The comeback train of 2012 keeps chugging along, and the latest to jump on for the ride are the band No Doubt, with their first album in over a decade due this fall. Sure, they may be classified as "rock," "alt-rock" or what have you, but soul heads love us some No Doubt with their ska-influenced sound, soulful vibes and left-of-center quirkiness. And lead singer Gwen Stefani has been embraced in a warm hug by hip-hop for many years with collabos with Eve, Pharrell Williams, Slim Thug and Akon on her resume. No Doubt's history has them permanently on our playlists, but it's their present that is sounding pretty darn good as well on the single "Settle Down" and they're back in the driver's seat in the new music video.
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After the bounce
Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, Adrian Young and Gwen play not-your-average truck drivers who are hauling around in brightly-decorated big rigs and communicating via CB radio. They've no MapQuest or GPS so they have to resort to trying to find their destination the old fashioned way with big ass maps that seem way more dangerous to read while driving than a text message. (Don't try either at home, kids!) The band members all reach the truck stop at the appointed time on their product-placement watches and join the party already in progress. The gang is reunited and it feels so good to watch them back in action and hear Gwenny warble while dancers wine and break out into a synchronized routine to the reggae-lite beat.
The video for "Settle Down" is fun and colorful and matches the No Doubt aesthetic. The song is already catchy but watching the clip makes you want to get up off of the couch and shake a tailfeather. So far so great for No Doubt's return. Mark your calendars because Push and Shove hits stores on September 25th. Copy that.
