Push & Shove

The first concert I ever went to see when at 9 years old was No Doubt. At the time it was when TRAGIC KINGDOM had been out for over a year. Of course they played all the songs, and I remember it being an awesome concert. This is also when I discovered that the band is somewhat insane. Adrian, the band's almost naked drummer, with his mohawk. The entire band wearing makeup, not just Gwen Stefani. And worst of all was the mouth of Gwen Stefani. You'd think that she was raised by sailors. Being 9 years old these kind of things intrigued me, but because I was a "good kid" I never enacted said attitude outwardly. Like many I was obsessed with TRAGIC KINGDOM for many years, and much of the music I listened to I compared with this CD. It more than likely fell short, even the band themselves I thought at times. Fastforward to 2000 and their release of RETURN OF SATURN. After a few listens I couldn't get into the CD so I set it aside for some time and continued with my waning obsession of TRAGIC KINGDOM. Although I still loved it I wished that NO DOUBT or any band/artist could release an album equal to it. So began a musical purgatory in my life. Nothing sounded great, like TRAGIC KINGDOM. Then the band released Rock Steady. At the time, I thought it was strange that the band was trying to penetrate the reggae market. Many of the songs on ROCK STEADY were what I needed to spark my interest in music again. I was worried about the direction of the band because of all the reggae influence. I went back and listened to RETURN OF SATURN and saw that the band was just evolving their sound with each record. I then became intranced by certain songs on both records, awing at the talent of that each band member has and refined sound that I think Tragic Kingdom lacked, being such a raw album itself. This elegance made its way onto the band's single/remake of IT'S MY LIFE. Then began the hiatus of No Doubt, which included Gwen's solo career, which was OK, but not what I had come to expect from the collaboration of the band & their affiliates. Band member, Tony Kanal, did help P!NK with FUNHOUSE. I can totally see a NO DOUBT influence sparking the music and lyrics behind this P!nk album. This is maybe why I love the record so much and one I hold to a similar standard to NO DOUBT's previous compilations. So here we are ... the recent past and current present. After my own musical renaissance in college, the force of music came flooding back into my life stronger than ever, becoming a love of mine again. I began following the band again. I listened to every album many times over. I learned to love each album on its own. I thought that if this was all NO DOUBT would ever do together than I would have to follow them separately. I settled for thinking I would have to get my NO DOUBT fix vicariously through those artists they chose to light the flame of greatness beneath. BUT THEN, the band announced that they were working on a new album. I eagerly anticipated its release even through its delayed release (to the agnst of their fans) and my delayed order from Amazon. The best stunt they could have done is release a song telling fans to SETTLE DOWN and that is exactly what they did! Just one more reason to love NO DOUBT. Not only that, but Settle Down is such a silly song that kinda has a weird fit to the puzzle of PUSH AND SHOVE as is the title track. One thing that I have seen in the progress of NO DOUBT is that they have been increasingly slipping into the background of music (I see parallels to Alanis Morissette). TRAGIC KINGDOM being their big breakout success that went further than they could have ever dreamed. They created an album that set the bar. Everything from their looks through to their entertainment factor pushed the envelope. This continued into RETURN OF SATURN, which despite not being as successful as TRAGIC KINGDOM still set the bar for alternative/pop rock. With ROCK STEADY they had crazy fusion between pop, rock, electronica and reggae, but it worked. They were conforming somewhat, but they were still pushing their fanbase into new territory. PUSH AND SHOVE seems like a move into the background. Almost a fading out if you will, which would have made sense like 5 years ago. But Why put out a CD if you don't think you are going to continue making music together? Despite this factor and what many others say, I love PUSH AND SHOVE and I think it was worth the wait. My only complaint is that I think that Gwen could have sung some of the songs with a little more passion or displayed some kind of variation throughout each work. The record feels like a glimpse into the soul of the band and where they were up to where they are presently, which deserves a little more conviction on Gwen's part. Just like a NO DOUBT album though, each song is unique and fresh. So its not the band's best work, but its still a fantastic collaboration between its talented members.

