Ska music reviews

The first few albums were very raw sounding, with tight brass on top of punk-inspired vocals. However, with the advent of "Let's Face It" the band took a more melodius direction with their vocals, more rock instrumentation, but keeping the brass there, if not further in the background.

This disc is very much in keeping with the sound and feel of "Pay Attention," and is great fun. This sound is what makes the Bosstones one of my all-time favorite ska bands (only thing close is early Fishbone).

1. Jackknife To A Swan- Great start out, almost sounds like they're trying for a radio hit (Knock On Wood-esque) straight out of the gate.

2. Mr. Moran- Another awesome song, fast ska with a great chorus

3. You Gotta Go!- Slightly less impressive, but still a good song.

4. Everybody's Better- My favorite on the album, reminds me of Rascal King, slightly slower, very Reggae, awesome chorus.

5. Sugar Free- First song I might be tempted to call filler, but still not weak by any stretch. Will probably grow on me in time.

6. I Want My City Back- See above.

7. Chasing The Sun Away- Going back to the slightly slower Reggae beat, which is a nice breather from the last two songs. Great vocals in here, with a distinctly Caribbean feel. Nice diversion.

8. You Can't Win- This one didn't do much for me, seems like filler.

9. The Old School Off The Bright- Nice 'bone solo to start things off, fun song to keep the toes tapping.

10. The Punch Line- Reminds me of So Sad to Say very strongly. Slightly more guitar, less brass, but still very consistent sounding. Nice addition, makes the set seem familiar.

11. Go Big- More conventional rock than ska. Didn't really do much for me. Lyrics are a little odd too.

12. S#%t Outta Luck- Back to the typical Bosstone's ska style. Enough profanity to make up for the fact that there's very little through the rest of the album. I could take or leave this one.

13. 7 Ways To Sunday- Closing the album with a very different style, lots of rhythm guitar with a harmonica, with a mix of growling vocals and harmonies. Reminds me of Zombie Wood by Frank Zappa. As odd and out of place as it is, it is a kind of whimsical piece with a good beat, and I suspect it will grow on me.

So there you have it. A couple low points, but nothing I would say kills the momentum. Overall worth the minus of one star, but hey, 5 stars are hard to come by.

This CD is very good but you probably shouldn't pay $18.00 for it. It's one of those CDs that you like to listen to at parties or skate to but you usually don't listen to it for fun.
Here's a summary of the songs:

A jacknife to a swan:10/10
This song is really good and the chorus is very ska and catchy. You will really like this song. It sounds like the classic Bosstones.

Mr. Moran:9/10
This one is sort of dark but is definetly Bosstones. It is really ska.

You gotta go!:10/10
I love this song! The horn section is awesome! it is so cool. The most ska song on the CD!

Everybody's Better:10/10
This is my favorite song by the Bosstones! The horns sound better than ever! Wow! I love this song so much! It sort of reminds me of "The impression that I get" on the Let's face it CD.

Sugar Free:9/10
This song is pretty good. It has some cool, quick guitar work and catchy ska lyrics.

I want my city back:8/10
This song isn't that good. It's not really ska at all and doesn't sound like the Bosstones.

Chasing the sun away:9/10
I like the catchiness of this cool little song. It sounds really cool in the choruses.

You can't win:2/10
I hate this song so much. It shouldn't even be written. Not ska at all!

The old school off the bright:10/10
This song is hysterical! The lyrics are so funny and the beat is very catchy and ska.

Punch line:9/10
This song is pretty dang awesome! I like the beat and the lyrics. Very cool song.

Go Big:5/10
I think this song is sort of stupid. It is really weird.

S#!%t outta luck:9/10
This song is funny and catchy. Very cool.

7 ways to Sunday:0/10
What a stupid song! Very boring and stupid!

Besides the two sucky songs, this CD is good. You should probably get a friend to burn it for you.

This cd is awsome the best song on here is you gotta go but the wholecd is great you gotta go buy this cd now

The Urge's 1998 release "Master Of Styles" delivers a hard-hitting pure rock sound accompanied by jazz, ska and hip hop elements. The word "flawless" comes to mind at the thought of 12 solid tracks that display originality and creativity all polished by Steve Ewing's amazing vocals. Though none of the tracks could be considered a "filler," if I had to choose the album's weakness, it would be within the song "Identity Crisis." Even "Gene Machine," a cover of an old Bad Brains' song, is quite impressive. Highlights of the album include: "If I Were You," "Straight To Hell," "Played Out," "Closer," "Going Down" and "Prayer For Rain." I would strongly consider these 6 songs for a top 50 songs of all time list! PTMFUS!

