Bush // I Beat Loneliness // Album Review

When Bush first appeared on the scene 30 odd years ago I was blown away by “Sixteen Stone” but more so by the follow up “Razorblade Suitcase”, it was in a different class to everything else at the time, the next two albums for me weren’t up to the same level and as is often the case you drift away from things and when the band finished up that was it for me, I would dip my toe into the pool every once in a while but never fully immersed myself again until now.

“I Beat Loneliness” is Bush’s tenth album, and it is amazing; twelve tracks that are crafted in such a way as to slowly lure you in and keep you there. Opener “Scars” does that in big way; with its’ subdued electro beat accompanied by Rossdale’s trademark vocals, the chorus bursts out from the mellow verse’ to blow your mind in a wall of sound, it goes back and forth for the duration but it is only on the second or third time around that you can fully appreciate how good it is; from Hughes’ kicking drums to Britz unreal bassline that rumbles menacingly underneath the whole track and Traynor’s cutting riffs, simply brilliant. Title track “I Beat Loneliness” comes crashing in next in a whirlwind of drums, guitar and synth as Rossdale’s smooth vocals come over the top, the slow grinding beat burrows into your brain and sets up residence, throughout the track the riffs are amazing whether its the sirenesque one in the chorus or the chugging verse ones they give the track a little extra edge.

“The Land Of Milk And Honey” has a darker feel to it with its distorted sound, while Rossdale’s vocals come across as strained, nearly even pleading. Traynor’s brief solo is class, but the driving force on this one has to be Hughes’ monster drum beat, a great track. The bass led “We’re All The Same On The Inside” is a monster track that screams anthem it hits all the right spots; from Rossdale’s immense vocals to the killer rhythm of Hughes’ drums, Tryanor’s and Rossdale’s riffs and of course Britz’s magnificent bass, the techno touch is there in the background adding to rather than detracting and it works so well but what makes this one of the standout tracks is the massive singalong chorus that will roared along to when this is played live, an absolute banger. “I Am Here To Save Your Life” opens with a keyboard riff that gives way to a blast beat from the drums and guitars which in turn take a back seat to a more techno driven track, Rossdale’s vocals are brilliant once again as he leads you on a merry dance from softly sung to a snarly style at the chorus as the guitars and drums come to the fore not forgetting the buzzing bass line underneath it all, a quirky mix of techno and grungy rock that works really well. “60 Ways To Forget People” is a punchy rocker that is heavy on the bass but with serious melodic undertones and a savage groove. I love this one, short but exceptionally sweet. “Love Me Till The Pain Fades” keeps the heaviness going with crunching riffs and a booming drum and bass beat. There is a cool electronic riff that carries through the verses and plays nicely off the guitar riffs; this is a real earworm.

“We Are Of This Earth” is a ballad style track that for me has shades of Irish band The Devlins, softly strummed guitars with a restrained drum beat and melancholic vocals, brooding and brilliant. “Everyone Is Broken” is a stripped-back track with Rossdale taking centre stage and will blow you away with his stunning vocals. Musically, everything is held back and kept in tune with the emotional stylings of the track, a great song. “Don’t Be Afraid” is a melancholic track that drips with emotion; it is hard not to get pulled in with its melodic tones and quirky electronic beats, and Rossdale’s dulcet tones. “Footsteps In The Sand” is another of my favourites as it blurs the lines between the techno and rock stylings, playing excellently off each other and complementing the contrasting styles, the riffs sit well with their synths as does the thundering low end, this track is just pure class. The album closes with “Rebel With A Cause” a track that slowly builds to a crescendo as Rossdale gives a scintillating vocal performance as the band in unison manage to create an instant classic of epic proportions and a fitting end to an outstanding album.

“I Beat Loneliness” is out on the 18th of July via earMusic and is an instant reminder for longtime fans of how good this band is, and a great intro for newcomers.

Review: Conor

Pre-order the album HERE