Eleven years is a long time between albums, but the wait is worth it when the end product could very well be the group's best work. I'm not sure yet if I like it more than No Doubt's breakout record Tragic Kingdom. I've only had Push and Shove for a couple of days, but I cannot stop listening to it. At a lean 51 energetic minutes, it could not be easier to listen to this record over and over. After five or so listens, I've realized that Push and Shove is a concept album, outlining No Doubt's past, present, and future. Past (Tracks 1-4): The Past segment is bookended by two standout tracks, "Settle Down" and "Push and Shove." Both songs are about the same thing, the optimism and expectations No Doubt receives from their fans, but the songs could not be greater foils in tone. "Settle Down" is fun and upbeat, while "Push and Shove" shows that it really gets to No Doubt. You can feel them under the pressure, "you're hustlin' me." In between these songs are two more fantastic records, "Looking Hot," the spiritual sequel to "Hey Baby" from Rock Steady, about Gwen's image in the media and how she is constantly idolized and critiqued for every look she pulls off. The third track, "One More Summer," represents the group's decision to make another record after such a long break. It is both heartbreakingly nostalgic and undyingly hopeful that they can do it again. And don't worry, they do. Present (Tracks 5-8): The Present section of the album focuses on the band members' respective personal lives, while being musically united by a more 80s pop sound than the rest of the album. "Easy" is a stellar powerpop ballad with pounding guitars and a strong reggae beat throughout. "Gravity" and "Undercover" are both more upbeat dancefloor-ready hits. The last song in this segment, "Undone," is No Doubt's best song to date. It is a bona fide tearjerker that will surely be a fan favorite in live performances. Get out your cell phones, you're going to be waving them in arenas come the 2013 tour. Future (Tracks 9-11): The Future segment picks up right where the Present leaves off, with its first track "Sparkle" serving as a nice thematic companion to "Undone," taking a step back and addressing No Doubt's future endeavors more realistically rather than fatalistically. "Never ever gonna be the same" is chanted with a positive reggae backbeat...No Doubt has accepted its new position, and is perfectly fine with it. This is followed by the weakest song on the record, the funky yet almost unnecessary "Heaven." It has some good licks in it, but does not have the emotional power that the other tracks do. The follow-up fortunately is the gorgeous and powerful "Dreaming the Same Dream," with a similar 80s beat as the Present segment. It almost seems to be a conversation between the band about where to go next. "How many times can a promise be broken? Who taught you how to love?" Gwen asks as the band builds up to a sublime chorus. Like Tragic Kingdom, you can tell No Doubt really poured their heart and soul into this record. Every song is fine-tuned and polished to the best it can be. I would not be surprised if, by this time next year, every song has played on the radio and reaches the level of cultural permeation that their earlier work has. Push and Shove is the gift No Doubt fans have been waiting for these eleven long years. Gwen even warns us how great this record would be in the album's very first song: "Don't get me started, I'm trying to get a hold on this."

I think the album is excellent! All No Doubt albums are quite different from each other and this is no exception. It is kind of mellow compared to their previous work. Tragic Kingdom will forever be my favorite album; however, the band has grown and evolved over the years and the style of their music reflects this. Rock Steady had some great songs, but there were some tracks that I always skipped. I listen to this entire album and each song is enjoyable for me. It does lean more toward pop. I feel their music has gravitated in that direction over the years, but with their own No Doubt style. IMO, it does not feel like Gwen's solo works as previous reviewers mentioned. You can feel the entire band in this album and I am so glad No Doubt is back! Update: The more I listen to the album the more I like it. Push and Shove, Undone, One More Summer, Easy, and Settle Down definitely are the standout tracks (for me). But like I said I pretty much enjoy all the songs on this album. No Doubt has never really done a song like Undone (most notably the guitar) and I think that song is superb.