Funk plain out funk.You can here the wow wow pedals and the funkafied riffs.The songs are so stunning.The first song is a shape shifter "If I Were You" sounds like Funk,Rock,and Jazz.
They throw in trumpets into a heavy song and it sounds good.This offers such a diverse set of songs.They are all great.

"Master Of Styles" has a soundgarden meets rap feeling.Other times it has its own unique sound.You can easily tell this band apart from other imataters.The guitar is very dark in some songs and others it's heavy and fun(soft twangs in others).Some songs sound like they originated from Mexico.

"Straight To Hell" seems ghetto and is.This album tries out so many ideas searching for its own sound,and it found its own sound bassically anything.This delivers I say this is a great buy,but not a must have.The energy given off seems so mixed it will catch nearly anyones attention.

I'm new to listening to rock, but I remembered having this CD a long time ago, but something happened to it, so I ordered it again. The Urge has a really great sound to them, a sort of alternative rock/ska sound with a touch of jazz on some songs due to the trombones added. Favorites have to be: Jump Right In, Played Out, My Apology, Divide and Conquer, and Prayer for Rain. The whole CD seems to flow together, sans for three songs that are considerably heavier rock than the others (Straight to Hell, S.L.O.B, and Gene Machine), but those are still done quite well and are just those types of songs to amp you up for a fun event. Definitely recommend this CD for Urge fans, or fans or alternative rock.

to me, this is rancid's best work. i don't understand why people say it's "rough around the edges", and crap like that! this is punk people! anyways, every song is fast, and catchy - which to me makes it a classic. this album kicks off with "adina", (one of the best songs on this CD) which is a fast short song, with awesome guitar riffs. and after you hear that song...you definetely will wanna listen to the next - trust me. and the next song "hyena", is another one of the best songs, and an awesome chorus that's all yelling...every song has it's own thing that makes it good. one of the slower songs, has got to be "outta my mind". tim's singing is what makes this song a classic (to me). tim's guitar work, bret's drumming, and matt's bass playing are at their best on this album. so if you're new to rancid, i would HIGHLY recommend this. if not this, "let's go" is another good one.

This record is awesome. This was before Lars joined the bad, but Lint, Brett Reed and Matt Freeman were all in it. Matt sings a lot more in this album than Rancid's later albums (prolly because Lars is a better punk singer), so if you don't like Matt's voice you might not dig a couple songs. Overall: f'ing rad album. Go to Epitaph Record's website to listen to a couple of the tracks before you buy it, if you want.

Man, oh man! This record kicks the sh*t outta all those pussy Good Charlotte albums. It starts out with Adina, fast pumping and loud! This whole album rocks, though I still don't see what people have against Indestructable. Oh, well. If you like real punk, get this.

I absolutely loved this album. Their amount of rockage reached an ultimate peak, but I did have one thing bother me. The lyrics, though worded beautifully, were a bit preachy. It had a little bit of a "you're a bad person and you should change yourself to be like me" feel to it.

But with that aside, a marvelous musical masterpiece of rock/ska/reggae. Definitely worth the money!

Assuming the acid-wrought art damage cover art didn't immediately pique interest, here is a consumer exercise:

Imagine your favorite punk rock album. Now, replace the sloppy playing, half-baked guitar solos, and whiny, Rotten vocals, and replace them with one of the tightest rhythm sections ever witnessed by human ears, gorgeous, harmonized sax-plus-trombone riffs, and a singular voice that positively drips sincerity.

You're not listening to the radio. You're listening to the RX Bandits firing a shot across its bow.

Whichever background you hail from, there's something to like on "The Resignation." From blistering punk rails against superficiality ("Sell You Beautiful") to politically-charged reggae rave-ups ("Overcome"), to moody, dark dance-rock that, for once, actually takes absolutely no inspiration from Depeche Mode at all ("Taking Chase As The Serpent Slithers"), it's a record that fires on all cylinders and never fails to deliver ("Decrescendo"). If none of this is intriguing, there's also at least one 7+ minute prog-flavored adventure present, and enough energy to power a steel drum factory.

