and pretty good. Plus the "Underneath It All" video is great. And I don't know what the last review was talking about, saying that the tracks are mixed up. Completely untrue. Disc one has the same 13 tracks the orginal version has. Disc two is simply two bonus tracks and a music video that plays in your computer. So if you have the original version, don't worry too much about getting this, but if you haven't picked up the kick a** "Rock Steady" album yet, why not get this version that has some extra stuff for the same price? The songs are great. Highlights are "Hella Good", "Hey Baby", "Making Out", "Underneath It All", "Detective", "Don't Blow It", and "Running".

First of all, for all the incompetent morons who say they hate all the songs on this album because it just repeats the chorus over and over again and have no additional lyrics, it's because you downloaded a preview of the song! To share all the tracks on programs like AudioGalaxy and Kazaa, users simply took a 30 second preview of the chorus and repeated it for the length of about 4 minutes. These are not the full songs and try actually buying the record, before criticizing it.

1. Intro - This is just the chorus of the last track "Rock Steady."

2. Hella Good - I really liked this song before it was released to radio. It got pretty annoying then. I really like the song though. (8/10)

3. Hey Baby - This song is, in my opinion, one of No Doubt's best ever. It's a catchy, undeniably good song. (9/10)

4. Making Out - This is a good song and reminds me of classic 80s stuff. (8.5/10)

5. Underneath It All - Gwen's vocals are great on this track. It definitely has a reggae feel to it. Some of the best lyrics on Rock Steady are in this track. (7.5/10)

6. Detective - I really like this song, but the chorus is annoying. Not much new. (8/10)

7. Don't Let Me Down - One of the more poppish sounding songs, but a good one. Reminds me of hearing it at a party once. Good track. (9/10)

8. Start The Fire - I don't care too much for this one. It doesn't really flow well. (5/10)

9. Running - A lot of my friends like this one, but it's a little too contrived for me. A pop ballad. (6.5/10)

10. In My Head - This is a good song on the album. The lyrics aren't great, but the background music is. (8.5/10)

11. Platinum Blonde Life - Probably the most rock song on the album. A good job by the band. (9/10)

12. Waiting Room - Prince helped out on this one and it has an R&B flavor to it. Not a personal favorite. (7/10)

13. Rock Steady - This one grows on you and in end, is probably the record's most impressive track. (9.5/10)

I have been a fan of No Doubt for over 10 years - This album, though not NEARLY close to thweir best - is great...if you like dancehall reggae and club music. If you are an old school no doubt fan (Beacon street, self titled, etc...) it might take some getting used to. Definately less depressing than Return of Saturn, not as punky as Tragic Kingdom, nothing close to Beacon Street or the self-titled album....
It's good. Plain and simple.

For those fans who are ONLY looking for "Tragic Kingdom Part 2" should skip right past No Doubt's latest release. "Rock Steady" is the band's most experimental release to date, pushing away from a hard-core ska base onto a more radio-friendly, electronica/reggae/techno level. While listening to "Rock Steady," you can definately recognize the usual No Doubt vibe, but this album gives your ears more twists and turns that many fans of "Trapped in A Box" and "Don't Speak" will not appreciate to the max.

The album begins with an "Intro" which lays down the chorus for the title track on the album. Then, "Hella Good," one of the most catchy, energetic tracks on the album pumps through your speakers. "Hella Good" is some of No Doubt's best work to date, and its chorus remains in your head all day long. Other tracks that follow the footsteps of "Hella Good" are "Making Out," "Detective," and "In My Head."

The new single, "Hey Baby," foreshadows the new album perfectly because it mixes pop-influenced beats with R&B influenced vocals. Since Gwen teamed up with rapper Eve for the amazing track "Let Me Blow Your Mind," it shows that her musical tastes are diversifying and expanding to other musical genres. Gwen's duet with Moby, "South Side," shows her choice to dive into the electronica wave that has captured many artists such as Madonna and Janet Jackson. I have a lot of respect for bands who aren't afraid to experiment with their music to remain fresh. It is not condsidered "selling out," but an opportunity to branch out and experience new types out music while keeping an original sound as a basis. No Doubt is a perfect example of a band who can shine through many different musical tastes.

Even though the whole album is worth a complete listen, songs like the Ric Ocasek produced "Don't Let Me Down" and the title track, "Rock Steady," are incredible, along with the others I listed above. However, the best song on the album is "Waiting Room," a duet with Prince which has the whole package. Its techno-influenced beats make the track one you can dance to, and it gives Gwen the opportunity to expand her vocal range unlike ever before. Both Gwen and Prince collide together and connect perfectly on this track, and the chorus is incredibly catchy.

Once again, "Rock Steady" is simply a unique album for No Doubt that can do no wrong. The energy that the whole band holds throughout each song is unlike any of their other efforts. Even though both "Tragic Kingdom" and "Return of Saturn" are solid releases, I believe this album is the epitomy of No Doubt's best musical work to date. This style is unlike the two albums before "Tragic Kingdom," too, but it is definately talent-influenced music. If you are a No Doubt fan and OPEN-MINDED, do not be afraid. "Rock Steady" will give you everything you need to quench your "No Doubt fix" and then some. However, if you only like the band for their previous efforts, then remain thirsty and wait for the new Limp Bizkit CD.

