No Doubt Pushes And Shoves Their Way Back Onto The Charts

I waited 10 years for this day, the release of a new No Doubt record is upon us and I could not be more excited. During the past 10 years I watched Gwen Stefani get married (Sept. 14 2002), release two solo albums (Love Angel Music Baby and The Sweet Escape) and have 2 gorgeous punk rock, blonde haired babies. I wondered how all of these life changes would change the band, music and Gwen herself. When they announced that they were trying to write a record in 2009 but had writers block, I was worried that it may never happen and/or I wouldn’t be happy with the product when it finally come out. Thankfully, I received my advance copy and I can tell you that this album is everything that I wished it would be and more.

Tragic Kingdom spoke to me when I dreamed of falling in love, Return of Saturn was all about being in love and afraid of losing it and Rocksteady was all about making the love that you found last for as long as possible. Naturally 10 years later, with each member of the band having at least one child and being married, it made sense that this album would be about maintaining that love and lust for life through it all.

Push and Shove is about the give and take in life, love and relationships. It is 11 songs in total. The two singles “Push and Shove” and “Settle Down” are the dance tracks from the record. The rest of it is love ballads and even an acoustic jam. This album sounds a lot like Rocksteady merged with some of Stefani’s solo jams. Upon the first listen, my favorite tracks so far are “One More Summer", with the lyrics, “One more summer, one more weekend. You're my lover I'm your weakness”; and "Gravity" with, “We're so lucky still holding on. Just like Venus in the morning sun. You and me got gravity." Lyrically this album has some of the best stuff Gwen has ever written.

Gwen looks better than ever and at 42 is on the cover of Marie Claire this month barring those world famous abs, and they look even better than they did when she was 'just a girl'. Now my only question is when the tour is and how fast can I get tickets!?

 ~S