![Tragic Kingdom [CASSETTE]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000001Y7A.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
| There have been more baffling occurrences than the late-1990s ska revivial in the US--but not many. Yet somehow, this distinctly British movement--arising specifically out of the country's polarised racial dynamic--managed to cross over, finding an eager audience among suburban American teens, most of whom viewed it less as a social determinant, than as a stylistic outcrop of skate-punk and hardcore. Fronted by platinum-blonde Gwen Stefani, No Doubt defied the genre's traditionally masculine archetype, just as their sound--part Two-Tone, part Blondie--hinted at broader commercial ambitions. The supremely annoying "Just A Girl" might have bought them to mainstream attention, showcasing Stefani's little-girl delivery, but it was their subsequent singles--"Don't Speak", a melodramatic power-ballad, and the bouncy, irrepressible "Sunday Morning"--which really proved their mettle, even as their new-found success alienated many long-time fans. --Andrew McGuire |
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