Post grunge is a genre that has always seemed fascinating to me. It is not rock, it is not metal, and it most certainly is not punk. But just like how this grunge subgenre stands out, so does Bush. This band, with 30 years of experience to their name have become iconic for their version of post grunge, and with I Beat Loneliness, their latest studio offering, they have managed to push the boundaries of post grunge and create an album that is at times electronic, and at times slow, but with all of the hard-hitting elements remaining. Even though the second half of the album feels drastically slower to the first, there are a bunch of highlights throughout that make even the most boring songs, enjoyable.
I Beat Loneliness starts off extremely strong with ‘Scars’. This is a song that combines electronic elements, through synths with the pounding drums, rowdy guitars and the iconic vocals courtesy of frontman Gavin Rossdale. The chorus here is truly anthemic which contradicts the more mellow sounding verses which constantly build in volume before the chorus kicks in, creating a very satisfying headphone listening experience. The guitar solo, like the chorus is loud, but is also short and simply serves as a passageway to get from the bridge to the final chorus, before Gavin sings the last line on his own to wrap the opener up.
The title track is what follows, and it opens with an immense sounding riff before the drums and synths kick in to create a cinematic sounding wall of noise. The verses here include that same riff in the background which elevates the verses even more, as the riff is simply too addictive. The chorus works perfectly with the ambience this track gives off and works perfectly with the rest of the segments this song includes. The bridge on this banger includes some of the best vocals on the record, making up for the fact that there is no guitar solo on this four-minute-long track, and this epic bridge gives way for the last chorus which extends, before ultimately ending with repetition of “I beat loneliness” as the band slows down to give the listener one hell of a big finish.
‘The Land of Milk and Honey’ is the catchiest song on this album without a doubt. It is equally as aggressive as the tracks that came before it but has an extremely memorable chorus which will instantly get you to sing along to it once the second chorus arrives. The guitar solo is effective, and perfectly suits the track, unlike the one in ‘Scars’. All this gives off the vibe that Bush is known for, and without the electronic elements heard previously, this is a stand-out song, and a perfect choice for a single to support this album.
The following track is very bass driven. The bass line is prominent throughout which has not been heard before up until now, even with the more techno sound still coming through. The chorus here is another standout as it explodes into a melody that has no right to be so catchy, and the fact that towards the end, the chorus repeats itself twice tells me that this is clearly a statement by Bush claiming that they want ‘We’re All The Same On The Inside’ drilled into the back of all of our brains.
This consistency is not seen throughout I Beat Loneliness, as the pacing of the second half of the album is completely different to the first. ‘We Are Of This Earth’ whilst still extremely enjoyable, is the first of the ballads that are used to wrap this record up. This particular song uses a very unique type of drum sound which accompanies the soft guitars and melancholic sounding vocals. The chorus is slightly louder but throughout the song it barely builds, making this contrast a massive change to any other song on the first half of this record.
‘Everyone Is Broken’ is a really memorable track because of how raw the lyrics are, as it is really depressing and is sure to hit a nerve for so many people. What elevates this track on a ballad perspective though, is that the chorus is mellow the first time it appears, but as the second one hits, it has slightly more depth in terms of volume, and the vocals have extra layers making this hook much more impactful, resulting in one of the best songs on this album by far.
With that being said, after this track the album starts to lose me slightly as upon listening to it, I kept waiting for the pace to keep up, as I am used to maybe 2 ballads maximum on any album. This does not make ‘Everyone Is Broken’ any less memorable, it is still the most impactful song on the album, but the overall record ended at a similar pace, and as it did not get heavy or faster towards the end as expected, I felt disengaged from the listening experience as the album closed out. The faster songs in the beginning were fantastic, and if the band would have focused on writing a more balanced out record, this experience would have been quite different.
Overall, though, there is enough variety here to please grunge fans and non-grunge fans alike. The ballads are easily listenable on themselves outside of the full 12 tracks back-to-back, and the way the album opens instantly hooks you as it is packed with life and energy. Proving that even if at times slower and more experimental, Bush is still very much a force to be reckoned with, three decades into their career.
Bush: I Beat Loneliness – Out 18 July 2025 (earMUSIC)
– The Land Of Milk And Honey (Official Video)
