Gwen Stefani and Alanis Morrisette turn up the girl power as they revive their 90s superstardom. The women hit the ground running with highly anticipated albums. No Doubt’s October released of “Push and Shove” marks the band’s decade-long break in hibernation from music making. Morissette’s August release “havoc and bright lights” brings the angsty female powerhouse singer-songwriter back into the spotlight.
Stefani and the men of No Doubt’s comeback record is 14 tracks of rock heaven with its unique punk-ska sound, yet the album has a more mature beat.
The band’s tastes and writing styles have grown exponentially over their hiatus, and the album shows off their hard work. Stefani’s vocals are still as captivating as they were during their reign with their hit songs “Don’t Speak” and “Just a Girl.”
“Push and Shove’s” first single “Settle Down” reemphasizes the band’s knack for funky rhythms and catchy lyrics. The track proves that Stefani as a lyricist and the band’s frontwoman is a recipe for music success. The song also hones in on the girl power Stefani emanates with the lyrics “nothing’s going to knock this girl down” that flows throughout the chorus. The song is a fun upbeat track and provides a great preview of what the band has created with their newest record.
The title track “Push and Shove” revisits early No Doubt vibes with reggae horn instrumentations and Stefani’s funky fast-paced vocals. The ska genre is very present in the upbeat moments of the track and through the vocal collaboration with Busy Signal and Major Lazer.
“Push and Shove” is a unique track with its mix of fast and slow rhythms. It’s a little bit of 90s R&B and reggae fusion, which creates a catchy must-listen-to track. Stefani’s vocals are great and show she only gets better with age.
Alanis Morissette’s “havoc and bright lights” comes four years after the release of her seventh album, “Flavors of Entanglement.” The highly decorated Morissette reached success with her angsty, feminist driven “Jagged Little Pill” album. The record, produced on new label Collective Sounds, shows a new side to the singer. A less angst driven Morissette makes an appearance throughout the album, but her vocal criticism can still be heard in her song “celebrity.”
The first official single off the album is “guardian.” Also the opening track, “Guardian” starts off with a crashing rock instrumentation, that flows into her mellow vocals. Morissette’s unique vocals transform the song into a soft ballad that veers away from her usual biting tones. It’s a beautiful song that sets the album up in a different light but still shows off her talent as a singer songwriter.
“Receive” is another track off the album that shows a softer side of Morissette. The song is rocky and upbeat, and Morissette’s vocals are exceptionally strong. The harmony on the chorus makes the song more dynamic and gives it a softer lullaby-like tone.
In this strong ballad, Morissette demonstrates her songwriting and vocal talents, while avoiding angsty themes.
Strong female songwriters are starting to make a comeback in the form of Stefani and Morissette.
Even though their sounds are at somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum, “Push and Shove” and “havoc and bright lights” prove to be two good fall albums to take a listen to.
