Bush: Golden State : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Bush were derided early in their career for shamelessly imitating Nirvana, but at least the U.K. band's first couple of records contained some bona fide hits. Today, the group could be criticized for imitating itself. On Golden State, Gavin Rossdale's delicious rasp is still unequivocally sexy, but his melodies are rote versions of the same old song. Bush have dispensed with most of the electronic sounds they toyed with on their last two records; and though it's good to hear the band rock out without pretense, the raw aggression and revved guitar squall on "Reasons" and "My Engine Is With You" aren't enough to make the songs memorable. Dark riffs and pessimistic lyrics ("We destroy ourselves to rise again") dominate the album, a combination that works to best effect on "Hurricane" and the catchy "Superman." But nothing here hits the inevitable, almost scientific heights the band reached with anthems like "Everything Zen" or "Glycerine." As it is, Golden State has only a few bright spots.

JENNY ELISCU
(RS 881 - November 8, 2001)