Push And Shove

11 years have passed since the golden nugget that was Rock Steady which saw the band expand horizons into new territories from their Ska brand....it was a monumental piece that encouraged band members to branch out with their own solo ventures!Stefani in particular made a name for herself in fashion and of course struck her own gold with two successful solo albums, in particular LAMB which in itself is a practical masterstroke in Retro Pop. After 4 years of teasing a comeback....No Doubt are HERE.Push & Shove is a showcase of just what they can do and what they are best at...their strengths and pulled together by producer Mark "Spike" Stent (Madonna, U2, Bjork, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode and Stefani collaborator) like the Electronic magician he is....really ensuring the band utilises their signature New Wave/Ska sound and brings it to a contemporary world...with assistance from Diplo and Major Lazer! They bring Industrial into their universe.The resulting album is a very multi-layered cake...the first half of the album really does showcase a very experimental side utilising world beats and rhythms and old skool tempos echoing back to their Ska roots and Retro Pop styles that is so refreshing in todays watered down mainstream musical climate. The second half displays a more revisiting nature of old skool Rock vibes and alternative pop....some songs are very dreamlike in their approach and others touch on a melancholic and deeper level.Overall it offers an assault on the senses as an album, it is an album to be played loud to make you feel good and dance away your troubles bringing that nostalgiac feeling of the 90s and the ability to push forward....well push AND shove ;).Overall it is close to perfect and in my opinion their best collection of songs to date. Welcome back No Doubt! You have been missed.

Decided I ought to own every No Doubt album. Not quite as good as some of the earlier ones but I like it more than Gwen Stefani's solo stuff.

Ok, I was eager to listen to this album, only I had some slight concerns. I had read a few negative reviews claiming this no longer sounded like No Doubt, but like everybody else.Now that I have heard it...I disagree...First of all, this is their first album in over a decade, and in the meantime Gwen Stefani has had a massive solo career, whilst the the influence of the bands earlier work has been felt everywhere.After all, songs as great as Don't Speak, Hey Baby, Spiderwebs and Underneath It All do not go unnoticed, not even in the passage of time.In 2012, various artists have come forward to cite Gwen as a major influence. Rita Ora was one, whilst Cover Drive were another. The impact of both these newcomers has been felt everywhere this year. And they both owe a lot of their sounds to Ms. Stefani.Who else? Paramore, Rihanna, Lady Gaga...all owe something to Gwen and the boys, just as much as they do Madonna. So with everybody else sounding vaguely like No Doubt, should it be any surprise that No Doubt do as well?Sure, at times this album does resemble a Gwen Stefani solo album, and at other times it feels like the work of a young pop band. So what? It's the first new album after 11 years of silence. And the group have been together for 26 years. The fact this sounds so fresh and vital is a miracle.And songs like Settle Down, Heaven, Push and Shove and the perfect Dreaming The Same Dream show a band willing to have fun, try something new, and mature perfectly. This is a modern pop album, but without trite lyrics and a tendency to repeat itself. Sure their are a few ballads, but somehow they avoid bleeding into each other.Oh, and Gwen sounds extraordinary on this release. Settle Down and Looking Hotter are wonderful examples of youthful songs executed perfectly by an older woman. Only one other singer of her generation rivals her at this present time: Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. Both sound so energetic, youthful and natural. In fact, Gwen has never sounded so good, and I have No Doubt in my mind that she will pull these song off perfectly live.Right now, this is a four star release, verging closer to a five the more I hear it!. I don't know just how well this release stands next to the older ones just yet, but what I do know is that in a year of great releases by bands like Rush, Bruce Springsteen, Lacuna Coil, and a host of younger artists releasing strong No Doubt influenced debuts, this record proudly stands amongst all of them as a contender for album of the year.And when it comes to genuine pop, this is as good as it gets in 2012.26 years old? You won't believe it listening to this. And that can only be a good thing!Try Sparkle first, it sounds like a bit like Tragic Kingdom's World Go 'Round, which should ease older fans into the new groove, although there is not one single dip in quality or consistency from start to finish.Approach with an open mind, and I'm sure you will enjoy this! Just be sure you purchase the deluxe edition. The second disc of acoustic versions and remixes is excellent, surprisingly, and it also features the bouncy cover of Adam Ant's Stand And Deliver, which is excellent. A few quid extra, yes, but for once the deluxe edition is really worth it. And the acoustic version of Settle Down is brilliant, the equal of the album version. For the deluxe version, add an extra star!

WOW after waiting SOOOO long for a new No Doubt CD I was NOT disappointed - this album is in many ways a brilliant, typical No Doubt one with the harmonies, words and feel of the tracks being exactly what I love about this band. There was also a new feel to it too but not in such a way that it disconnects the link to their past brilliant music. I definately recommend this one - just LOVE playing it time and time again........one VERY happy fan. Just wish they'd do a tour in the UK now to back this up.......!!

Loved this album, No Doubt are back to their old style again and sounding great! I can't wait for their next Album!

I think that this is a super great product, and so I would gladly buy it agian in the future

excellent

Not their best album but not their worst, certainly deserving of at least three stars. The 2nd CD is an excellent addition with some excellent acoustic versions of songs from the album, plus a great rendition of 'Stand and Deliver' (Because of the 2nd CD I'm giving 4 stars altogether). 'Settle Down' is to me the best song out of the album, and 'Push and Shove' isn't too far behind. There's a a few filler songs in the album which do bring it down, but overall it's a decent return by No Doubt.