Having met their goal of writing and recording an album in less than a year, No Doubt will release Rock Steady on December 18.
While their 1995 breakthrough, Tragic Kingdom, and last year’s Return of Saturn both spent years in the making, the band kept the tape rolling for its fifth album, working with a mix of producers ranging from Dr. Dre and former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek to reggae duo Sly & Robbie.
The result finds the foursome exploring their dancehall-reggae and new wave tendencies in greater depth than before. Songs slated for the LP include the title track, “Hella Good,” “Hey Baby,” “Detective” and “Making Out.”
“Rock Steady is where we are as a band right now,” singer Gwen Stefani said in a statement issued through Interscope. “Stay the course, keep focused. Like the song says, ‘A real love survives, a rock steady vibe.’ It could just as well be describing No Doubt, our band, after all these years.”
The album also includes production work by Nellee Hooper (U2, Björk), William Orbit (Madonna, Blur), dancehall-reggae duo Steely & Clevie (Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest), the Neptunes (Mystikal, Jay-Z) and Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Nas).
