Electronic dance fans who are eagerly awaiting the next crisp album should wait no longer. The queen of bubble gum pop has once again delivered a new menu of bouncy tunes to put some glitter into one’s day. Coming back from a career centered on songs about being a rich girl touting pirate hooks and rubies, Gwen Stefani has made quite the name for herself amongst the teenage music junkies of our day. A few successful hits and a few sold out tours later, Stefani is eager to make more music with her old band, No Doubt, to make a musical granola bar of rock, ska and pop. For those unfamiliar with the band No Doubt, don't be alarmed, they haven't churned out an original piece of work in over 11 years. Despite all this, the band has kept a steady fan base and their reputation for mediocrity, thus producing their newest album.
Push and Shovemay actually be the way this album was intended for you to feel while listening to it, pushed and shoved. While listening to the album one cannot help but notice the constant change between styles and themes as it merges into more than one genre. Push and Shove showcases Stefani’s vocal ability as she belts out pop electronic tunes that she’s known for. The album starts off with their new hit single "Settle Down” an instant radio gem, keeping the hips moving and bass bumping like it should. In a deviation from disco-pop, Push and Shove drops you into a confusing world of fast reggae beats and loud thumping bass kicks, which makes for quite an enjoyable moment. Or to put in the words of bassist Tony Kanal, "Push and Shove is our ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’" After a few more fist pumping dance jams punctuated by a few mediocre love lullabies, the album is over, and a listener is forced to justify the last hour-and-a-half of their life. While the album does have some truly fun moments, it seems to wither away into the back shelves of musical has-beens. Gwen Stefani says it best, "Push and Shove is a series of accidents and mistakes."...