No Doubt fans waited a very long time for new music and that may be the number one reason this album hasn't spawned a bunch of radio hits like it should have. The band toured first and out this album out afterward. It got very little radio air play. Lets face it, radio is different than it was in 2001 when Rock Steady ruled the air waves. Without radio support and without a tour to present the new music live, this album failed to meet its potential. All that being said, this album has numerous good songs and has become a classic No Doubt album that regularly makes it to my play rotation. Its a shame that the album didn't do as well as it should because in my opinion there are several songs on here that very well could have been top 40 radio hits. I would recommend this album to anyone. It is a great listen and for me will be a classic in my collection.

I'll be honest and say that "Push And Shove" is neither No Doubt's worst effort, nor their best. It's not one star and it's not five. I like to listen to an artist's catalog before reviewing their latest entry. In revisiting all of No Doubt's previous works along with Stefani's two solo outings, it's apparent that they have never quite hit their stride. I remember at the tail end of 1995 when I was working at a Blockbuster Music and a promotional copy of No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom" arrived at my store. I took it home to listen to because the cover looked interesting, like something I might want to listen to. I remember thinking that "Tragic Kingdom" wasn't a great album--I mean a landmark recording. It was overlong and filled with filler. Well, not much has changed. No Doubt have never made a solid album of five star quality. All of their albums have hits, sure, but all of their albums also have annoying filler. In fact, I'd be bold enough to say that both of Stefani's solo albums have the least amount of filler among the lot. So, "Push And Shove" finds the band doing nothing new. No real risky experimentation here, which is a shame, a wasted opportunity for a roaring comeback. Instead, what you get is a continuation of 2001's "Rock Steady" mixed with Stefani's solo work. There are tracks here that are pretty good like "Settle Down", "Looking Hot", "One More Summer", "Push And Shove" and "Heaven", but the rest is that annoying filler problem. You know what I mean--"Easy" through "Sparkle". They all sound the same with little variation. You know it's true, don't lie to yourself, don't give the band a break just because you think they are the greatest band in the world. They're not. They never have been. They are a singles band, as we like to call them. No Doubt make better singles than albums. At this point, I'm not sure the band has the potential to make something amazing. The fact is, they started as a retro band and they have stayed on that course their entire career--not really pushing the limits of what they could be. Instead, they play it safe every album. Could they make a five star ska-influenced rock album that blows everyone's mind, I think they could, but they don't seem to motivated to do so. The only track here that shows what they could have done is the interesting title track. The title track has a thumping beat with a ska rhythm slinking in and out. That track shows some promise, some inventiveness, some attitude and playfulness--which the rest of the album is seriously lacking in. Now, I like No Doubt, but they aren't one of my favorite bands, but now what does the band have to lose by trying to push their limits? I mean it has been 11 years since "Rock Steady". Most of their audience is gone now except the core followers who might be interested in what the band is up to now. "Push And Shove" likely doesn't keep the core base hungry for more. As I said, it's good, but not great. Average No Doubt fare. I don't know about any other fans, but I'd rather the band ditch trying to make hits and revert back to their ska/new wave roots and somehow find a way to blend that with a more contemporary sound, and experiment with it, stretch it as far as it can go, bend it, break it, reconstruct it. As far as I can see there are no ska bands right now that are really doing anything interesting with the genre, so why not No Doubt? It's like they've forgotten who they are, and have instead jumped the Pink, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Carly Rae Jepsen gravy train. The thing is, No Doubt and Gwen Stefani influenced all these latest crop of ladies, and now they/she sound like them rather than turning to something original and fresh and trying to create something newly influential. So, it will be interesting to see if this is it for No Doubt. If they decide to lie down with the dogs and fade to black. Or, will they read any of the critical reviews here and regroup and rethink their future game plan and come roaring back with something they could end their career on and be happy like, say, The Police, another ska/punk influenced classic band? Time will tell. Here is how "Push And Shove" compares to the band's earlier works: 1992 No Doubt: One Star 1995 The Beacon Street Collection: Two Stars 1995 Tragic Kingdom: Three Stars 2000 Return Of Saturn: Three Stars 2001 Rock Steady: Three and a Half Stars 2012 Push And Shove: Three Stars Gwen Stefani Solo: 2004 Love Angel Music Baby: Three and a Half Stars 2006 The Great Escape: Three and a Half Stars