You can complain about the lyrics in a time where one of the recent pop hits of the moment included the line "you make me wanna la-la." You can pretend that it's not interesting music and that you're "above" such "juvenile" endeavors. You can even play the part of the checker-pantsed ska ubermensch and myopically declare that there are better ska records to be found, in blind assumption of a singular genre's uncontested dominion over all things musical (see: metalheads).

You can do any or all of these things... and you can also get the hell out of my car/apartment/place of business.

WOW! I've never seen such an amazing display of lyrical power, musical talent, and sick guitar parts! The Rx Bandits take a genre made famous by bands like Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish, and throw their own little dark twist on it. Add a little reggae, shake vigorously for 10 minutes, and you've created the Rx Bandits. Definitely a ska band Brad Nowell of Sublime would be proud to listen to.

The CD has 12 songs on it:
1. Sell You Beautiful (9/10)- an amazing intro song, to show the lyrical power of these musical masterminds. the song is very fast and catchy, about society's desire to be physically perfect by whatever means necessary.
2. Prophetic (10/10)- this song starts out completely amazing with the trumpets, so you're instantly left to think "it can't get much better than that," but the powerful guitars and lyrics about depression, drugs, and cutting leave this to be an emotional masterpiece.
3. Newsstand Rock (Exposition) (8/10)- after prophetic, this song brings it down just a bit. It's a wonderful experience nonetheless.
4. Overcome (the Recapitulation) (12/10!!)- with a name like that, you can't go wrong! This song has an amazing reggae beat to it, and no chorus whatsoever, yet it is probably my favorite jam on the cd. It's about the flaws of capitalism
5. Never Slept So Soundly (10/10)- The guitars make this song, without a doubt! The chorus guitar part starts off with some very fast skips, then bolts into a very heavy explosion, and repeats about 4 times for each chorus. The lyrics themselves are powerful as well
6. Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers (7/10)- this song doesn't have the same energy as the last 5, but is still quite good.
7. Republic (5/10)- another anti-government song. The cd would be fine without this track.
8. Mastering the List (10/10)- the longest song on the cd, being about 7 minutes long, but it's worth every second. it's hard to listen to this song and not get up and bust a move!
9. Falling Down the Mountain (7/10)- nothing too spectacular, yet still the Bandits at their best.
10. Dinna-Dawg (and the Inevitable Onset of Lunacy) (8/10)- the progressive explosion for the ending starts here in my opinion. this song is quite brilliant as well, but not quite the calibur of some of the others.
11. Pal-treaux (10/10)- this song should fool a brilliant music fan into thinking that it's the end. it seems to be all wrapped up and the stylistic changes in this song would make it an amazing ending song as well. Yet there's still more...
12. Decrescendo (15/10!!!!!!)- the god-like epitome of ska-core music. Decrescendo is without a doubt the most brilliant song on the cd, and my second favorite jam. The lyrics are powerful, and they alter their style a few times. It's finished off with an amazing minute of straight jamming.

Dark ska, what a beautiful experience!

It has its high points, but some real stinkers contaminate it.

