Jeez No Doubt, what took so long? 11 years between albums is long for any artist. True, there was the greatest hits album in 2003 that signaled a hiatus, but even so, maybe it would have been best to either disband the group or record new material as soon as Gwen Stefani's solo career concluded in 2007. But come the turn of the decade, they were back to the studio and give their very patient fans their long-awaited fourth album (to put it in perspective, Enya, who usually produces albums every half-decade or so, produced her first four albums in 12 years. It's taken No Doubt 17 years to make four albums).
So how much has happened to the members of No Doubt in 11 years? Well look at the song titles, the lead single "Settle Down" describes what Gwen did after her solo career, while the other members took it "Easy" and remained "Undercover". This album is named "Push and Shove", but the first two mentioned titles would have been more appropriate. No Doubt do retain their dancehall elements picked up in 2001, but the ska punk revival is absent for the first time in their careers. They're grown out of that phase, and now they seem like music veterans who know exactly what their fans want, what they can get away with, and what musical direction best suits them for which time period. "Push and Shove" contains songwriting and maturity not overly present in their previous albums. It has been usually covered up with the pouts and the attitude of Gwen and the defiant drum beats of the other members. It's a refreshing feeling to have so much steady pop on one of their albums instead of the style and flair of their 90s masterwork "Tragic Kingdom", and this album's predecessor "Rock Steady". Although they have not completely lost their style, "Push and Shove" brilliantly keeps their street cred but while also propelling them towards a more dance-pop oriented sound. Age has definitely influenced the band, but Gwen's solo career is the heaviest influence made to their overall sound. It's a necessary move, after Gwen went into a completely different direction than her band, 11 years later they need to update to her new sound if they still want to sound like a unified group instead of four different personalities in a studio.
No, they keep their unity strong, and they easily re-unite as if this album followed "Rock Steady" by 11 months, not years. They are not so heavy on being rebels anymore, but they still appeal to the punks, and the punks at heart. Whether it's the defiant "Settle Down", the chill "Easy" or the club-groovers "Push and Shove" and "Looking Hot", this record contains a track suited for anyone. No Doubt is a lot older now, they are wiser, but they still have that radio-friendly element that was omnipresent in the back half of the 90s.
"Push and Shove" was well worth the wait.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Settle Down 2. Looking Hot 3. One More Summer
4. Push and Shove 5. Easy 6. Gravity
7. Undercover 8. Undone 9. Sparkle
10. Heaven 11. Dreaming the Same Dream
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