Number 96 - Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt

    Number 96: Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt

 

  

 

The birth of a young starlet

 

Release: October 10th, 1995
Genre: Ska
Favorite Tracks: Spiderwebs, Just A Girl, Excuse Me Mr.

 

Where I heard it: 

It's funny thinking back that I actually knew about Gwen Stefani as a solo artist before I knew anything about her past as frontwoman of No Doubt. I first experienced Gwen's velvety vocals during her transition to pop radio on a CD of her solo debut Love. Angel. Music. Baby. which my mom regularly played in the car when I was 9 years old. It wouldn't be until a few years later that I became aware of Gwen's history in No Doubt through popular songs like Underneath It All and Don't Speak. Still, this iconic ska band never quite made it on my musical radar until my sophomore year of high school. One of my friends and I were praising No Doubt's talents when she asked which album of theirs I considered their best, and I realized then I hadn't actually listened to any of their albums cover to cover. She recommended Tragic Kingdom, her favorite album from No Doubt, and I dove straight into it not long thereafter.

 

I'm just a girl, a little 'ol me
Well don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
~ Just A Girl

What to expect:

I give Tragic Kingdom a lot of praise for its versatility within the genre. No Doubt may be famous for their roots in ska, but they don't quite sound like many other ska bands that I've listened to. This group isn't afraid of experimenting with different atmospheres between songs to keep the experience fresh, rather than establishing a formula that stales over the course of an album. Tragic Kingdom's musical spectrum ranges from all-out punk bangers, to full-on ska odysseys, even old-school disco grooves. All the while, every member of No Doubt integrates their multi-instrumental abilities to clash together the blasting of horn lines, the distortion of guitar riffs, and the impact of synthesizer hooks. However, the shining star in this planetary system is and always has been Gwen Stefani. From the beginning, Gwen's alluring voice intrigues the listener to follow her along the wild range of styles she adapts to across the album. You need a gentle, emotional intro? How about full three-part harmonic interludes? Maybe a little attitude and grit thrown in? Just another day in the life of this incredibly accomplished artist. Tragic Kingdom's track list can be a bit unpredictable, but nonetheless enjoyable from top to bottom!

 You'll be segregated
You're gonna be closed off
You're callow and you're green
Cause you're caught between
You're only sixteen
~ Sixteen

Why it's my favorite:

Given its place in music history, I'm not entirely surprised that Tragic Kingdom is often overlooked as one of the best releases of the 90's. In a decade that was so focused on the explosion of melancholic grunge music, it's refreshing to hear an album that is more candid in its songwriting. You don't have to analyze every word to unlock a deeper understanding of the music; Tragic Kingdom does a great job covering issues like coming-of-age and misogyny without coming off as forced or out of touch. On the flipside, there are plenty of songs which exist entirely for the fun of it. I appreciate that balance in lyrical content, especially for its contribution towards the flow of the album in general. There's no immediate compulsion to come away from songs with gained perspective, but there are certainly lines in some songs that require brief pause to fully ingest their brilliance. Tragic Kingdom comes packed with a punch of energy and fun delivered courtesy of the band that leaves no doubt about their influence towards an entire generation.