It seems funny, considering how easily music now transcends geographical boundaries, to look back to Bush’s formative years and recall just how brutally reviled the band were by the UK press – essentially for the crime of being recognised in the US without their support. It was petty and unpleasant and, while the band went on to have no small amount of success, it felt like the unwarranted savaging served to taint what should have been a golden period for the band. After all, their debut album soared through the charts while the follow up – tracked with famed producer Steve Albini (a scathing critic of the corporate rock world and a creative force hardly likely to team up with a band lacking in skill and passion) – did even better, in spite of the constant sniping from the press.
Nevertheless, the band prevailed – at least up to a point – before disbanding in the wake of Golden State, citing declining commercial fortunes and – that all too common story – a lack of label support. It was an unremarkable end for a band that deserved better and a partial reunion (Dave Parsons and Nigel Pulsford declined the invitation) in 2010 felt like an opportunity to build a more fitting legacy. It took a little while. The first attempt – Sea Of Memories – found the critics with their knives out, despite the album’s Bob Rock pedigree and, while Bush could take some comfort from the support of their fan base, it felt like the band remained on some strange critical blacklist.
Since then, the band’s fortunes have waxed and waned, with both 2020’s The Kingdom and 2022’s The Art Of Survival arguably the closest Bush have come to achieving critical consensus. All of which has paved the way for new effort I Beat Loneliness. Self-produced, the album has a tougher edge to it than might be expected and, over the course of forty-five minutes, Bush deliver an impressive summation of their career to date, juggling electronic elements, metal, and grunge with impressive agility. However, it’s not the musical depth for which I Beat Loneliness will be remembered so much as the subject matter, with Gavin Rossdale digging deep to offer up some of his most personal and harrowing lyrics to date.
The album opens with throbbing scene setter Scars, which exists in a moody post-grunge landscape that owes as much to the likes of Filter and Helmet as it does Nirvana. With its carefully tailored quiet-loud dynamic, it sets a high bar for the album, the music and self-lacerating lyrics perfectly complimenting one another. It’s followed by the powerful title track which, while built around a stabbing riff, does much to capture the hollow excesses of fame and the toll it takes to emerge from the other side. For those looking for depth, they’ll find it here in this tightly coiled monster, while Gavin’s voice – now slightly weathered – sounds stronger and grittier than ever. Honestly, these two songs make for one hell of an opening gambit, and there’s a sense of excitement, even in spite of the dark subject matter, that keeps you captivated.
Fans of the band will recognise The Land Of Milk And Honey, which was released in advance of the album, its memorable melody coming second only to the wind-tunnel guitars that serve to remind us that Gavin’s formative years were influenced by the likes of Neil Young and Sonic Youth – for all the metallic weight given to the central riff. Taking a different tack, We’re All The Same On The Inside finds Corey Britz channelling Justin Chancellor and, if the resultant song still has a strong melodic thrust, it neatly captures the urgency of Undertow-era Tool combined with more contemporary hard rock elements. Far heavier, albeit similarly dynamic, I Am Here To Save Your Life slips into A Perfect Circle Territory thanks to Nik Hughs’ deft performance behind the kit and the subtle, understated guitar work of Gavin and Chris Traynor across the verses. Once the riffs do arrive, however, it’s with potent force, and the track serves as further evidence of Gavin Rossdale’s increasingly mature and wide-ranging songcraft.
With the album at its half-way point, Bush once again slip through the gears to offer up the moody 60 Ways To Forget People. While ostensibly based around the quiet-loud dynamic that has defined Gavin’s songwriting, the track approaches it in a different way, deploying electronic elements and sharply tipped guitars with real skill, at times even recalling the emotionally charged sound of latter-day Katatonia – the band keeping the listener hooked with succinct songwriting and a powerful vocal performance. In contrast, LOVE Me Til The Pain Fades has a more industrial pulse to it, the programmed drums keeping things moving briskly towards a chorus that truly soars. The industrial vibe remains on the slow-burning We Are Of This Earth – a stately, measured song which uses its electronics well – adding depth to the arrangement without overshadowing the poignancy of the lyrics.