To me, "Push and Shove" is a great pop record by a great pop band. I put it easily on par with Duran Duran's excellent "All You Need is Now" from last year in terms of making 80s/90s era music sound fresher and better than ever. So if you are fan of 80's and 90's pop, you'll likely love "Push and Shove". Yes, as other ND fans have stated over and over, it's not the raw punk/ska sound of earlier efforts. But if you liked their remake of Talk Talk's "It's My Life" you'll love "Push and Shove". Do I love this album? Unabashedly, yes. I haven't stopped listening to it in its entirety since I got it earlier this week. It has its literal and figurative "hooks" in me -- and if nothing else, this is an album full of familiar-feeling and strong song hooks. Going back now for yet another spin on the old ipod...

I hate giving a bad review, especially to No Doubt who I love. I waited a couple weeks and listened to the album about 5 times through before writing this. I want to attribute this album to cobwebs stemming from 11 years of no new releases. Let's call this a "transition album" -- you guys are back making music together again, I believe if you work on another album you can get that old No Doubt sound back again. "Settle Down" is the only song I enjoy on the album (although I wish the music video didn't prominently display L'oreal's brand name, kind of distracting when you know Gwen is a spokesmodel for them...) "Push and Shove" is OK, and the other songs really just blend together for me. Like I said, I love No Doubt. But I reject the notion that one must "evolve" to match current radio hits -- whether it be an artist, a band, or a music lover. Here's the pop music that's on the radio: Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Drake, Lil' Jon, "LMFAO", and computer noise from DJ who-gives-a-shit. Lil' Jon pushes the artistic envelope with powerful lyrics like the masterful chorus from his collaboration with "LMFAO": "one shot, two shot, three shot, four!" Or the even more artistic lyrics from another recent collaboration with "LMFAO", in which the chorus is literally the word "shots" yelled exactly SIXTEEN times in a row, followed by the word "everybody!". Trying to get a band like No Doubt to adapt to that is silly and quite frankly insulting to No Doubt and their fans. Please, don't adapt. Great music is timeless. I've been a huge No Doubt fan since Tragic Kingdom came out when I was like 11. I love their first 4 albums (title CD "No Doubt", Beacon Street Collection, Tragic Kingdom, and Return of Saturn). Rock Steady was a solid album, and I have both Gwen Stefani solo CDs and even those grew on me over time. This album just feels so bland, like every rough edge was ground off and polished until it blended in with everything else. There are no stand-out guitar riffs, Adrian's drums are in the background at best (whereas in previous albums they really pushed the songs along with a nice loud snare drum and excellent rhythm). There is a simple question and I believe a simple answer for the next No Doubt album: No Doubt = Gwen, Tony, Adrian, and Tom... Which one of them plays the synth? Please, listen to some older albums. An example is "Happy Now?" from "Tragic Kingdom". In the first 20 seconds you have Adrian leading the rhythm with a loud snare and excellent riffs between verses/chorus, strong bass from Tony, you have Tom playing an excellent reggae rhythm background with awesome solos and riffs throughout the song, all mixed with great vocals from Gwen. Other examples are "Spiderwebs" from "Tragic Kingdom" and "By The Way" from "The Beacon Street Collection". I want to hear the loud snare from Adrian, I want to hear riffs and solos from Tom, I want a driving bass that holds the song together from Tony, I want to hear some horns in the background, and I want to hear Gwen's signature voice. You guys are so talented, you don't need every song dominated by a synth or a computer.

