When No Doubt's self-titled debut album was released in 1992, it was a huge flop. The band were extremely popular in their native California, but this upbeat, ska influenced album was lost amongst the depressive, downbeat grunge music that dominated the scene at the time. The music is classic ska, bright, sunny, lots of horns. You can hear the influence of bands like The Specials, The English Beat and Madness coursing through the album. Although the music was in stark contrast to grunge, the lyrical content is not that far away. Songs like "Ache", "Get On The Ball", "Move On", "Doormat" & "Sinking" take a cynical and down-trodden view of life. "Trapped In A Box" is the top song off the album and laid the groundwork for the more pop-ska sound of Tragic Kingdom. The album isn't as tight as their later album, but that can be attributed to their rawness in the studio. Overall, No Doubt is a strong debut and an excellent record in it's own right.

This album is not the exact same style as Tragic Kingdom, but it still sounds very good. The first song, BND, is only 45 seconds but is one of the highlights. Actually, the last track, Brand New Day, is the elongated version of BND with added vocals. The 2nd song Let's Get Back has undoubtebly one of the best intros ever, and is one of my favorite songs of all time. Ache is kind of a not as serious song about a tooth ache. Move On is the closet No Doubt comes to metal. Doormat is a great song. Big City Train sounds kind of strange on the first listen, but sounds great after repeated. Sinking is most likely about alcoholism, and Trapped In A Box is about watching too much TV. The standout of the album is the ballad Sometimes, which is beautiful. Gwen's vocals sound perfect on the song. If you enjoy a fun filled, carefree album with a combination of ska/pop/rock, buy this. It's worth it!

If you loved "Tragic Kingdom", and found yourself to be dissapointed with this album, it's probably because you're not a ska fan. No Doubt IS a ska band-- they just experimented more with rock sounds on "Tragic Kingdom". Also, much of the second CD was fueled by Stefani and Kanal's break-up. I found this CD to be highly energetic, catching their true-blue spirit, and if anything, Tragic Kingdom should be considered a dissappointment for letting go of some of the energy. The self-titled is the only No Doubt CD to feature Eric Stefani, the group's founder. This is a treat, because I found his work on the keyboards to be superb. Gwen's voice is still in the works on this CD, as are the lyrics, but this truly is No Doubt.

I saw this at a used CD store for 7$ and thought,what the heck, I'll try it. It was wonderful! The songs are catchy and Gwen's voice, though not so polished, still sounds great! A must buy for someone who likes upbeat, funky music. I hope this was helpful.

This self-titled album is silly and fun. It's got a great vibe, and a lot of great songs. I love artists who don't take themselves too seriously, and this is from a time when No Doubt was my ideal band.

If you're expecting another Tragic Kingdom, you'll be disappointed. This is much different. I like it better than Tragic.

I also suggest the Beacon St. collection.