It was finished. It was shelved. It was being shopped. It was confiscated. It wasn't happening at all. There was so much speculation revolving around Bush's third album, The Science of Things, it was beginning to become as vague and tenuous as the science of the cosmos itself.| But after months in legal talks with their label, Trauma Records, Bush have waved the white flag and plan to deliver their latest platter sometime in October.

"We are glad to have resolved our differences in a peaceful and mutually beneficial fashion," said the band through a press statement released today. "We are looking forward to getting the new music to the fans." In kind, Trauma Records announced today that it has sealed a multi-year contract with the band and have also dropped their pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. "The lawsuit was initiated by the label for a number of reasons, but it was essentially because the band did not deliver the record," said a spokesperson for the band. "It would best be described as a communication breakdown, as often is the case in close relationships, and Trauma did what it needed to do to protect itself and Bush did the same. But ultimately they both realized the strength of their partnership and resolved their differences over the weekend."

That's not the only shouts of good news coming from the Bush camp. While the group has not performed in the U.S. for two years, last week they played three small club gigs in the L.A. area to showcase their new songs. A source close to the group says that the new material "went over really well," and will be showcased again on July 21 - 23 at New York's Irving Plaza, where Bush will "warm up for their set at Woodstock."

The new songs -- "Warm Machine," "Jesus Online," "The Chemicals Between Us," "Forty Miles From the Sun," "Dead Meat," "English Fire" and "Prize Fighter" -- will all be included on the forthcoming album, which an insider describes as "a rock record." Some electronics, loops and new textures pop up, the source hints, but "it's not turning into a Kraftwerk record. It's a rock record in a big way, with great melodies, hooks and slightly angular tracks. That's what Bush have always done, so in a sense, it's the same."

After the band's three New York club shows, Trauma plans to release an undetermined single to radio. In all appearances, the wrinkles between Bush and their label have been smoothed. "Everybody is talking now and everyone is comfortable," says the band's publicist, Michael Pagnotta. "The new album will probably come out in late October."

HEIDI SHERMANJune 14, 1999