Disco de No Doubt: “Tragic Kingdom”

I first got this album in 96, but then stopped listening to it a couple of years later when I lost the CD... anyway, I recently heard it again at a friends house and remembered why I loved it so much, and simply had to rush out to get another copy.

This is one of those rare CDs that you can listen right through without having to skip any tracks. I'd say there are maybe 5 absolute classics, 6 very good tracks and 3 okay ones. My absolute fave track on here is probably "Happy Now". Gwen just sounds so strong in the track, the lyrics really hit you ("You killed the pair / now only one is breathing / there's no looking back / this time I mean it / are you happy now?"). I also love the two biggest singles from the set, "Don't Speak" and "Just A Girl", both are classics in their own right, and I've never met anyone who doesn't like these two. My other two favorite tracks are "Sunday Morning" (sounds good on the live version if you can find the import single), and "Excuse Me Mr".

One of the great things about No Doubt are the lyrics. There's none of this "I love you and can't live without you" drivel that packs most albums these days, but every track here has some kind of significance behind it. If you read the lyrics to the title track, you should be able to draw the links between what they are saying and Disneyland (the "Magic Kingdom" becoming the "Tragic Kingdom").

This album impressed me enough to make me buy two other No Doubt albums - The Beacon Street Collection is in a similar vein to this one, but a little more hit-and-miss, but tracks like "Open The Gate", "Greener Pastures" and "Dog House" make it worth the purchase. Return Of Saturn (their latest release) is kinda weird... it's not as instantly accessible as Tragic Kingdom, but gets better with each listen.

No Doubt came from out of nowhere to reach the top of the charts with this ska-tinged cd. The album is a therapy session for lead singer and main songwriter, Gwen Stefani. She and bassist Tony Kanal were a long time couple and just prior to starting work on the album they broke up. Gwen wrote many the songs about the demise of their relationship. "Excuse Me Mr.", "Hey You", "End It On This", "Happy Now?", "Don't Speak" & "Tragic Kingdom" all deal with Gwen's hurt over the break up. In songs like "Spiderwebs", "Just A Girl", "The Climb" and "You Can Do It", Gwen is trying to cope with life after the breakup and her anger towards Tony. Matthew Wilder, who was a one hit wonder in the 80's, tempers the heavy ska music the band played with a more accessable sound. The songs are about the hurt and anger of a broken relationship, but the music has a bright and sunny feel to it. In the tradition of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, the tensions between former lovers create great music.

This was the album which made it big for No Doubt, and it deserved to do well. Spawning the hit singles 'Don't Speak', 'Just A Girl' and 'Spiderwebs', the former has entered into modern classic status. It shows a wide variety of musical styles, meaning it appeals across the borders, with Gwen Stefani's vocals simply being out of this world.

No Doubt manage to do what many bands before them have failed to - write contemplative, angry and almost sad songs to punchy rhythms and not sound ridiculous. Each track is quirky and original, with insightful comments of the old topic of relationships gone wrong or vice versa, particularly on standout 'Hey You'. Whilst maintaining their roots, No Doubt have produced a pop record of epic proportions, sounding fresh and original. Although there are several songs here that probably deserve special comment, yet 'Don't Speak' is absolutely outstanding, with yearning vocals that don't pass over into sappiness. However, my favourite track would have to 'Spiderwebs', a success in the very fact that it crosses over with pop and a more alternative stlye. The band's songwriting, vocals and powerfully persuasive image helped 'Tragic Kingdom' to become a roaring success. It's bouncy, fun and different and a definite album to treasure.

If you enjoyed this, chances are you'll also like their other albums, all of which are superb.

"Tragic Kingdom" is my favorite No Doubt CD. I love all of the songs. Of course, "Rock Steady," "Return of Saturn," "No Doubt," and "The Beacon Street Collection" were excellent as well, but this is my favorite. Here's my review for each song:

1. "Spiderwebs" - The first single from the album, "Spiderwebs" is a good song. All of the lyrics on each track are wonderful, and this one is no exception. The music is superb too.

2. "Excuse Me Mr." - A fast, upbeat song with a cool piano solo.

3. "Just A Girl" - The second single from the album, "Just A Girl" was probably the most popular No Doubt song, with the possible exception of "Don't Speak," and it truly deserves it. It's a great song about being young and just a girl, but not being happy with the fact.

4. "Happy Now?" - A wonderful song in which Gwen sings the question of "Are you happy now?" after he broke up with her.

5. "Different People" - One of my favorite songs on the albumb, even though they're all awesome, this song is about all of the different people in the world.

6. "Hey You" - A unique sound that includes a citar, a strange instrument, "Hey You" is great, with good lyrics and good music.

7. "The Climb" - Superb lyrics and appropriate music, this song is about perserverance and life, I'm assuming. Great.

8. "Sixteen" - As No Doubt gets a little more metalish, Gwen sings pitifully for someone who's finally turned sixteen but is still treated with no respect.

9. "Sunday Morning" - The fourth and last single on the album, "Sunday Morning" is excellent with the music and the lyrics. A great song.

10. "Don't Speak" - A slow, but majestic song, "Don't Speak" was the third single off the album, and one of the most popular No Doubt songs. Wonderful.

11. "You Can Do It" - A seventies-ish and encouraging song, the title basically explains the message behind the song. It's a really good song, one of my favorites.

12. "World Go 'Round" - A ska-ish song about how "we got to find another way to make the world go 'round."

13. "End It On This" - With obvious piano in the music, the lyrics to this song are great in portraying the message of wanting to end a relationship.

14. "Tragic Kingdom" - A highly-instrumental song, and the title track for the album, this song is a parody of the "Magic Kingdom," also known as DisneyLand in Anaheim, California, the hometown of the fabulous No Doubt. It views the Magic Kingdom tragically, as the title hints, and it's a good song. The ending concludes the song with a gradually faster continuation of the chorus until finally all of the instruments crash into one big, loud sound and are "broken."

Gwen Stefani is making her way through magical `Spiderwebs' and runs across a stranger and she says to the man, `Excuse Me Mr.' `But I'm Just a Girl' and are you `Happy Now' that there are `Different People' who continue to enjoy No Doubt's magical musical success?" He says, `Hey You,' little girl but it's `The Climb' to the top that's difficult and with this CD you've made it but if you were only `Sixteen' and it was `Sunday Morning' I'd tell you `Don't Speak', `You Can Do It' while the `World Go' Round' and `I'll End it On This', the `Tragic Kingdom' you've made for yourself is a wonderful world, you go girl!"

I don't and won't pretend to say that I'm completely up with all the terminology of today's music and such, I don't even know what the term ska means. What I will say though is that when it comes to tooling down the highway, no trip is complete without listening to this particularly superb CD.

Often times, a group such as No Doubt will produce a CD and there'll be but a scant few exceptional songs on them and the rest are a spurious waste of time; that is simply not the case with "Tragic Kingdom!" Every song on this CD is a superb wonder and highly enjoyable to listen to.

Adding to the extraordinary flavor of this CD is not only the beautiful voice that the extremely gorgeous Gwen Stefani possesses but also the eclectic nature of the songs on this CD. From punk to reggae to pop, "Tragic Kingdom" is replete and an overwhelming joy to listen to from the first song to the last! I highly recommend this CD to any and all fans that enjoy this type of music! {ssintrepid}