.for what it's worth.
Every time I listen to this song, I like it a little bit more. The first time I heard it, I liked it, but I knew it was a song I would have to get really used to and that would grow on me. Which is exactly how it’s going.
It’s very catchy, which is a great for a single, especially a first single in over a decade. It feels, to me, like a sort of dance pop song, which isn’t exactly a bad thing, especially because it also has a very distinct reggae beat to it. It feels like No Doubt, which is really what I was hoping for most.
The video itself I LOVE. I love the theme and all the bright colors; again, it feels very much like them. Obviously, my favorite scene was when they met and hugged, especially because that included the four main members, but it also included the horn players Gabe and Stephen. It was definitely an ALL MY EMOTIONS moment.
I also really liked Gwen’s dance scenes, mostly because that felt the most real and the most connected to the song. I think it’s funny, and also brilliant, because that was essentially what Gwen said about the scene and why it was her favorite. Watching the finished product, you can feel that come across during those scenes; it was really well done.
I really cannot wait for this album to come out. September is only a couple months, but it feels like a century right now. [Sidenote: Push And Shove is an excellent album name, let’s just take a moment to appreciate that fact.]
With the video for No Doubt’s first single in roughly ten years to be released this Monday, anticipation is high. I’ve missed this band, and after seeing the sneak peeks and webisodes they’ve been releasing in preparation for it, I’m even more excited to see this video. It looks like a lot of fun, and the band doesn’t look or sound like it’s been years since they last performed together. It seems like they’re just as tight as ever, and come Monday, I hope all the excitement is worth it.
In the meantime, MuchMusic.com posted a list of top 5 favorite No Doubt music videos, so I thought I’d do the same. Watching all their videos again has reminded me of what I love about this band, and further pushed my giddiness for new content into overdrive.
1. Just a Girl
Hands down, the best No Doubt music video of all time, and easily my very favorite. There is so much to love in this video: Gwen’s iconic ’90s look (most importantly, the cropped tops showing off her killer abs); her kick-ass, punk rock, strong female attitude; and the “ladies” and “women” bathroom signs spliced throughout the video. Not to mention the rock-out scene with separated “boy” and girl” moshing until the band members invade the girls and everyone blends together, where there’s a shot of Gwen pushing against a wall as she sings that, for reasons even I’m not entirely sure of, I just love. I also think this may be one of my favorite Tom moments of their videos, especially right around 2:40 of the video where he casually sticks his tongue out in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion.
Plus, from this video alone it’s easy to see why the song, and the video, from their third album Tragic Kingdom (1995) catapulted them into the spotlight and became one of their most well-known, and well-loved, songs.
2. Simple Kind of Life
It’s the beginning and the end that do it for me with this video. Shots of Gwen, with pink hair and wedding dress, running from her tuxedo-ed bandmates (who knock over a crate of oranges - subtle throwback to Tragic Kingdom, perhaps?) pretty much set the video up to be awesome. It’s pulled together near the close of the video. with a shot of Gwen holding a baby and each band member coming up in turn with his hands out, leaving her with a tough choice. “Simple Kind of Life” (from 2000’s Return of Saturn) is not high on my list of favorite No Doubt songs, but the video has a very cool, well-executed concept that fits the song perfectly.
3. Don’t Speak
Famously thought of a song about Gwen and Tony’s romantic split, the video for this song off Tragic Kingdom is very well put together. A highly tense band rehearsal is featured as the main content, mixed with flashback shots of happier practices. When Gwen seems to “plead” with each band member but is given the cold shoulder, it is the icing on this cake. The mood of the song is so well executed, you can’t help but feel the heartbreak too.
4. It’s My Life
Again, it’s not one of my favorite No Doubt songs, but it is a pretty great cover, and the video is iconic. One thing I love about No Doubt videos is that they tend to have Gwen interacting with each band member. Except, in this one, she’s killing them all in different ways: Tom gets off “easy” with poison, poor Tony gets run over, and Adrian - always the naked one - gets electrocuted in the bathtub. Then there’s Gwen in an orange jail jumpsuit with red bra peeking through. The ’20s theme - not to mention the murder trial - makes the video reminiscent of Chicago, which, for me, just adds to the goodness.
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5. Hey Baby
I almost didn’t include this one on the list, but two things changed my mind: 1. The “NO DOUBT” “ROCK STEADY” and “HEY BABY” scribbled in red, black, and white as the background, an instantly recognizable image from the band’s last studio album Rock Steady (2001); and 2. the shots of the band against said background. This video looks like it was a lot of fun to make, and I loved watching the playful interactions between the members, reminding us just how well they work together.
This is the new video for Slash’s song “Gotten” from the first record. It’s a project done in connection with LAYN [Los Angeles Youth Network] to raise awareness and about youth homeless and what LAYN does to help them.
In the video, AJ Michalka plays a teen who runs away from her mother [Kristin Bauer] and alcoholic step-father [Jack Rubio]. On the street, she starts to turn tricks [Judd Nelson plays her first John] and uses the money to buy a gun. I’ll leave the rest of the story for you to find out as you watch, but the end might not be what you expect.
This isn’t something I see often: making a music video into something more than just another way to sell a song. It’s such a creative approach to making a difference, and I applaud all those that were a part of this project for it.
It’s a very powerful, well-made work of art that I think carries an important message. I think it’s wonderful of Slash to do something creative like this and make it about a cause. If nothing else, the video makes you aware of the situation and the organization, LAYN, which looks like it does a lot for Los Angeles runaway and homeless youth. Take a moment and watch it, share it with a friend, donate if you can. Even spreading the word helps.