1. We Threw Gasoline... (A-) Not too appealing at first, but the chorus is incredible and irresistable

2. Everybodies Girl (A++) Pure bliss from start to finish! Unbelievable.

3. Worlds On Heroin (A-) A lazy opening riff? Nah, it picks itself up quickly, impressivley.

4. Say Anything (A+) It only gets one plus because it's too short!

5. Delinquent Song (A-) Some ska is here. Slower than its predecessors, but it's excellent with the right mindset.

6. Everready (A-) Good.

7. Greed Motivates (A) Grabs you and goes really fast!

8. Telepath Boy (A-) Fun for all 50 seconds it lasts.

9. Never Connected (A-) Nice.

10. Gotta Go (Grade not available) I always skip this, so I wouldn't know.

11. Defiled (A-) Rockin'!

12. Haula$$ Hyena (B+) Kinda annoying and familiar.

13. Rats In The Hallway (A-) There were better songs on Rancid's debut (Hyena, Detroit, Rejected.)

14. Steel-Toed Sneakers (A) Great!

15. Bad Seed (D+) They sure got the "bad" part right.

16. Rotten Egg (A) Annoying to some, but I love it.

17. Poison Steak (A) Annoying to some, but I love it.

18. No Equalizer (Grade not available) Once again, I always skip it.

19. Alright (A-) Since this is a demo song, it's kinda trite and sterile, but OK.

20. A.D.D. (B-) Why do I have to force myself to listen to it if I'm not too crazy about it?

21. Lozin' Must (F) Millencolin, Millencolin, Millencolin, you're capable of much more than this puke.

22. You (A++) Quite a contrast from Lozin' Must, indeed.

23. Ordinary Fight (A+) Would've been an excellent ending song, but no...

24. If (C) ...this mediocrity had to be dropped.

25. Wake Up (C-) An unreleased Pennywise song. Unfortunately, listening to it makes it clear why it was left off the superior Full Circle.

I personally think Punk-O-Rama 5 is the CD to get first. On Punk-O-Rama 3, few of the tracks hit that "Aw yeah, this is amazing" vibe or are very memorable. On Punk-O-Rama 5, the tracks by Zeke, Millencolin, All, Bouncing Souls, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Union 13, Osker and Pennywise all surpass those on Punk-O-Rama 3.

This introduced me to the world of Epitaph punk. Good thing it was like 8 years ago instead of now because Epitaph sucks now.
If you're looking for some good (relatively old, god now with crap like My Chemical Romance, this punk seems like millenia ago...) punk, you better pick this up. All the songs are catchy and they'll make you want to go pick up old Bouncing Souls, old Bad Religion and old Millencolin. Good things in life.

voodoo glowskulls are great here, and the best song is definatly rats in the hallway by rancid. other stuff is good too.

In my opinion, this is the best ska cd ever. I was first introduced to Reel Big Fish, like many of us, with the radio success of "sell out" around 1997. Over the years, i forgot about Reel Big Fish as my music choices went down the drain. However, about a year and a half ago, i saw this cd in the record store and picked it up.

My life was completely changed. This cd made me an instant ska fan, and I have continued to grow into a bigger ska fan since that time. "Turn the Radio Off" is filled with catchy rhythms, humorous lyrics, and fantastic horn lines. Even today, after the thousands upon thousands of times that I've listened to this cd, there is not a single song I can skip.

Whenever anyone asks me about ska, or "what's a good ska band", the first thing I tell them is to pick up this cd. This cd has made me the ska fan that I am today. This album is an essential to any collection, whether you like ska or not. Virtually every true music fan that I know loves this album, ranging from other ska fans to punk kids to alternative kids and even to emo fans. Go out and get this cd today, either here on amazon or at any record store. You won't regret it.

This is my favorite ska album of all time. RBF offer exciting and fun ska that just makes you want to dance and act like an idiot. The album cracks me up with songs like She's Got a Girlfriend Now, Trendy, and the classic Beer! Not only is the album a lot of fun but these guys are seriously talented. This album has been in my collection for a long long time and will remain there until i DIE!

Reel Big Fish is a ska band that began with the release of their first album, Everything Sucks. Out of their five albums, Turn the Radio Off is my favorite. This album is a great listen because of the unusual, yet infecting instrumentation and rhythm. Reel Big Fish manage to fuse rock, punk, and ska to create an amazing and unique sound. Although past albums by the band were terrific, Turn the Radio Off captures their true spirit and energy in many of the featured songs. "Beer" and "Trendy" are two of the tracks featured on this album that best represent Reel Big Fish. "Beer" is certainly one of the bands most popular songs. It was even featured, as well as the band, in the movie Baseketball. This song employs their preferred style of playing which is syncopated rhythm guitar, scorching lead guitar riffs, and a snazzy, upbeat bass line. "Trendy", another great song from Turn the Radio Off, features the same trademark rhythm guitar, but trades the sizzling solos for and even more infectious vocal and brass accompanyment. One can't help but be mezmorized by these toe-tapping melodies. The lyrics of the songs featured on Turn the Radio Off are consistent, but far from the point of monotony. The lyrics are easy to relate to and deal with the same things that many people face everyday. The lyrics are not too serious which effectively augments the upbeat and energizing sound found in almost every song on this album. The combination of catchy and sometimes hilarious lyrics, infectious beats, and blistering guitar solos is what makes this album so appealing to me. If you like artists such as Less Than Jake, Sublime, Goldfinger, or Nofx, Turn the Radio Off by Reel Big Fish is for you. If you want to explore another album by Reel Big Fish, take a look and listen to Everything Sucks. Even though some of the songs from Turn the Radio Off are featured on Everything Sucks, the quality of the other tracks is not compromised.

