25 Records of Christmas, Day 14: No Doubt

Pop music these days isn’t what it used to be. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, or you know me, you know that I don’t usually like the mainstream pop stuff, nor do I listen to the radio. I’ve listened to more of the pop music this year just because of being at my job and hearing it, and also because a few older artists have returned to release a new album. I never thought we’d see No Doubt come back, but we’ve got a new record from them. I was really worried that it was going to be lots of new sounds and dubstep influences, and that it was going to be terrible. I’m glad it seems like I was wrong.


No Doubt has always been known for a jam-inspired type of pop music, and especially the new wave type style of music from their previous albums. Their newest release, Push and Shove, showcases a lot of the historic sounds that made them popular, delicately fused with current pop stylings. I didn’t think it was possible for them to hang onto their sound, but somehow they did it. “One More Summer” is a great dance tune, featuring lead vocalist Gwen Stefani’s signature high pitches. With the synths in the background, it almost harkens back to early 80s dance, which completely works for No Doubt.

Push and Shove is No Doubt's sixth album, and first in 11 years.

Other retro-sounding tunes include the single “Settle Down”, a song I think is classic No Doubt, particularly from the Rock Steady days. Even if people didn’t tend to gravitate towards that album, they had some huge hits from it, and the single works here on Push and Shove. Speaking of which, the title track has a solid reggae dance feel to it, exploring something a bit new for the band, before inevitably jumping into a dubstep breakdown. And somehow, it works. Similarly, “Easy” has the attitude of Stefani’s solo albums, the sass and ska-sounds in the bridge compliment her vocal nicely. Also, “Gravity” is probably the most infectious track in the collection, simply because of the simplicity of the chorus. It makes for a standout tune for No Doubt’s old (and new) fans.

I really didn’t expect this album to be good. Maybe it was because it’d been so long since No Doubt has been in the limelight, and we’ve seen Stefani become a pop star in her own respect (even if it wasn’t the best music). But Push and Shove fits into the return to form that I’m sure the band was going for in the studio, all the while taking on the characteristics of what makes it popular today. Critics (and fans) will likely pass by, but if you’ve ever been a fan of what No Doubt does, be sure to give them a try this year.

PS. Check out these acoustic versions on Spotify. Gives a more stripped down feel to them.