Bringing back a Sea Of Memories

"Mind Strong. Body Strong. Try to find equilibrium. Head straight. Screwed on. Been screwed up for too long. I don't want to lean on the waves. I watch the storm evaporate. I think of you in starry skies. I keep you so alive. Let's walk through the fire together. Disappear in the golden sands. It's all in your face. I see you break. It's like the sound of winter...."

Those are just some of the lyrics you will hear in Gavin Rossdale's band, Bush's comeback album. I have been following Bush since their debut album Sixteen Stone came out in the 90s. Hearing their new album has made me revisit their older albums as well as bring back fond memories of another time. I read several reviews on the album titled, The Sea Of Memories, and not to my surprise much was negative. Bush seems to have been one of those bands that critics didn't get, but their fans love. Sixteen Stone did very well, but the next album Razorblade Suitcase didn't seem to get the same praise. I once reviewed Razorblade Suitcase for an assignment on Associated Content (and my article can be found exclusivally there), and I stand by what I said in that article. Razorblade Suitcase remains to be my favorite album produced by the band. There is a lot to like in each, but that one just stands out for me.

So what about this new album? Well first perhaps a brief history of the band. Gavin Rossdale formed Bush with members, Nigel Pulsford, Robin Goodridge, and Dave Parsons back in the early 90s. In 1994 the bands first album Sixteen Stone was released with "Everything Zen" hitting the airwaves. The album had 2 Top 40 singles and quickly caught on. In 1996 Razorblade Suitcase was released with only mild success; 1999 brought The Science of Things release. It was clear that by this 3rd album the band was starting to go in a different direction. There was still the element of that grungy-rock sound, but a more electronic sound was becomming apparent; something to dance too rather than to mosh too. The Science of Things had a couple hit songs but the album never made it into the top 10 on the charts. In 2001 the band released its least successful album, Golden State. In 2002 Nigel Pulsford left the band and Chris Traynor (of Helmet) replaced him to finish touring and promoting the album. The band split in 2002.

In 2003 Gavin started a new band, Institute, with Chris Traynor. The band released just one album, Distort Yourself, which did not do that well. I have to say that I couldn't bring myself to even purchase it. The sound of this new band was not even close to those early Bush albums. In 2008 Gavin released Wanderlust, his first solo album. The single Love Remains the Same did make the airwaves and had promise, but the album overall was not my favorite. In 2010 Gavin put Bush back together, well, one-half of Bush. Nigel Pulsford and Dave Parsons opted out of re-joining the band stating the touring as one major factor why not. "The Sound of Winter", the bands first single off the album was released in July 2011. When I first heard the song I of course knew it was Gavin Rossdale's voice, but it had a very Bush vibe about it, and then soon learned it was the bands new single. I was ecstatic. Bush was my absolute favorite band in the 90s. I saw them live during their Razorblade Suitcase tour and their energy, their liveliness, is indescribable. They were absolutely amazing live.

Now back to The Sea of Memories album. Do I love it? Do I hate it? I defintely don't hate it. You have to listen to it knowing that the sound of the 90s is gone and don't expect Bush to step back in time; rather they are moving ahead in their sound as many artists do change their sound as way of keeping up with the current trend. Does this mean they sound like everything else you hear on the radio? No. There is a very Bush sound to several songs on the album. Grunge Bush? No. I read others say that The Sound of Winter sounded like something off of Razorblade Suitcase, but I do not entirely agree. I think it's more like somewhere between that album and Golden State. In fact that's how I would describe the whole album, but with some new sounds that you probably have never heard from Bush before. I've also read articles that Bush has always been influenced by INXS and in fact that when Pulsford and Rossdale first joined up, their band, Future Primitive, had that sound. I would say that the latest album by Bush is definetly more pop-rock sounding than grunge-rock. Does that make it bad? No. Keep an open mind. There are many good songs on the album and very quickly I found myself singing along. The tunes are catching and several like All Night Doctor's, and Be Still My Love are very beautiful. There is no other voice out there like Gavin's. He can do a lot with his instrument and though I do agree with some articles about the tuning of the songs being off, the other band members do justice. Some songs on the album I feel the guitars, and drums, could have been a bit louder, but maybe that's the sound they were going for. Gavin's voice is in the forefront for most of the album. Some agrue this is really Gavin's second solo album. I can't agree or disagree with that, and really it doesn't matter to me at all; I'll just be waiting for the next album and see what comes of it, if there is another album.

I am so excited the band got back together, more or less, and the album doesn't dissappoint so long as you realize that Gavin has grown and even before disbanding the band's sound was changing. Perhaps his long-lived relationship to his wife, Gwen Stefani, also has had an influence on his new sound. If I get a chance to see them live again, I will jump at it and I'm sure I'd throughly enjoy myself. Once, a long time ago, I joined Bush's street team to get them out there and played on the radio...maybe the day has come for me to cheer them on once again. Here's hoping for more from Bush.

The new Bush album has definetly floaded me with a "Sea of Memories".