I don't know how many hundreds of times I have listened to the album and it still holds up as one of my favorites. The first time I heard any of their songs was a live performance at Speedy O' Tubs in Bellingham, Washington (probably 1990 or 1991). This is an incredible band and as great as this album is the Daddies are even better live. One thing though, this is not a pure Swing style album, it is more a cross between swing, punk and rock, add to that some incredible lyrics from Steve Perry and you end up with "Ferociously Stoned." If you are a fan of pure Swing you will probably be disappointed by parts of the album but if you are a fan of really good music that combines various styles and doesn't follow some boring formula then this is for you. While some are at times offended by some of the lyrics I find them to be very honest and often humorous, you really come away understanding just how disturbed Steve Perry's childhood must have been after listening to "Drunk Daddy". Russ Meyer fans will especially enjoy "Flovilla Thatch vs. the Virile Garbage Man." This CD deserves a place in any true music lover's collection.

This would be it.... I bought my original copy at one of their shows in bellingham,Wa.... All I can say is... if you don't own it yet... spend the money...

How can anyone knock this album. it is only the greatest album recorded by any artist. i mean the funky groves of Diabolic Tastemaker and Dirty Mutha Fuzz (my personal favourite) plus the swing tunes of Drunk Daddy and Master and Slave make this THE best CD. of course some people are adverse to the lyrics in the songs, but i say you guys are just soft. the lyrics rule, and the songs are even better. so all you CPD haters, get lost and all you CPD lover embrace this CD as their personal best achievement.

Said to be the poorest ska band around (poor as in no money, not talent) Big D make pretty damn good cds. Some of the songs are a little questionable, but the good songs definitly make up for it. Big D isn't going to change the world or re-invent ska or anything, but these guys are damn good at what they do. This cd is a must for ska fans. If you like this, you should also look at getting The Gypsy Hill e.p. or their new cd, which Amazon doesn't have as of now.

Big D's Asian Man debut is a landmark in punk/ska history. This is a band that not only embodies the DIY Ska lifestyle but also the spirit of the music. Good times is the staple message of Ska and Big D know that better than any other new Ska band. All the songs are bubbly, upbeat and relentlessly energetic. The band took the genre to new heights with this album by making a sound that is stylistically no different than most other bands of the genre but still manages to sound completely new and fresh. If it wasn't for the unabided enthusiasm of Dave McWayne and the rest of the band, the music would have faltered and been unfairly lumped with other bandwagon Ska bands. You can tell how much the Kid's Table love what they do simply by their lifestyle: one of homelessness and nonstop touring.

The album starts of strong with Myself which is a high-tempo skank punker that contains brilliantly catchy lyrics and wonderfully fluent horn lines. This theme would continue to other tracks such as Dirt Lip, GLD and Can't be Caught. The band also harnesses the awesome power of the super-heavy bridge in the songs Fatman and album highlight 51 Gardener.

But the album is not perfect. In fact it is far from it. Later albums would prove to be much more focussed and improved. The band at the recording of this album had 5 horn players, which is a fairly ridiculous amount for a band that has so much punk influence. The abundance of horn players make the horns too big and somewhat tedious at times (while at other times it's phenomenal). The CD also drags on with very little true variety in the music. When there is variety, it's done haphazardly and comes off as pointless filler (especially the straight punk songs Apology and Learning to Listen). This flaw would be remedied severely in the follow-ups.

This CD is a great introduction to a band that really hasn't gained a lot of precidence yet. The good-time atmosphere radiates on every track and makes a very enjoyable listen. Not for those fans who hate it when distortion enters the Ska picture or for fans of underground music period. If you love Ska and want a skankin good time, however, this CD is truly for you!

4 and a Half Stars (just short of perfect)

P.S. Trad Ska fans tend to love this band, too!

big d is awesome, buy this cd if you like ska. some of their earlier stuff is good, like the fork in hand split with drexel or their ep "energy". go to a show, they kick ass, its definitly worth it.

