Can No Doubt pull this off?
A lot of the vaguely insecure white kids I know from the tri-state area seem to have gone through a "ska phase" in middle school. Either I'm ahead of the curve or extra-insecure, because my ska phase hit around third grade and lasted up through middle school. The Specials were the cream of the crop, no buts about it, but as an awkward fat girl with aspirations towards singing, Gwen Stefani became my celebrity role model because a) she wasn't awkard; b) she wasn't fat; c) she could fucking sing. Evidence:
Eventually I moved on to other musical interests (see: aggressive unwashed men from the Northwest) but looking back, No Doubt's first three records totally rocked it (yes, I'm including Return of Saturn... the guitars sound great and Gwen's awesome pink hair inspired me to dye mine in seventh grade).
Why did Rock Steady suck so much? Gwen got engaged. Gwen got ready to pop some babies out. Gwen got happy. It's the same reason Cat Power sucks now. Same reason Isaac Brock sucks now. I know for a lot of people No Doubt wasn't about the angst, but pick any break up song off Tragic Kingdom and TRY to tell me "Hella Good" can even stand next to it.
Anyway, Mrs. Rossdale is taking a break from the Harajuku girls and touring with No Doubt again. Now that they're ALL parents (save bachel0r-for-life bassist Tony Kanal...sigh) I was prepared to write off any new recordings as more cheeze. BUT they just put out a cover of Adam and the Ant's "Stand on Deliver" and I'm shocked to find that it's pretty good. Everyone on the commenst sections of stereogum and youtube is trashing it, but come on, guys... it's pretty tasty:
Is this passable? Or have they just set the bar so low that I'll be happy with anything that doesn't sound like Parramore?
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2 comments:
Oh man, Sugar Ray did a sick cover of "Stand and Deliver" on the Floored record. Fun fact, that was my first ever CD.
Speaking of insecurities, I never got too into No Doubt as a middle schooler. I will say that most of their old shit sounds very good to me and I don't even love ska.
Also, someone needs to do a Sublime post REAL bad.
YEAH i was thinking of that sugar ray cover. i had that album too, and 14:59.
my first ever cd that i bought with my very own cash money was mighty mighty bosstones' 'let's face it.' are you shocked?
sublime post has julian's name ALL OVER IT.
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