No Doubt will never be known as a high productivity tire. Although the American quartet has been around since 1986, Push And Shove (2012) is only her sixth album. After Rock Steady (2001), it has been quiet around singer Gwen Stefani and her three guys for more than ten years. An eerily long time in pop music and the question is whether No Doubt can just catch up with the long line of new, hip
… artists. The group tries it on Push And Shove, with varying degrees of success. It is positive that no attempt is made to repeat old successes with a second-rate Just A Girl of Don't Speak. There is also a nice link with the modern dub sounds, which fit perfectly with the ska and reggae style of the band. Producer Diplo even collaborates on the title track. Yet Push And Shove is not an innovative and urgent comeback album. Many songs sound a bit too invented and sometimes even whiny. In fact, there is no tension. After ten years of sitting still, the inspiration seems to have dried up. (JE)more
