Album- Push and Shove
Artist- No Doubt
After a break of more than ten years No Doubt returned with
their sixth studio album that combined their reggae, ska pop rock influenced
sound with modern sensibilities and lyrical tales of love and heartbreak. The
album was highly anticipated but perhaps not as commercially success as the
anticipation would suggest. However, in listening to this record, I ask myself
is this a bad album and that’s why people didn’t buy it, or is it actually a
good record that shows how the band can really cement their place in both
todays pop world and the timeless musical stratosphere.
Track 1- Settle Down
This reggae influenced dance jam starts of in an ambient way with Eastern
style beats before the clattering reggae beats begin and lead singer Gwen
Stefani powerfuly declares in a distorted way that “I’m fine”. The song has a
very much signature No Doubt sound with a kinectic bass and light ska beats
that make for a really dancey, just have fun party anthem. Vocally Stefani’s
natural quirky tone works well with the production and makes the lyrics of the
track really pop. And lyrically we find the band talking about having to fit
into a new situation and how it’s hard but they’ll be fine cause their tough. It’s
a message that will resonate with quite a few people, and the hook of the track
is a real catchy affair. The only annoying thing about the song is the way that
the track is prolonged with the light beats and small moments of vocal about 4
minute and 40 seconds into the song, as it just makes the track annoyingly long
and doesn’t give that powerful end that would
have been dance.
4/5
Track 2- Looking
Hot
This powerful synth affair with it’s powerful up tempo energy and great
guitar riffs set against a powerful drum bass is a delicious slice of strong
pop from the band that for me at least shows how they definitely can give the
kids of today’s music scene a run for their money. The track has elements of
their ska and reggae sound that enhance their track but you definitely get a
sense with this song of the band pushing themselves sonically and trying to
move forward. The vocals are strong and have a smooth, lilting kind of quality
that make us really believe the ideas behind the track. And lyrically we find
Stefani singing in a tongue in cheek way about being a forty something front
woman but still looking good, and although just light and fun I also kind of
feel that in a way it is also an empowering number.
4.5/5
Track 3- One
More Summer
This powerful track finds the band going into a sombre tone, with Stefani
lyrically speak of a relationship that is a little bit volatile and has this
repetitive edge, but she just wants that one more summer because the connection
between herself and her man is really powerful. Vocally Stefani really brings
out a sense of passion in the track, with the high key of the chorus giving a
passionate, almost pleading tone to the track and contrasting well with the
more down played, quite retrospective nature of the verses. The band definitely
show how they can roll with the times in terms of this tracks production, with its
pounding bass, powerful dance beats, arena sounding guitar riffs and a chorus
that is superbly catchy and just calls out to be sung along with.
4.5/5
Track 4- Push
and Shove (featuring Busy Signal and Major Lazer)
Referred to by the bands bassist Tony Kanal as their “Bohemian Rapshody”,
this definitely has to be the best track on the record. This is because it is
so schizophrenic and energetic like Rapshody but still sounds like such as
stable, fully fleshed out track. The
track is powerful in terms of it’s switching into a variety of genres, with the
bands signature reggae beats being coupled with an almost dupstep kind of
breakdown and a swooning, emotional chorus. The Busy Signal rap feature is
powerful in given that just be reckless energy and just sounds natural within
the song rather than being an add on kind of thing. The sound of the record is
it’s strength, but vocally Stefani is also really powerful, with the fast paced
verses offsetting the slow lamenting quality of the chorus in a really great
and strong way. The lyrics are fun and really tap well into that human quality
of the best relationships sometimes being the ones where you really have to
work.
5/5
Track 5- Easy
This powerfully down tempo record starts off in a strong way in terms of
the way the track focuses on the fast paced but chilled synth beats and
features a small pocket of vocals in terms of the continually distorted line that
Stefani sings. However as the track really begins the sound evolves into a
powerful pop rock sound that builds well into a powerful chorus which centres
around a simple hook. The track is all about how Stefani is just going to take
it easy in this relationship and not work so hard cause she will probably just
mess it up. The vocals are nice and chilled and the track really sits well in
terms of the message of the track, with the kind of rap bridge being a nice
sonic change of pace that means the final chorus is really strong. A little
dragged out, but the way it fades is a nice touch.
3.5/5
Track 6- Gravity
Just like gravity is one of the most stable forces in the world, here we
find Stefani singing about how her and her guy have a great relationship that
is so strong because it is such a force, metaphorically having gravity. The
hook is strong and the punchiness of the chorus opens the track well, even if
the idea of the song comes off a little clichéd. Vocally she brings a euphoric
tone but Stefani isn’t necessarily as strong as she was on the other numbers,
and this may because the rock based sound of the song just feels a little too
familiar, a little bit pop rock by numbers. However, the bridge has a kind of euro
pop sound that is intriguing and makes for a strong finish.
3/5
Track 7-
Undercover
This synth laden pop number with a cool guitar undertone is all about
asking where did the love that Stefani and her fella once have gone, and she
feels like it’s a kind of mystery that she has to figure out but she is scared
to do cause she doesn’t like the idea of the guy hiding something. The song
taps in well lyrically to the concept of that someone in a relationship who is
a bit too guarded, and when set against the light synths and strong pop rock
sound, Stefani’s natural vocal tone makes the message of the track seem really believable.
3.5/5
Track 8- Undone
Undone is a powerfully haunting number that finds the band going into a
more down tempo setting and into power ballad territory that shows Stefani
going into a vulnerable mode vocally. The track is lyrically all about the
unravelling of a relationship and how Stefani doesn’t feel right with the way
things are going and just needs her man to kind of put her back together. The
track is nice in that it offers a little bit off diversity against the more up
tempo settings of the previous tracks, but sonically it is a bit annoying in
that it uses a powerful drum bass, loud guitar riffs and cool piano instrumentation
that feels very dated and so is just annoyingly stereotypical, even if Stefani
vocally makes what she is saying feel really true. It would have perhaps just
worked better if it was a little bit more stripped back
3/5
Track 9- Sparkle
With a strong lyrically repetitive opening, loud trumpets that declare
that the message is potent and a light but passionate sounding vocal, this
track shows how the record has transferred into another different sound. The song
is more of a mid tempo record with the reggae influences of the band being
really tangible in this song and making for a breezy, chilled out affair.
However the electric guitar undertones that can be heard prominently in the
verses makes for an intriguing affair, and although the idea of the relationship
never being the same is clichéd, the groovy vibe of the song and a smoothness
of the vocal makes for a pleasant listen.
3/5
Track 10- Heaven
This is another sonically variant number with hand clapping synth beats,
but it still keeps with the pop rock based tone. The track is lyrically clichéd
and is all about Stefani singing about how this guy is so good here is her
heaven. And it’s at this point you kind of just want the record to finish.
2.5/5
Track 11- Dreaming
the Same Dream
The final track opens with the powerful question of “who taught you how
to love” and features some cool, quite ambient sounding synths. The song means
the album finishes on a little bit more of a high, with the lyrics being less plain
and working well in terms of the questioning tone of the piece. The vocals are
great in giving a dreamlike tone to the piece, and although the pop rock sound
is familiar it works well with the tone of the piece and so isn’t as bland as
it could be.
3/5
Final Review
No Doubts return should have had more commercial success, as the record
is cohesive, vocally strong and features some really great tunes. The issue is
that the second half of the record means that the album is clogged down with a
pop rock sound that just feels too boring and doesn’t have the pizzazz that the
band are known for. So whilst a good comeback, more musical variation and
different sounds would have pushed the record into greatness.
7/10
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