Sometimes music artists attempt to get back into the game after a long break and it usually doesn’t work out so well for them. They usually try to go back to what they originally did and it just doesn’t connect the way it had previously. No Doubt, on the other hand, is proving that to be wrong with the release of their first album in 11 years, Push and Shove.
No Doubt formed in the mid-80’s in Orange County, California. The band consists of the most well-known member, Gwen Stefani, who is the main vocalist, Tom Dumont, the guitarist, Tony Kanal on the bass as well as the keyboard, and the drummer, Adrian Young. After four years of gaining and losing members, the band was signed to Interscope Records in 1990, with their first, self-titled album released two years later. The album did not do well, but they still released an album three years later, titled The Beacon Street Collection, which was basically a more raw version of the first album. Also, later that year, Tragic Kingdom was released. Tragic Kingdom allowed No Doubt to have much more mainstream success then they previously had, which led to it being one of the bestselling albums of all time, selling 16 million copies world-wide. The next album was Return of Saturn in 2000, which didn’t have great success. The latest album, besides Push and Shove, was released in 2001, titled Rock Steady. After that album release, the band mainly rereleased things from the past and decided to take a break from the band for four years, deciding to focus on their families, as well as solo careers.
No Doubt got back together in 2008 with plans to create a new album but with lack of inspiration they decided to go back on tour to find inspiration with hopes of an album release after tour ended in 2009. Three years later, Push and Shove is finally released with the first single being “Settle Down.”
Push and Shove sounds exactly like No Doubt used to. They pulled the sounds from every album that they’ve ever put and mixed them together perfectly, not overbearing in any way. From the ska punk sound from their first album, to the reggae sound that they had evolved into by Rock Steady, that album flows together to highlight the band and what they are best at. The only difference in this album compared to the older ones, is that they have adapted the electronic sound that nearly all mainstream music has now. Push and Shove has only 11 tracks, but each song is over four minutes long so there is still plenty of No Doubt. Push and Shove was released on September 21, 2012, and is currently just behind Mumford & Sons newest album on the charts, but no matter the band is proving to be timeless.