I was 15 when I first heard Fiona Apple’s Tidal and No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom. Side by side, the albums have little correlation. No Doubt’s 14-track ska/punk masterpiece is full of mostly upbeat anthems like “Spiderwebs,” “Excuse Me, Mister” and “Just a Girl.” Not long after No Doubt’s videos made it to MTV’s lineup, avid grrl fans were buying Dickies and “wife beaters” and incorporating too many sit-ups into their afternoons as a result of Gwen’s tomboy-meets-sexpot look.
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