No Doubt is my all-time favorite band, and has been for awhile now. My favorite CD is Tragic Kingdom. I picked up Rock Steady today, a little bit iffy on how it was going to sound. I liked Hey Baby, but not as much as their older stuff. I was blown away by the CD. I loved it. It was like 80sdiscorockpoptechnotrancereggaeskadancehall. Heh. Anyways, it was a big risk for No Doubt to add all of this new flavor into their sound but I think it turned out great.

I know all of the die-hard old school No Doubt fans are probably (...) off. To be honest, I was a little at first. I mean, their old stuff...her words are so powerful and the sound was something I don't think anyone else had. But listen...before Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt had been a band for 9 years doing ska-type music. And how many years ago did Tragic Kingdom come out? 1995...so um...6..almost 7 years or so. Gwen was fifteen when she

I think Tragic Kingdom is still my favorite ND CD (I have all 5 of their albums), but I would have to go with Rock Steady as my second favorite. I mean...how boring would it be if they repeated almost the same type of song over and over from album to album? You've got to change somewhere to keep people interested in you. I love this new CD and I urge everyone who is mad that they've changed their style a bit to re-listen to it. It really is a great CD. I think my favorite track right now is Hella Good. Maybe I'll change my mind, I don't know.

Exposed navels, bleached blondes, three guys and a cheeky charismatic lead singer are usually the images that come to mind when describing the Southern California quartet No Doubt. Now with that, add a seasoning of Caribbean style rhythms and catchy hooks to get the band's latest offering, Rock Steady. The foursome's fifth studio longplayer is a collection of delectable island-splashed pop with dance club appeal.

Always the explorationists, the group takes a new creative step in their sound and music. Released only a year after their 2000 smash Return To Saturn, the boys and girl of No Doubt fall into no particular formulaic pattern. Rather than boring their listeners by treading the same musical ground of past hit albums, the band expands and further defines its own unique brand of So Cal ska.

Innovating instead of reduplicating, Rock Steady takes chances and experiments with new soundscapes. The album takes its cue from dancehall-reggae, hip hop and new wave, never juxtaposing but intermixing - exploring their influences in the genres like never before.

Songs indicative of this newfound exploration include the lead single, "Hey Baby," the dance numbers "Hella Good" and "Start The Fire" and the retro-pop of "Underneath It All," which harks back to the second wave ska of The Specials.

Vocally, it's still Gwen's show, but the album offers one noteworthy guest appearance. The artist once again known as Prince, a long time No Doubt collaborator who offered his services for the group's last LP and various B-sides, reappears with "Waiting Room," a tribal, funk-laced duet. On a majority of the songs, Stefani's vocals are strong and assured accentuating nicely with her band's sound.

Lyrically, the songwriting is less confessional and regret-oriented due in large part to No Doubt's decision to include new writers. You won't find a syrupy ballad in the vein of "Don't Speak" or "Simple Kind Of Life" here; the vibe of Rock Steady is contextually mid-tempo with emphasis on bass speaker approval - dealing with everything from raucous fans to the typical Stefani templates of longing love and bedazzlement. All night parties and good times seem to be the principal theme of the group's dancehall tinged melodies and upbeat subject matter.

Rock Steady, after all, is a celebration of No Doubt's influences and appreciations combined with a forward-thinking inimitability. Though inventive, their native So Cal punk origins are still visible. While other members of the ska-punk community opt for re-creation, No Doubt continually pushes the supposed limitations of the genre and gerrymanders its boundaries.

The last reviewer was way out of line reviewing this limited edition version of No Doubt's multiplatinum "Rock Steady". Yeah, maybe there's only two extra acoustic bonus tracks, but if you are like me, and didn't get the original version of the album before this came out, you should get this version. Afterall, for the same price, you do get two acoustic tracks that are unrehearsed and pretty good. Plus the "Underneath It All" video is great. And I don't know what the last review was talking about, saying that the tracks are mixed up. Completely untrue. Disc one has the same 13 tracks the orginal version has. Disc two is simply two bonus tracks and a music video that plays in your computer. So if you have the original version, don't worry too much about getting this, but if you haven't picked up the kick a** "Rock Steady" album yet, why not get this version that has some extra stuff for the same price? The songs are great. Highlights are "Hella Good", "Hey Baby", "Making Out", "Underneath It All", "Detective", "Don't Blow It", and "Running".

