Bush - The Science Of Things

Alongside Foo Fighters and the youthful Irish four-piece Ash, Bush are now grunge's standard-bearers. And, although the U.K. quartet may be critically derided, they didn't get to sell more than 15 million copies of their previous records by listening to the press--or, indeed, making any sudden musical changes. So Science of Things is basically Razorblade Suitcase part 2, albeit a little more refined, melodic, and polished. And, although there are no instant megahits like "Swallowed" here, Rossdale's throaty Cobain-influenced rasp on songs like the downbeat "The Chemicals Between Us" and "Prizefighter," coupled with Pulsford's meaty, chunky guitar sound, means that there's more than enough here to keep the fans happy. --Everett True Amazon.com

Feels like a Science Fiction Movie!

This was an excellent album. The reasons others criticized "The Science of Things" is the reasons I love it. The techno influence was very innovative and creative in my opinion. It gave the music an atmospheric, science type vibe (which was the theme of their album). The music has a edgy, evil sound to it (it's great!). I guess I appreciated this aspect becuase I like Science fiction. The music reminds me of video games like Half-life and movies like the Matrix. Some of my favorite songs on the album are The Warm Machine, Jesus Online, Space Travel, Disease of the Dancing Cats, and of course Chemicals Between Us. I would have given the album 4 1/2 stars, but amazon is only allowing me to use whole numbers. Now I'm anxious to check out their first two albums.... September 14, 2007

This weak effort killed Bush.

Other than "The Chemicals Between Us" and "Warm Machine" there is not another song on this cd that I remember. I was very disappointed, and I'm sure they were as a band too, because it failed miserably compared to their first two cds. Trying to incorporate electronica into grunge just didn't work for me.
Could you see STP, AIC, Pearl Jam , or Soundgarden doing that? No way. This is their worst record, so I would not recommend it to anyone other than a diehard fan. And even they might be disappointed. Save for a couple of good hits, this was completely forgettable to me. I'm not saying it is a horrible record, but it doesn't stick....at all. August 2, 2007

A Bland Collection Falling Short Of Potential...

Bush, the post-grunge band from England, released their third studio album entitled "The Science Of Things" on October 26, 1999. Unlike its predecessors, the 12 tracks featured on "The Science Of Things" have many electronic influences that often degrade the quality of the music. More importantly, some of the band's worst efforts come in the form of the songs "English Fire," "The Disease Of Dancing Cats" and "Dead Meat." Some relief can be found in the hit singles "The Chemicals Between Us" and "Letting The Cables Sleep" but for a true representation of Bush's potential, please listen to their previous albums "Sixteen Stone" and "Razorblade Suitcase." Below, please find the rating for each song individually:

Warm Machine - 7/10

Jesus Online - 5/10

The Chemicals Between Us - 8/10

English Fire - 2/10

Spacetravel {Featuring Gwen Stefani} - 5/10

40 Miles From The Sun - 7/10

Prizefighter - 6/10

The Disease Of The Dancing Cats - 2/10

Altered States - 5/10

Dead Meat - 3/10

Letting The Cables Sleep - 10/10

Mindchanger - 5/10 July 1, 2007

Stylish, Atmospheric Post-Grunge

I had heard Bush in the past, as anyone who had grown up during the '90s certainly had, and I had always liked Gavin Rossdale's voice, but had not really listened to any Bush besides "Sixteen Stone". For me, after hearing "The Science Of Things", I have gained a lot of respect for this band, and learned that I still dig Gavin's vocals.

On this outing, Bush experiments with their sound, and seems to push themselves artistically, which is something that I admire in musicians. This does not seem to be a "safe" follow-up to such radio-intended singles like "Glycerine". Bush seem a bit more textural and experimental, a bit more edgy and dynamic, without losing the melodic vocal style which made them a success. The guitarist, in particular, seems to be pushing himself in new, unusual directions, some of which almost seem abstract and improvised. Cool stuff, with a great production despite the looseness of some of the material. Recommended. April 18, 2007

Grunge/electronica fusion bomb.

On the cusp of the millenium, rock artistès caught a whiff of something in the air. The insidious scent of electronica influence and techno beats. Watching the public seesaw towards this "new" sound, many bands, Bush among them, plugged in drum machines and DSP modules as well as guitar amplifiers. In principle, it's actually a pretty neato idea-- if the band can manage the right fusion of dirt and grime, the result can be an out-of-this-world machine-assisted sound with nuanced flanges and touches that are hard to reproduce with just ten fingers and six strings. Unfortunately, it's hard to think of an album from the '90s that really accomplished this. Bush's 1999 album "The Science of Things" comes pretty close, and it's this band's most interesting and rewarding release for it.

A "Sgt. Pepper's..."-esque sonic transformation seems to have occurred between "Razorblade Suitcase" and this. Without besmirching the power of past singles like the heartfelt "Swallowed" or "Everything Zen" (with its screwdriver slide guitar intro), "The Science of Things" is simply the better effort as an album. Their goal of fusion in mind, Bush whack out their artsiest and most experimental record, relying on syrup-thick six-string tones and very subtle, well-camouflaged electronica couched in jagged, echoing guitar leads, to entrance curious ears.

The infamous "The Chemicals Between Us" (the big single) is undoubtedly the best cut on the record, as well as the best example of how to meld rock with electronica successfully, vomiting evil-sounding, overcompressed power chords and then introducing filtered drums and "glass break" musique concrète for the chorus. In short, this track combines the best elements of both worlds from which Bush draws. Other tracks, like "The Disease of the Dancing Cats," manage to recall the enigmatic lyrics and rawhide guitar tones of Nirvana's "In Utero," but with a trance breakdown.

But it's the softer, blurrier edges of this album (unlike the more pedestrian bluster of stuff like "Warm Machine" and "Dead Meat"), exhibiting a foreign intrigue Bush isn't typically known for, that will win over more discerning listeners. "40 Miles From the Sun" and "Letting the Cables Sleep" are tight exercises in the impact of metered, slow-dripping emotion... and great pop tunes, too. There's "Altered States," which opens with a tenebrous, echoing soundscape, and more expertly blends the lines between genres, without curdling into cheese. And even harder-sounding tunes like "Prizefighter" and "Spacetravel" are somehow more cerebral than past outings.

On the other hand, "English Fire" is the worst song they ever wrote next to "My Engine Is With You."

But too many people seem to get hung up on this fact, and on the acrid taste the words "electronica influence" leave on the palate of some. At the time of its release, the marketing for "The Science of Things" may have suggested '80s Casiotones and ultra-cheesy drum beats in the subconcious of rock listeners, but a quick look around at today's scene proves that records like this one pioneered the concept of "electronica influence that actually works... really, really well." It's Bush's most killer record. November 16, 2006

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