For a number of years now I have considered myself a fan of ska music. While some would consider the genre to be a few years past its prime, there’s just something about the fast drum beats, syncopated guitar riffs and blasting horn section that can’t help but get my musical senses fired up. As you can imagine, upon learning No Doubt was back together and working on a new album, I couldn’t help but get excited.
Yes, after years of singing about bananas, the Hollaback Girl has rejoined her former band members and returned to her ska-punk roots, or so it would seem.
While many of us, having grown up during the 2000s era of pop music, are familiar with Gwen Stefani’s solo work, No Doubt might be less familiar, having gone more than a decade without releasing a new album. During their 11-year hiatus Gwen Stefani released two solo albums, catapulting herself to the forefront of pop music by adopting a fresh, new, teen-pop friendly persona. Indeed, Stefani’s new image surprised more than a few of her fans, (and notably, Reel Big Fish front man Aaron Barrett). But in light of this, what’s even more surprising is that she chose to go back.
I was, as I’m sure many other old-school No Doubt fans out there were as well, hoping this new album, Push and Shove, would be a refreshing return to their previous style, as opposed to a continuation of the trends in Stefani’s solo career. This idea had at least some hope upon the release of “Settle Down,” the first single released earlier this year from the album. The reggae motifs present in the melody, coupled with the light-hearted lyrics created a “hella positive” set up to an album that could, at best, breathe new life into what remains of the ska scene.
After pleasantly listening through this familiar first track on the album upon Push and Shove’s release last Tuesday, Sept. 25, I can’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed once I heard the second song of the album, “Looking Hot.” The heavily synthesized riff at the beginning of the song immediately put me off, and the obviously shallow subject present in the lyrics did little to help the situation, although I will admit to bobbing my head during the undeniably catchy breakdown around 2:20.
“One More Summer” hardly improved things as the melancholy tone of the lyrics seemed to clash with the faster drum beat in what could only be described as a miserably failed attempt at an uplifting song.
At this point, I was ready to give up on the album, and was therefore thoroughly surprised when I finally heard the album’s namesake, “Push and Shove.” This song clearly took a step above the rest of the album I had heard up to this point.
Initially noteworthy are the fast lyrics, which create a natural-sounding groove—a welcome throwback to the band’s original style. However, where this song really shines is during the refrain, in which the band successfully makes use of modern music production techniques while at the same time retaining a laid-back, constant feel supplemented by Stefani’s unwavering vocals.
Furthermore, the juxtaposition of horns at all the right places and perfect variations of the solidly pounding bass line make this track truly worthy of praise. If any song on this album deserves to be a hit, it’s this one.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album sounded unexciting, though it made a noble effort in “Sparkle.” This slower tune successfully manages to convey a longing in its lyrics, with a trombone solo cementing the song in its deeper sound.
As a whole, I found the album to be touch-and-go. There are a few good songs on Push and Shove, and that might very well make the album worth checking out. However, the ostensibly cohesive piece really failed to come together, and certainly fell short of what I, as a No Doubt fan, was really looking for.
For those of you still looking to give this album a shot, I would recommend the deluxe version. “Settle Down” translates very well into an acoustic song, and this bonus version also contains a gem for those music fans keen on remixes.