Things remain dark on the haunting Everyone Is BROKEN -a track that bravely dispenses with percussion almost entirely, Gavin’s voice ringing out over a haze of reverb-drenched guitars. A powerful track that finds Gavin at his most vulnerable, it provides I Beat Loneliness with a devastating emotional core and the atmosphere is only partially leavened by the lovely Don’t Be Afraid, which finds Gavin desperately trying to uncover his own motivations within the context of a relationship; although whether it is a relationship with a person or with fame is never fully revealed.
With the album racing towards its conclusion, Gavin allows a little light to permeate as he pours all his defiance into the grinding Footsteps In The Sand. Another track that offers a number of surprising nods to A Perfect Circle, it’s a real ensemble piece with the addictive chorus, exceptional work behind the kit, and elastic riffs all worthy of comment. It’s only a flash of anger, however, for Rebel With A Cause wraps things up on a redemptive note that cleaves closer to the work of Live or even REM than anything we’ve previously heard from the band. The heartfelt finale this diverse album deserves, it wraps up one of Bush’s finest efforts to date.
A haunting album, I Beat Loneliness may just be Bush’s masterpiece. While there are plenty of moments where visceral, hard rock energy takes a front seat, there are also haunting moments that linger far longer in the memory, thanks to a combination of careful arrangements, powerful performances, and emotionally charged lyrics. It’s also a wide-ranging album which, while still very recognisably Bush, tackles the band’s core sound from a number of fresh perspectives. An impressive outing from an underrated band, I Beat Loneliness is a powerful statement indeed. 9/10
GREATEST HITS TOUR: CANADIAN LEG
4/21 – Victoria, BC – Save on Foods Centre *
4/23 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place *
4/25 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Resort & Casino *
4/26 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place *
4/28 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre *
4/29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre *
5/1 – Battle Creek, MI – FireKeepers Casino Hotel
5/3 – Kitchener, ON – The Aud *
5/4 – St. Catharines, ON – Meridian Centre *
5/6 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre *
5/7 – Laval, QC – Place Bell *
5/9 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre *
5/12 – Schenectady, NY – Proctors Theatre ^
5/13 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
5/16 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville (festival)
5/17 – Ocean City, MD – Boardwalk Rock (festival)
* Rival Sons and Filter supporting
+ Rival Sons
^Filter
*BUSH TOUR WITH SHINEDOWN
7/19 – Boston, MA – TD Garden *
7/20 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden *
7/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena *
7/23 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center *
7/25 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena *
7/26 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum *
7/28 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center *
7/29 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center *
8/2 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center *
8/3 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
8/5 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center *
8/7 – Portland, OR – Moda Center *
8/8 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena *
8/11 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center *
8/12 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena *
8/15 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center *
8/16 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena *
8/18 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse *
8/19 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena *
8/21 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center *
8/23 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena *
8/24 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena *
8/27 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center *
8/28 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena *
8/30 – Memphis, TN – FedExForum*
9/5– Omaha, US (Shadow Ridge Music Festival)
BUSH TOUR WITH VOLBEAT
9/18 – Herning, DK – Jyske Bank Boxen
9/19 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
9/23 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
9/24 – Antwerp, BE – Antwerps Sportpaleis
9/26 – Stuttgart, DE – Hans-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
9/27 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena
9/28 – Oberhausen, DE – Rudolf-Weber Arena
9/30 – Vienna, AT – Stadthalle
10/1 – Vienna, AT – Stadthalle
10/3 – Prague, CZ – O2 Universum
10/4 – Berlin, DE – Uber Arena
10/6 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
10/7 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
10/8 – Frankfurt, DE – Festhalle
10/10 – Leipzig, DE – Quarterback Immobilien Arena
10/11 – Hamburg, DE – Barclays Arena
10/13 – Warsaw, PL – Torwar
10/15 – Tampere, FI – Nokia Arena
10/17 – Stockholm, SE – Tele2 Arena
10/18 – Oslo, NO – Unity Arena
10/19 – Gothenburg, SE – Scandinavium
10/21 – Hannover, DE – ZAG Arena
10/22 – Rotterdam, NL – Ahoy
10/23 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU – Rockhal
10/25 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion
10/28 – Bilbao, ES – BEC
10/30 – Barcelona, ES – Sant Jordi Club
10/31 – Madrid, ES – Vistalegre Arena
11/2 – Paris, FR – Zenith
11/5 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
11/6 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
11/8 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
11/10 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
11/12 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
11/13 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