Hey if you're a fan of ska music, hell, if you're a fan of music at ALL be sure to listen to Why Do They Rock So Hard. This album is filled with the genius of Reel Big Fish's wacky lyrics that they are so well known for, along with their original and fun sound the band carries. If you're looking for the usual stuff that is being played on the radio these days, you won't find it in Why Do They Rock So Hard? The whole production is something impressive that you'll be listening to for years to come.

This is possibly the best album that Reel Big Fish has released, in my personal opinion. If you're trying to find out if this band fits your musical tastes, then this album is definitely the ice breaker. There aren't a lot of bands out there that have the unique ability to keep the audience's attention throughout a whole CD, making every song another great track that everyone can agree on. The band works very hard and keeps the fans in mind, which is one of the main components to their success.

Overall, if you're looking for something different that really stands out, buy a copy of Why Do They Rock So Hard? You definitely won't be disappointed with your decision.

Wow, what more can I say than Wow.

Why do they Rock so Hard is the followup to the commercially explosive Turn the Radio Off and it does not disappoint. Well, that's a lie. It seems to disappoint a few traditional ska fans who never really liked RBF to begin with. Others dislike it because it has a little bit less Ska than its predecessor (but not much). As far as Ska records are concerned, it is indeed inferior to Reel Big Fish's major label debut. However, as an overall music album it offers a much tighter balance of style and a much more impressive display of musicianship. Frontman Aaron Barrett has perfected his glam-rock style guitar work into a powerful and somewhat complex pop-punk arrangement. Bassist Matt Wong steps the funk up to the next level and Scott Klopfenstein shows off why him and Aaron are one of the best vocal duos on the Ska scene. The horn section doesn't falter either. Retaining the legendary lineup from Turn the Radio Off (which would leave before finishing Cheer Up!), Dan Regan leads Tavis and Grant through tight horn lines and beautifully crafted solos, especially on the remake of the demo In the Pit (now called Thank You for Not Moshing). This album is the second in what the band considers its trilogy and gives the message "Now that we're popular, how come everyone hates us?" Lyrically, that seems to be the overall theme, such as in Down in Flames or the album highlight Somebody Hates Me.

The band remakes several cuts from their self-released debut Everything Sucks, inlcuding a slowed-down I'm Cool, a beefed up I Want Your Girlfriend to be my Girlfriend and a glossied version of the faux-ballad Big Star. Other highlights of the album include The Set-Up, Brand New Song and the fidgety Kid's Don't Like It. Plus the band tosses in a wonderful collaberation with New York ska icon Coolie Ranx as Song #3.

Downsides? Sure there are some. There is a pointlessly long and boring jam after the last track which drags the album on a bit longer than it should and that in itself may warrant a star off if you get annoyed by that. There are what some have dubbed "filler" on the album (16 tracks usually means filler-ahead) such as Scott's a Dork, She's Famous or You Don't Know. Although others would say (including myself) that these cuts are equally amazing.

Recommended for fans of glam-rock, the 80's, punk/ska, pop-punk or just really happy music. Not at all recommended for those who hate the third wave, the Reel Big Fish, Ska or any combination of the three. Not the album to start your RBF collection with, though; Turn the Radio Off is a much better intro to the catalogue.

5 BIG BIG stars!!

I was a hard rocker only listening to the heaviest stuff. Then, I heard this CD, now like all i listen to is ska. This is the best CD ever made!

Somebody Hates Me 10/10: An awesome opener, this song got my attention right away.
Brand New Song 10/10: A great happy ska song with pretty good lyrics.
She's Famous Now 9/10: Another great ska song but the lyrics aren't the best.
You Don't Know 10/10: An awesome song, not up-beat tho. I've wanted to say some of this stuff to some people.
The Set Up (You Need This) 10/10: Another sweet ska song. Great harmonizing, great horns, great everything.
Thank You For Not Moshing 9/10: Pretty good, I'm not to big on the Jamaican guy singing and stuff in the verse.
I'm Cool 10/10: Sweet and a great change. This is the best out of the 3 versions of I'm Cool.
I Want Your Girlfriend To Be My Girlfriend Too 10/10: My favorite on the CD, great guitar, great horns, great lyrics, great everything. I've wanted to say this to some people.
Everything Is Cool 10/10: This is a very weird song. It's kinda ska-metal, but its a change and a great song.
Song #3 7/10: My least favorite on this CD, I don't really like the Jamaican guy singing.
Scott's A Dork 10/10: Pretty much just a sweet song.
Big Star 7/10: Too slow and it seems sorta self-centered kinda with the lyrics.
The Kids Don't Like It 10/10: This is a sweet song with a very good sound.
Down In Flames 10/10: My second favorite on the CD. It has great horns and guitar and lyrics, they all go together perfect.
We Care 9/10: Great song and I like how they thank you for listening, but it didn't catch my attention that much.
Victory Over Peter Bones 10/10: So relaxing.

