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All Music Guide

With Return of Saturn, No Doubt have made a terrific, layered record that exceeds any expectations set by Tragic Kingdom.

Checkout.com

The album still bounces and skips via the ska signature with which No Doubt have marked the world, as in "Staring Problem" and "Home Now," but their forum is much bigger now, encompassing artful guitars, lurking bass and more interesting drum patterns.

Sonicnet

In the five long years since that multiplatinum release, these SoCal rockers have nearly been torn apart by fame, and the accompanying mixed-up emotions are manifested not just in the lyrics but also in the album's musical genre jumps.

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MTV.com

One of the better pop albums of 2000, a multi-faceted offering that resists easy labeling while extending the band's mighty grip on the popular imagination.

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Rolling Stone

If you liked Tragic Kingdom, you should love Return of Saturn. And if you didn't, you should still love it.

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Wall of Sound

The music on Return of Saturn... is a bit darker than it was on Tragic Kingdom, but it's no less energetic.

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Entertainment Weekly

They've calmed their caffeinated tendencies and concentrated on smoother, layered mid-tempo ballads as creamily textured as extra-thick napoleon pastries

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Vibe

There is no doubt that Gwen Stefani is currently the most hyped up singer in the world; nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact that she possesses one of the worst singing voices in pop-rock history.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Return Of Saturn is turning out to be nowhere near the DOA dud many had long anticipated. But it's also a dispiriting collection of some of the least empowering music ever recorded...

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Q Magazine

Despite a clutch of well-crafted songs, the results are hit and miss.

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Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

Occasionally her pushing-30 doubts about the single life are touching, like when she imagines Gavin Rossdale would make a good dad. But after five years, two producers, one Spin cover, and one lead review in Rolling Stone, the single Interscope sent her back to the salt mines for is the best thing on her automatic-platinum follow-up.

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L.A. Weekly

The new set lacks Kingdom's cathartic exuberance, not to mention the myriad bouncy sing-along hits that made Gwen Stefani to the '90s what Madonna was to the '80s.

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New Musical Express

Imagine if your diary was published in a national newspaper two years after writing it. Now consider what dull and repetitive reading it would make, and welcome to 'Return To Saturn'.

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Spin

Almost every musical style imaginable is crushed into this three-and-a-half minute, something-for-everyone product... But No Doubt's newfound introspection is a tad hard to swallow-

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HOB.com

Why, after going through a small army of producers and making us wait for half a decade, do you come back with a second rate album that seems geared towards the 13 year old girls in your audience?

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CDNow

No Doubt does play its own instruments, placing the group a cut above the current glut of acts that concentrate more on choreography than musicianship. But try as it might to mask itself in pink hair and fast-paced arrangements, No Doubt is as close to being alternative as the members of 'NSync are to being musicians.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.7 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Nat S. gave it a10:
awesome my favorite no doubt cd, the music is deep and full of emotion.

Brodie gave it a10:
This is a completely amazing album. I was hesitant upon listening to it, because I'm really not into No Doubt, but I did like all the singles from this album. At the moment, I can't stop listening to the album. It offers so much more than most albums do. "Artificial Sweetener", in my opinion, should've been a single. It's stunning. Other tracks that are particularily outstanding for me are "Marry Me" "Dark Blue" and "Comforting Lie".

Preston J gave it a10:
Critics aren't always right and i find this to be the album to illustrate this point. This album was about Gwen Stefani finally finding her voice in the band and actually taking her role as lead vocalist and utilizing it. There were glimmers of her rise as a lyricist in Tragic Kingdom, but was overshadowed by a number of silly songs, not saying that is wasn't a great album, because it was. But in Return of Saturn Gwen finally speaks to us directly about her wants, needs, and aspirations as a women. As a band this marks the start of a movement toward their on going mission to incorperate all forms of music making into their songs and becoming truely versatile. Perfect ten and may their winning streak continue!

Noor-Hal C gave it a10:
This album is AWESOME!!! It's my favorite album ever, I'm s huge No Doubt fan, I love all their cds, but this is my favorite one... It shows a darker shadow, deeper feelings than Tragic Kingdom, less ska-ish than Beacon Street and No Doubt, and louder than Rock Steady... It would be a perfect soundtrack for Bridget Jones Diary, because it shows all the feelings a single woman on this days can have.... EXCELLENT!!

April M gave it a10:
I think Return of Saturn may be better than Tragic Kingdom and Rock Steady, but it's really, really hard to say because nearly everything they do is really awesome. I love Gwen's lyrics, she's so insightful, and obviously she's been burned and dumped, just like all of us, right???

Camille gave it a 10:
this is one of my all time favorite cds ever. every song is amazing and Gwen has such a beautiful voice

Kadir A gave it a 10:
Californian Excellence!

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