Editor’s note: These reviews originally were published Oct. 3, 2012.
New album: Push and Shove
Artist: No Doubt
Label: Interscope
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
No Doubt hasn’t released an album of new material since 2001. “Push and Shove” may be attributed to No Doubt, but it sounds more like a continuation of lead singer Gwen Stefani’s successful solo career.
The pop world has changed immensely since No Doubt released “Rock Steady” in 2001 — which itself was a glossier affair than the band’s previous efforts. “Push and Shove” for the most part eschews the band’s trademark pop/ska sound in order to make way for shinier, radio-friendly tunes. Sadly, No Doubt drummer Adrian Young’s impressive musicality is mostly buried beneath layers of keyboards, treated drums and drum machines.
Unquestionably, the highlight of this collection is the song “Push and Shove.” Adrian Young is frustratingly kept under control while a tepid computer beat pulses along, but the vocal hooks and choice reggae guitar shapes almost make up for this oversight.
Restraint can be a virtue when it comes to music, but relegating Young to intermittent drum fills instead of turning him loose on this song is borderline criminal. Sometimes criticized for having a limited range, Stefani’s singing is still impressively nimble. Her performance on “Push and Shove” recalls the command she had on previous hits such as “Hella Good” and “Don’t Speak.”
“Settle Down” was supposedly the single that would pull the masses into the record, but the decision to use this track to reintroduce the band to the world ranks right up there with the time Coca Cola changed its recipe.
“Settle Down” is pleasant enough, but aside from a clever bass pattern and a few cute vocal phrases, the song leaves no impression. “Undercover” sounds like Lady Gaga sitting in with Coldplay, and the musically interesting “One More Summer” is marred by lyrics straight out of an episode of the new Beverly Hills 90210.
With “Push and Shove,” No Doubt has crafted a perfectly fine collection of pop music that will undoubtedly (sorry) fare well on pop radio in 2012. Fans of the group’s original sound will be left scratching their heads, while those who thought “Holla Back Girl” was the bee’s knees will be delighted. Figure out which camp you are in and proceed accordingly.
Classic album: Trilogy
Artist: Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Label: Rhino
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Throughout their long and winding career, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were equally praised and vilified. For every prog rock fan who deemed them the greatest band of all, there was a rock purist who demonized them for their classical indulgences. In the end, both camps were partially correct.
“Trilogy” was the third ELP release, hot on the heels of their landmark album “Tarkus.” “Trilogy” did contain some of the aforementioned excesses (see the somewhat meandering “Endless Enigma”); other tracks on the album were so brilliant, those trespasses could be forgiven.
Possibly the best known ELP track of all, “From the Beginning” is quite unlike the intricate, classically-tinged blitzkrieg that ELP reputation was built on. Instead of flashy solos and bombast, “From the Beginning” is a delicate almost-ballad driven by Greg Lake’s acoustic guitar and usually-spinning drummer Carl Palmer’s tasteful, delicate percussion.
Near the end of the track, Keith Emerson lets loose with a sparse Moog keyboard solo that sounds like a quiet storm slow jam beaming from a radio station on Mars. There are few perfect songs, but “From the Beginning” is one of them.
Elsewhere on “Trilogy,” ELP whip out a monumental rendering of “Hoedown” from Aaron Copeland’s “Rodeo” ballet. “Hoedown” would eventually become one of the most celebrated instrumentals in all of rock music. ELP’s ability to reinterpret classical pieces for the trio format simultaneously gave them an excuse to demonstrate their formidable chops and prove they could rock as hard as any of their peers.
The other diamond in this collection is the eight-minute “Trilogy,” which recalls the melancholic psychedelia of Greg Lake’s stint with the original King Crimson. Lyrically, the song “Trilogy” gets a bit schoolboy at times, but Lake’s delivery is so earnest it’s not a major deterrent.
The stomping “Living Sin” crashes in just in time to provide enough well-choreographed bluster to save the day, and the proceedings come to an end with Emerson’s regal “Abbadon’s Bolero.”
Most of the criticism ELP suffered over the years was unwarranted. Any band that can produce an album as sublime as “Trilogy” deserves a break.
Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase Jon’s book ‘Making Gravy in Public’ at The Free Press office and at jondawson.com.