Move over, Material Girl, you've got some stiff competition when it comes to sultry - and from a ska singer, no less. And of that there is No Doubt.
Gwen Stefani, lead vocalist for No Doubt, which hails from Anaheim, Calif., was recently compared to Madonna because of her unbridled enthusiasm, dance moves and sometimes squeaky, but decidedly girlish, voice. But at least for those of us who have seen Stefani perform live, the comparison doesn't hold. And as for a competition, it's no contest - Stefani in a landslide.Unlike Madonna, Stefani has an almost girl-next-door squeaky cleanness, as well as a self-conscious air that helps her avoid Ms. Ciccone's arrogance. Both make her far more memorable, at least in this critic's eyes.
Throughout the band's 75-minute show at Club DV8, Stefani proved she has what it takes to be the next female pop sex symbol: smarts, raw sexuality and a great rapport with the disappointingly small crowd.
Stefani's voice has remarkable range, from a sultry purr on the mesmerizing "Sad For Me" to a commanding soulful rage on "Brand New Day" to the breathless muttering on "A Little Something Refreshing." But let's not spite her bandmates, they're pretty fabulous, too.
Maybe the most slighted of them was Stefani's brother, Eric, the band's keyboardist and its most prolific songwriter. While the others (especially saxophonist Eric Carpenter and bass guitarist Tony Kanal) got healthy solo material, Eric only took a little of Gwen's spotlight - with mock toreador antics on "The Matador and the Bull" and his bull-horned bluster on the lusty "Paulina" (an ode to international model Paulina Porizkova).
Most of the night, the band proved it is far more than its impressive self-titled, major-label debut - much more. The live versions of all the songs easily left their vinyl counterparts in the dust, especially with the raw, uncomfortably tight and herky-jerky arrangements they were given. This is a good young band with a lot of potential.
Unfortunately, this show was much better than its site. Club DV8, with its tiny stage and limited dance floor is poorly equipped for anything but a night spot.
Without Gwen Stefani's bright presence, any other headliner would have found stepping on stage daunting - the reason being opening act Swim Herschel Swim, who definitely get the crowd on their side.
One of the country's best unsigned acts (though hopefully not for long), Provo's best contribution to the ska scene put in a typical performance, which is to say, nearly brilliant.
Swim's singer, Rod Middleton, like Gwen Stefani, has a great stage presence, especially since not only does he mug shamelessly, but has a great range - from his croon on "Clueless" to a Bosstones-like growl on "General's Eyes" to Cab Calloway-like antics elsewhere. Middleton is a delight.
The band has also improved with the addition of drummer Pat Campbell.