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The Singles 1992 - 2003 by: No Doubt

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Rating: - Do speak highly of no doubt!

This album rocks! I think this is one of the best singles collections around because that's exactly what they are,singles, all on one album, you've not got loads of b sides or covers, apart from the one, the recent 'it's my life' (which i think is just as good as the original, if not better!). It can't get better than that! you've got some anthems of the 90's 'Don't speak' and 'Just a Girl', as well as 'Hey baby' and 'Hella good' at the start of the millennium, these songs were the main reason i bought the album and i'm so glad i did. On discovering other tracks on the album I wished I owed more of their albums. If like me this is the only album you have by no doubt, it's worth having. As it sums up their career over the past 10 or so years. I lent this album to a friend the other week, and he's not returned it! but it's so good i buy it twice! no doubt rock steady!

Rating: - Some Real Good Tracks On Here

I wanted this album primarily for 'New' which I heard on the film 'Go' and liked it straight away. Then there's 'Don't Speak' obviously, which is still as good as it was then along with 'Just A Girl' which I always liked too. 'Its My Life' is totally blinding. While I know the original, and thought it a good, catchy tune, I do think this version surpasses it. If they do covers this well, maybe they should consider doing a whole album - personally I'd like to hear Gwen do the INXS track 'By My Side'.
'Trapped In A Box' (the oldest on the cd) sounds like a cross between Talking Heads and Deee-Lite, and the intro for 'Bathwater' sounds like something Portishead would do, I mean a New Orleans funeral march, who woulda thought of that? The album is quite eclectic, 'Sunday Morning' which is a bit of a head banging track - still with a good tune though - as is 'Ex-Girlfriend' which includes a bit of a rap from Gwen which works well. 'Underneath It All' has a raggae sound along with a few others, and there's a couple of ballads on here too, most notable 'Simple Kind Of Life' which was written entirely by Gwen. With a melody this good hopefully she'll write some more.
Overall a very impressive collection but whats more impressing is the length of their carreer. When 'Don't Speak' first appeared I assumed they'd been together two years tops before finding success but the fact that it was much longer shows their raw enthusiasm for what thay do which is always admirable.

Rating: - The best album ever

This simply is the greatest album ever its got rock, bit of pop and kinda new agey.
Simply IT ROCKS!!

Rating: - No Doubt? Well perhaps just a little…….

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Being familiar with little more than Don’t Speak, I determined to get the Singles when I heard their truly inspired version of It’s My Life (possibly better than the original, but an unusually excellent cover anyway).
I was surprised at the various different musical styles in this collection and wasn’t keen on all of it. Although, as a collection, it’s growing on me. There seems to be some rock, some latin and some ska and a lot of pop. Some of the tracks you could imagine being sung by Blondie or Madonna. But that shouldn’t detract from No Doubt and particularly Gwen Stefani’s vocals. I am sure she is fed up with comparisons with the other two platinum blondes and it is unfair because she has a great voice. She can at least sit back knowing that her various looks and their songs and sense of fun have surely been a great inspiration to Pink.
Over all, this is a good album and worth buying.

Rating: - The Ultimate Collection From The Ultimate Band!

This CD not only showcases all of No Doubt's singles over the past 11 years but also acts as a definitive retrospective into one of the greatest bands ever to come out of America.

Although not in any chronological order, the album is mixed enough to mask the weaker tracks with some toe-tapping, energetic or totally melancholy classics. The CD gleefully kicks off it's shoes with "I'm Just a Girl" - a completely original and punk infested, women power of a song. It seems to continually build up and build up (with the help of distorted guitar chords) until it explodes into an infectious chorus. Gwen Steffani preaches about the burden of being a girl - she shouldn't have to work too hard, yet should not be cut off for the same reason. A cover of Talk Talk's number 3 hit from the 80's follows. "It's My Life" contains enough of the original attempt to keep the older fans stroking their mullet but has been "funked" up in a way only No Doubt can do. An eclectic mix of electronic and guitar and drums compliment Gwen's voice spectacularly.

"Hey Baby" took No Doubt on a totally new direction and became a summertime classic that you can't help but dance to. It's trendy, fun, clever and above all, entirely addictive! "Bathwater" accompanied a re-release of their "It's My Life" in March 2003 and is entirely dissimilar to it. At its heart it contains an entirely different style of music. It's reggae/rock mixture with some scatting by the Gwen herself makes up a fantastic track about accepting your other halves flaws.

A building drum roll and bass start of "Sunday Morning" - a very lethargic and woozy feeling track. It has a great chorus but No Doubt do not shine here. This is more than compensated by the mega-energetic and down right brilliant "Hella Good" - a rocked-up disco genius of a track that grabs you and infests your head with its blaring distortion and hypnotic funk. A song that has everyone jumping around like mad! And then we are brought right back down with the chill out track "New", until the part where Gwen starts shouting in our ears. In fact, it's not chill out at all - it another one of those head banging classics. The gloriously infectious chorus shatters its deceptively calm start.

"Underneath It All" is perhaps one of the greatest reggae love songs of all time. Gwen puts a smile on the listeners' face with ease as she sweetly sings about how lucky she is with her lover. This track did particularly well in America where No Doubts diverse style of music is adored by millions. In Britain however, many have not warmed to them - which is a shame really because tracks like this show No Doubt to be one of the greatest band in creation. Unashamed of its punk roots, "Excuse Me Mister" glides along its fast and appealing music score. Again, not the best No Doubt song, but by no means a bad apple. With "Running" No Doubt have achieved something very rare - with the most simplistic idea, they have created a masterpiece. Its childlike "blippy" start is starkly contrasted with its beautiful lyrics. Various instruments come into the track as it bounces along and then a musical feast is unveiled. A syrupy and sugar coated love song that is just sheer brilliance!

There seems to be no end to the excellence when "Spiderwebs" kicks in. My favourite track on this album is an awe-inspiring rock/punk/pop song that has Gwen echoing and cooing and a rocketing chorus that just gets better every time you hear it. It never seems to get boring with each subsequent listen and the outro fades superbly. "Simple Kind Of Life" is a rather laid back song that neither disappoints or impresses - the lyrics are good but there seems to be something missing from the music, the repetitiveness is noticeable, whereas with the other tracks it is masked behind one thing or another. The song is a little too "simple" it would seem...

Still, No Doubt makes you instantly forget about the attempt before when the first chords of "Don't Speak" start. With out a doubt, an all time classic. Its raw emotion makes it almost painful to listen to and its lyrics could bring tears to even the most unemotional people. They are so easy to relate to and this song will always be played in years to come - not many "classics" can boast that - simply outstanding. Then, just when we think the pain is over and "Don't Speak" bows out - a different kind of sorrow appears. A mixture of pianos, keyboards, bass, drums and whatever else was lying around in the studio create a track which full of life. Gwen tells us about a guy who has dumped her; despite her knowing this was always going to be the case. This energy is transferred to the Ska inspired "Trapped in a Box" - No Doubt's oldest track in this collection, which still manages to fit in neatly. Its lyrics still very much apply to today with all the commercialism floating around encouraging us to invest in things we do not need.

The first bonus track - a remix of "Hey Baby" turns the disco of the original into a dance fest that while not as good as the original is a nice little extra. "Underneath It All" is another pleasant addition with a very acoustic live version of the classic being sung beautifully by Gwen.

All in all this is an amazing opportunity to own a slice of music history that will still sound fresh over the next couple of decades. Apparently, this is only the end of chapter one from No Doubt and one can only wonder what delights they have in store for us next! Absolutely fantastic!

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