This is one of the best CDs I've ever bought, and now you gotta go BUY IT!

I bought this boxset once it was released, and absolutely loved 3/4 of the discs.

I thought the first disc was great (A "greatest hits" CD witch just about every one of their best songs in one collection), I just didnt care for any of the music (Besides 1 song) on the rarities/b-sides disc though. I must've taken it out about 2 times before giving up on it.

Pretty much any No Doubt fan already has the content on the first CD (The greatest hits) and the real reason I bought the set were the final 2 discs, the DVDs.

The first is their entire Video Collection up to the point of Its My LIfe, the 2nd is the DVD Release of the VHS Concert "Live in the Tragic Kingdom" which I've been waiting for for quite a while and was the big selling point for me.

Each of the 4 CD's come in thin cardboard cases much like 'demo disc' or 'free trial' CD's, all packaged in a cardboard box about 2 inches thick.

2 of the 4 discs have been released seperately (The singles CD and the Music Videos DVD), each in *REAL* CD/DVD Cases for a low price ($10 each), Had the Tragic Kingdom DVD been released seperately as well, I would recommend the 2 DVDs + The singles CD opposed to this set, but since that didnt happen, I can easily recommend this set.

3 of the 4 discs are excellent for any fan, and others may like the 4th disc (The B-Sides disc) as well, but I just couldnt get into it. Alongside this set I highly recommend the No Doubt Rock Steady Live DVD.

I have been a fan of No Doubt for about 8 years now, and this is just a little something to show how much they have achieved.

The singles album is something everyone should own, track to track it is pure genius, from upbeat rocky classics that instantly put you in a good mood to slower beats such as running, that just make you smile and relax you.

Then the everything in time album, is just as good it contains rare songs and remixes, and they all hold a unique catchiness.

However the dvd's really top off this package, the videos dvd is pure genius the videos are amazing to watch, and the live in the tragic kingdom just gives you an example of how cool they are live.

If you are a no doubt fan, you must own this. Enjoy :)

For No Doubt FANS and casual listeners alike, this box set is a perfect way to sum up everything you've ever heard or ever wanted to hear. From their first radio hit, "Trapped In A Box", to their cover of "Ob-la-di Ob-la-da" and their wonderful video for "Underneath it All", this box set covers EVERY facet of No Doubt.

First is their Singles disc. You cannot go wrong with this, as every track sounds immaculate, including "Trapped", which sounds remastered and wonderfully louder. This disc also includes "It's My Life", their Talk Talk cover.

The next disc is their Rarities and B-Sides, which contains the cute Rugrats soundtrack song, "I Throw My Toys Around" and a couple remixes of "New". This disc makes the box set worth it alone, as all the wonderful "download only" No Doubt tracks are well represented in their full spunky glory.

The third disc is their Video Collection. This shows the simple mastery and wonderment of No Doubt, and the true constantly-improving glamour of Gwen Stefani. Their evolution from ska-punk band to electro-reggae-rock band makes sense while watching their videos. The themes in their videos range from Gwen's inability to snag camera time to a wonderful get-together involving spaghetti being thrown everywhere.

The last disc is something truly awe-inspiring, as it is a disc of Live performances from their Tragic Kingdom album. You cannot go wrong with any live performance from No Doubt. Their energy is high, and JUST in case you doubt Gwen Stefani's stage presence, see how much she sweats in every show. It's insane.

Just like you'd be to pass this gem up. Any No Doubt fan *should* already have this, but if you don't...here's your chance to redeem yourself. A+++++