No Doubt - Return of Saturn

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Free Music Notes for Return of Saturn

Free Music Review: And To Make It Real...
Hit: 5 Stars

I bought this cd the week after it was released in the States, so that I could get the bonus track "Big Distraction". I've been a die-hard fan of No Doubt since 1996, though I wish I had known them forever. When I listened to "Ex-Girlfriend" on the radio I kind of felt rather disappointed, I thought this track was a bit artificial, it had no soul. It's not certainly the best ND song. Anyway I picked the cd, of course. And what I found was this incredible and sensitive mixture of melodies, so far away from their previous records. Yes, "Tragic Kingdom" is a masterpiece of fun music and catchy tunes, but "Return Of Saturn" adds what the band needed: prestige apart from commercial success (they got a Grammy nomination for the whole record!)

Despite their brilliance, some reviewers and critics keep on comparing them to these stupid bands and singers who just pay attention to their image, and prepare themselves for a new record by means of physical exercise, diets, and surgery. No Doubt surely think that image is very important, you can tell, but they took awhile to finish the whole album, they didn't want to release empty material, as a follow up to their hit TK. They got it, they made me cry, yes. And never ever again dare to compare them to the ... (I read a review of a guy who was supposed to be an expert from MTV and said that they were more like N Sync instead of a real music band, disgusting, huh?)

The record opens with the catchy but unnecessarily straight to the point "Ex-Girlfriend". Luckily, the record takes a new direction with the emotional "Simple Kind Of Life", which I consider a masterpiece of the band, and an improvement as far as Gwen's creativity is concerned. "Bathwater" rocks, it's so fun, so frenetic it keeps me jumping and moving around everytime I listen to it. Maybe "Six Feet Under" was the attempt to sound more like TK, but I think this is not one of the best tracks on the cd. Maybe the less catchy tunes in ROS are "Magic's In The Makeup" and "Marry Me", but they're astonishing and perfectly written. "Artificial Sweetener" and "Comforting Lie" seem to follow the same patterns, and sound alike, both are without a doubt two of the main highlights on the album. "New" took us back to their TK vibe, but prepared us for the changes in ROS. The main ballads here are "Too Late", considered by most specialized critics as the best tune in ROS, which is certainly one of the most sensitive and touching pieces written by the band and "Dark Blue", kind of a depressing and emotional song that fits perfectly at the end, but will remind you so much of "Too Late" the first times you listen to the record.

"Suspension Without Suspense" shows us how Gwen Stefani is able to amaze us with its unique, fresh yet green song writting. She has written two songs (music and lyrics) so far, and they're great, but she should keep on working, she has the talent. "Home Now" is from my point of view (and I've noticed that I am not the only one who feels this) the hidden gem in "Return Of Saturn". Yes, it takes a minute to start, but once it has, you wish it never ends, oh, it's so wonderful, and Gwen's nasal voice screaming desesperatedly "And to make it real / I need to have you here" makes me consider this song one of No Doubt's best works in their whole career. Brilliant.

The CD contains two bonus, "Big Distraction", a cool track, cheering, excellent guitar job by Tom Dumont, this unknown genius, and "Too Late (Instrumental)", which makes no sense in the record but is a great companion to one's possible loneliness or down times.

I forgot to mention "Staring Problem" , that's maybe because it's from my point of view the worst song in the album. It's a bit silly, and sometimes, I hate to say this, but a little annoying. But "old-school nodoubters" will thank so much this, because it's co-written by Eric Stefani and it will surely remind them of their first record "No Doubt". And Adrian Young explodes in it as usual with his happy-punk and precise way of performing.

Maybe you've noticed I am a bit critical when reviewing each song, but I'd like you to know that I consider myself being an expert in the issue, thus I think I can afford telling the wrong things they've done, and the way they should improve. Anyway, I still think No Doubt are growing into music, though they've made a great job so far ... I can't wait until the release of their next record, c'mon guys, don't disappoint me!

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