Rock Steady

No Doubt

album cover

No Misery Here

Jim Dickinson, the producer who helped create enduring records by Big Star, the Replacements, and others, has a simple theory about recording: "Misery sticks to the tape." There may be no better illustration of this than the discography of SoCal ska-punk popularizers No Doubt. After breaking through with a tart, playful album called Tragic Kingdom in 1995, the quartet fronted by singer/pop culture savant Gwen Stefani spent more than two years working on the follow-up. The band later described some of that marathon birthing process as difficult, and though the resulting album Return of Saturn did sell, its elaborate sonic schemes and mature pop-star-as-grownup themes at times felt labored, if not tortured.

Somewhat desperate for a remedy, Stefani and crew did what rock stars do: They called up big-name producers from all over the map. Then they booked time for rest and research in Jamaica. Within weeks, No Doubt was immersed in the then-thriving dance hall culture, collaborating with the fast-rising duo Steely and Cleavie and others on terse, urgent-sounding rhythm riffs. Pretty soon the legendary production team of Sly and Robbie was involved. The duo put some grit into the sirenlike single "Hey Baby" (which includes the strident Stefani's hall-of-fame line, "I'm just sipping on chamomile, watching all the girls with their sex appeal") and the down-tempo "Underneath It All," which was written by Stefani and Eurythmics producer Dave Stewart. Hip-hop kingpins the Neptunes turned in a buzzy New Wave stomp, "Hella Good," that became a club anthem, and the groove machine known as Prince contributed the stealth classic "Don't Let Me Down."

The result is a hot 2 A.M. party record, one of the grabbiest to emerge in the new millennium. Not only is there no misery on Rock Steady, there's barely any reflection at all. Stefani's simple lyrics are concerned with being alive in the moment, having a good time, and leaving worries behind. It's not the heaviest thing ever, but those positive vibrations are contagious.

Genre: Pop, Rock
Released: 2002, Interscope
Key Tracks: "Hella Good," "Hey Baby," "Start the Fire," "Don't Let Me Down"
Catalog Choice: Tragic Kingdom
Next Stop: Prince: Parade
After That: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Book Pages: 554–555

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Comments:

#1 from Liza, Brooklyn - 12/13/2008 7:22

There’s something fundamentally wrong with choosing this over Tragic Kingdom. It’s a crime against humanity.

#2 from 67 - 02/13/2009 4:01

“Stefani and crew did what rock stars do: They called up big-name producers from all over the map. “

Barf. How can that exist in the same universe with:

“It’s right on his fingertips, pulsing through his wrists, and as long as he keeps moving, he won’t get burned. His lines sear the wires that carry them. “

#3 from tom moon - 02/13/2009 10:01

“Crime against humanity?” Really? Them’s strong words.

I like Tragic Kingdom, but for me t didn’t age all that well—great pop hooks but rhythmically it feels a bit limited and in places sorta static now. Rock Steady, on the other hand, is really vibrant, just a great party record.

Thanks for your note, and happy exploring….

1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die

Rock Steady

No Doubt

No Misery Here

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