OK, we know No Doubt is a good band. Tragic Kingdom was all kinds of fun. It had a great punk/ska feel. Return of Saturn was amazing! It was one of my 2 top-rated CDs. It was fun sometimes, but thoughtful also and very mature. In light of the fact the No Doubt has so much talent, I have to ask: What are they trying to pull?

First of all, theyre the most major sell-outs in the music business. This is absolute pop. It isnt even worthy of the title pop-rock, just pop. There were warning signs, what with Gwen Stefani going on Eve videos wearing virtually nothing and other such things, but this...If you just exchanged Britney Spears for Gwen Stefani in her latest videos, it would fit PERFECTLY, the difference being that Gwen doesnt have implants (yet). The song Hey Baby is an abomination, no less.

Secondly, the music. Middle-school dances and pop radio stations around the world rejoice, you just got several new songs to play OVER and OVER until fans of real music are smashing their speakers. Hey Baby isnt just a hit to make the record sell, its very representative of the whole CD, by which I mean synthesized to the point of being fake. Where Return of Saturn was pretty deep, this is just ludicrously shallow. ("And the girls say/girls say/Hey baby, hey baby, hey/And the boys say/boys say...") I could cry.

Last, the band, Gwen not included. Why are they even still there? They play, but due to synthesizer it just doesnt sound genuine, and with the pathetic amount of spotlight theyre getting, I doubt anybody, even Gwen, would notice if they all just sort of evaporated. People who hadnt heard of No Doubt but had the radio on would seriously think it was just some pop star, not a band, playig Hey Baby. I didnt know that song was No Doubt the first time I heard it. Underneath it All is the least shallow and therefore closest to old No Doubt song on the CD, and the video is so bad its almost like theyre trying to make the one good song look like trashy pop like all the rest.

So my verdict is, this makes me sick. Who would have thought the mighty would fall so far! The worst part is, this is their best selling CD. They (Gwen) sold out 100% and were ENCOURAGING it! Pop fans should LOVE this CD, but old No Doubt fans, or fans who like real music at all, should not waste their money. If you dont have their old CDs, GO BUY THOSE! Leave this one alone.

Closing Comments:The way Gwen dresses, I get the feeling she thinks shes hot stuff. Somebody ought to wake her up.

When I first heard this album's lead single, Hey Baby, I was less than enthused about No Doubt's new direction. Then I realized that it all makes sense. No Doubt have never been the band to pin themselves on one style, and this was simply another evolution of their unique sound.

Rock Steady opens with a 27 second introduction set over a few spacey blips and fueled by Gwen Stefani's echoing voice, and moments after this ends, the thudding drum beats of Hella Good begin. The song sounds like a b-side from an 80s Madonna song, but its fusion with Tom Dumonts guitar riffs and electro fuzz surrounding every note he plays give it the originality it deserves. Very danceable song.

Next up is the reggae/hip hop/dancehall hybrid of Hey Baby, and with its infectious chorus, guest rapping and smooth keyboard sounds, you become very aware of why this was chosen as the first single; it's pure fun and pure pop. Following this blending of styles is the somewhat calmer Making Out, featuring Stefani's sing-speak alternations (speaking on the verses and singing on the chorus). The band taps Blondie here, and then adds some dance in for flavor.

Track 5, Underneath it All, is the most sedate track so far. The song has a reggae beat and some gorgeous lyrics, plus the addition of Lady Saw singing a tricky bridge.

Detective follows up the previous track and marks the band's return to Gwen's romantic issues as a trademark resource for lyrical content. The entire song is awash in synthesizers and sounds a bit dark, giving the song a moodier feeling.

The second half of the album seems better than the first, if thats possible..

Don't Let Me Down is a return to 80s new wave-pop, and it is VERY nicely done. The song sparkles and shimmers as Gwen's voice wraps itself around every synth produced buzz and poppy keyboard note played. The guitar whines right along with the other instruments, and it has a very nostalgic effect.

Start the Fire is a bit on the slow side; the song is a very sexual dancehall tune with Gwen's voice taking on a smoother sound than normal.

Running is this album's masterpiece. The song opens with a chiming keyboard lullabye which soon evolves into a spiderweb-fragile sounding guitar and Gwen's equally fragile vocal mannerisms. Gwen is backed up by a breathy version of her voice as the drums kick in and the beautiful, head over heels lyrics penetrate your heart. Eventually, the instruments become sparse and become stars with trailing tails as the vocals break up and echo, and then once again become a solid entity. The entire thing sounds like it comes from a music box.

In My Head is an odd song that sounds like a rather half hearted attempt at trying ska again, but without horns or Gwen's slicing lyrics, No Doubt can seemingly never traverse that road again. It is a good song, however, and Stefani's wail of 'IN MY HEAD, ITS ONLY IN MY HEAD!' adds a dimension of darkness to the lyrics.

Platinum Blonde Life is the album's weakest track. The guitars are a bit too jagged in comparison with the rest of the album, and Gwen's voice is far too layered. Its still not THAT bad, though.

Waiting Room is a very jumpy collaboration with Prince that sounds better than most of his recent solo work.. go figure. The beats are fast and furious and it's a very danceable song.

Rock Steady, the title track, closes this album with a purr. It features a very uncluttered instrumental section with blips and synths going off all over the place; its very calming.

This album is definetly a must have. It's a refreshing thing to see No Doubt flipping through a different end of the pop rolodex for once.