Happy I bought this CD on Amazon, Being a long time fan, I've always enjoyed No Doubt's albums, With No Doubt's "Rock Steady" being my favorite,"Push and Shove" deserves to be in the top 3 best No Doubt Albums after "Tragic Kingdom" and "Rock Steady" of course, The best songs on this CD in my opinion are "Settle down", "Push and Shove", "Gravity", "Heaven", "Dreaming the same Dream" And "Undercover", The whole CD is worth listening to, A well made and catchy album by a band that had been on a break for nearly 10 years at the time of this albums release in 2012, A future classic!

Der Sommer ist zurück! Zumindest hat man das Gefühl, wenn man dem neuen Album von No Doubt lauscht. "Settle Down" war sowieso ein kleiner persönlicher Sommerhit für mich, aber "One More Summer", "Easy" und "Gravity" passen sogar noch besser in die gerade vergehende Jahreszeit. Sei's drum - ich höre mir das Album trotzdem gerne auch Ende September an, denn schon wieder wurden meine ohnehin schon hohen Erwartungen an ein Album übertroffen. No Doubt bieten von Track 1 bis Track 11 genau die Musik an, die ich von ihnen hören will. Vom Sound her orientieren sie sich eher an "Rock Steady" als an den beiden Alben davor, "Push & Shove" ist aber nicht so richtig mit einem früheren Album der Band zu vergleichen. Auf jeden Fall ist es das poppigste Werk von No Doubt bisher, denn eingängige Refrains und einprägsame Strophen sind auf "Push And Shove" wahrlich keine Seltenheit, weist doch eigentlich jeder Song zumindest eines dieser Merkmale auf. Ein weiterer Grund, dass das Album so gelungen ist, ist der, dass es absolut keinen Hänger und somit keinerlei Skip- Bedürfnisse gibt. Am allergelungensten finde ich die beiden Songs "Settle Down" und "Push and Shove", die musikalisch äußerst vielfältig daherkommen und mich trotz ihrer Länge an keiner Stelle langweilen. Eingängigere Songs mit großem Hit-Potential (und somit Kandidaten für weitere Singles) wären "Looking Hot" (wird ja auch die zweite Single), "One More Summer", "Easy" und "Gravity". Am Ende kommen mit "Sparkle", einem sehr schöner Reggae-Song, und dem Abschlusssong "Dreaming The Same Dream" noch zwei sehr starke Songs, sodass "Push and Shove" aus meiner Sicht ein sehr, sehr gelungenes Album geworden ist. Jetzt müssen die Leute nur noch wieder auf die Band aufmerksam gemacht werden, hat es sie doch eine Musik-Ewigkeit lang nicht gegeben. Ich jedenfalls bin begeistert und "Push and Shove" ist jetzt schon mein Lieblings-Album von No Doubt. Anspieltipps: Settle Down Push and Shove Looking Hot Sparkle Dreaming The Same Dream

Enfin le retour de No Doubt, 11 ans d'attente et je ne suis pas déçu. Je n'ai rien à signaler de particulier. La commande s'est déroulée sans aucun souci. L'envoi a été rapide. Je vous le recommande.

pese a que las segundas partes nunca fueron buenas creo que en este caso hay algunos temas que recuerdan a los no doubt sin aires tan caribeños pero son ellos, para mi la vuelta ha sido positiva.

No puedo decir mucho del álbum pues si estás viendo este comentario ahora seguramente ya has escuchado las canciones. Lo que si puedo decir es que es un Picture Disc muy bonito en blanco y negro tal y como la imagen lo muestra y que suena bien ( al menos no hay problemas de que venga grabado en audio bajo o que salten las canciones). Para mí que amé este álbum no había mejor opción de preservarlo con el tiempo que con ésta versión.

Al prezzo proposto era impossibile non acquistarlo per aumentare la mia grande collezione personale di CD ed avendo in questa tutti gli altri loro album. Pienamente soddisfatto.