I have been a fan of No Doubt for over 10 years - This album, though not NEARLY close to thweir best - is great...if you like dancehall reggae and club music. If you are an old school no doubt fan (Beacon street, self titled, etc...) it might take some getting used to. Definately less depressing than Return of Saturn, not as punky as Tragic Kingdom, nothing close to Beacon Street or the self-titled album....

It's good. Plain and simple.

When I first heard this album's lead single, Hey Baby, I was less than enthused about No Doubt's new direction. Then I realized that it all makes sense. No Doubt have never been the band to pin themselves on one style, and this was simply another evolution of their unique sound.

Rock Steady opens with a 27 second introduction set over a few spacey blips and fueled by Gwen Stefani's echoing voice, and moments after this ends, the thudding drum beats of Hella Good begin. The song sounds like a b-side from an 80s Madonna song, but its fusion with Tom Dumonts guitar riffs and electro fuzz surrounding every note he plays give it the originality it deserves. Very danceable song.

Next up is the reggae/hip hop/dancehall hybrid of Hey Baby, and with its infectious chorus, guest rapping and smooth keyboard sounds, you become very aware of why this was chosen as the first single; it's pure fun and pure pop. Following this blending of styles is the somewhat calmer Making Out, featuring Stefani's sing-speak alternations (speaking on the verses and singing on the chorus). The band taps Blondie here, and then adds some dance in for flavor.

Track 5, Underneath it All, is the most sedate track so far. The song has a reggae beat and some gorgeous lyrics, plus the addition of Lady Saw singing a tricky bridge.

Detective follows up the previous track and marks the band's return to Gwen's romantic issues as a trademark resource for lyrical content. The entire song is awash in synthesizers and sounds a bit dark, giving the song a moodier feeling.

The second half of the album seems better than the first, if thats possible..

Don't Let Me Down is a return to 80s new wave-pop, and it is VERY nicely done. The song sparkles and shimmers as Gwen's voice wraps itself around every synth produced buzz and poppy keyboard note played. The guitar whines right along with the other instruments, and it has a very nostalgic effect.

Start the Fire is a bit on the slow side; the song is a very sexual dancehall tune with Gwen's voice taking on a smoother sound than normal.

Running is this album's masterpiece. The song opens with a chiming keyboard lullabye which soon evolves into a spiderweb-fragile sounding guitar and Gwen's equally fragile vocal mannerisms. Gwen is backed up by a breathy version of her voice as the drums kick in and the beautiful, head over heels lyrics penetrate your heart. Eventually, the instruments become sparse and become stars with trailing tails as the vocals break up and echo, and then once again become a solid entity. The entire thing sounds like it comes from a music box.

In My Head is an odd song that sounds like a rather half hearted attempt at trying ska again, but without horns or Gwen's slicing lyrics, No Doubt can seemingly never traverse that road again. It is a good song, however, and Stefani's wail of 'IN MY HEAD, ITS ONLY IN MY HEAD!' adds a dimension of darkness to the lyrics.

Platinum Blonde Life is the album's weakest track. The guitars are a bit too jagged in comparison with the rest of the album, and Gwen's voice is far too layered. Its still not THAT bad, though.

Waiting Room is a very jumpy collaboration with Prince that sounds better than most of his recent solo work.. go figure. The beats are fast and furious and it's a very danceable song.

Rock Steady, the title track, closes this album with a purr. It features a very uncluttered instrumental section with blips and synths going off all over the place; its very calming.

This album is definetly a must have. It's a refreshing thing to see No Doubt flipping through a different end of the pop rolodex for once.