The long-anticipated return of GRAMMY Award nominated rock band BUSH has released their ninth full length album The Art Of Survival. The name says it all! Pioneers to the grunge rock scene, they’ve been around for at least a quarter of a century and they’re still killing it. Beyond 1 billion streams and 20 million records sold, they have made their mark in the music industry.
BUSH’s signature groundbreaking music continues to be unparalleled.
Released on October 7, 2022 The Art of Survival would be the first since their 2020 LP, The Kingdom. BUSH has always been one of the top bands in the world. They’ve consistently created original and provocative lyrics and sounds. This album has Grammy potential, and I would say top 3 albums this year.
The albums kicks off with “Heavy is the Ocean” chilling sounds and that are extraordinary. The sound, the lyrics grip you completely. The music has so much depth lyrically and musically, oceanic dimensions echo into your soul.
Front man Gavin Rossdale expresses the intensions of this song and the album. In his words, “Oh Lord, this is going to open the record riff. It really sets the tone and the gravitas of the album. I love the power of the ocean. It’s mesmerizing to me. It feeds your soul. The song uses the imagery I love. At this point, I’m chained at the zoo of rock! So, I was like, ‘F*** it, I’m going to turn that puppy up. This one represents The Art of Survival.’”
Rossdale adds “Instead of being mournful or self-piteous, this is about the success stories of humanity’s survival against the odds. People just find a way to push through. We’ve all obviously suffered to varying degrees. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all the time, but we find a way. In recent memory, we’ve made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we’ve experienced. For me, The Art of Survival encompasses all of this.”
“Slow Me” and “Creatures of the Fire” bellow to Gavin’s haunting voice delivering a stunning masterpiece of music. You can feel and hear their signature sound, but this album speaks volumes to the evolution of their music. Intelligent, the music and lyrics rouses the minds of their listeners and millions of fans.
In regards to the song “More Than Machines,” Rossdale states, “This is an action-packed song with three really big topics. Off the bat, I don’t understand how anyone has the audacity to get involved or assume responsibility for women’s bodies. I wanted to reference that because it’s important to discuss. As much as the song is about the destruction of women’s rights, it’s about the destruction of the planet and the move for A.I. and a world of robots to replace us. It’s a topic we’ve heard since the fifties. I’m not here to teach anything though; my job is medieval like a town crier. I come into town with my elixirs and sing about it, so it hopefully goes out into the universe.”
BUSH just completed a successful US tour with Breaking Benjamin and Alice in Chains. The album has just hit 101 million streams in 183 countries. The success of BUSH is not without merit. They have conquered many years in the music industry and stayed true to their path. Keep an eye out for them as they will continue to break new grounds and blow minds.
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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