Bush : " I Beat Loneliness"

 

The band's 2022 "The Art of Survival" was the number 1 hard-rock album of the year, as it was pretty close to perfect, so the bar is high here. Who would think Gavin Rossdale would be bringing it this hard this late into his career? He is apparently modern rock's most underrated songwriter, as this album starts off with a song, though it brings a rock crunch, it's more atmosphere than what they hit you with at the onset of the previous album. The title track packs a massive punch. It's a brooding as you would want him to be, but with a kick ass riff driving the song. It's the band's 10th album, so they clearly know what they are doing. 

The darker, conflicted emotional undercurrent that gave their early work such a convincing feel is in play on "The Land of Milk and Honey," but this time given more muscle thanks to the more metallic riffing. There is a more electronic groove on "We're All the Same on the Inside". The band continues to crush it with some very powerful songwriting and great lyrics. To say they don't make music like this anymore might be an overstatement, but Rossdale still knows what works. "I am Here to Save Your Life" does what worked on the last album, but with better lyrics. 

"60 Ways to Forget People" is more reflective but still packs a punch. It grew on me even more with repeat listens, as it is very nuanced. The chorus to "Love Me Til the Pain Fades" is the closest thing to pop hooks I have heard so far. There is more of an odd shoegazing feel to the riff that opens "We Are of This Earth" that turns into a surreal ballad of sorts. "Everyone is Broken" might need to grow on me, but it feels too ambient for its own good as he is writing another anthemic ballad; however, this wanders a bit. 

'Don't Be Afraid' has the bass line and the drums that the previous song needed, and Gavin reaches up into the dusty confines of his upper chest register on the chorus. It's more interesting than your average mainstream rock song. "Footsteps in the Sand"  opens with more electronic elements that provide an effective dynamic to contrast when things kick in. He has retained the same band that played on the last, which explains a great deal of the creative cohesion. They close the album with more of a ballad. It highlights the fact that this album is more nuanced than the last one, but does not have the same rock muscle doing the more aggressive attack. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, the last album certainly did but the more metallic moments grabbed me harder.  

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