Gay4Grunge: My Top 10 Bush Songs

Bush has two separate and distinct phases in their career. The first phase covers 1994-2002 when Bush quickly rose to the top of the Grunge and Alternative Rock heap in the mid-90s much to the chagrin of many rock critics and Grunge purists. 1994's Sixteen Stone was a true blockbuster album that went 6 times platinum in the U.S. and spun off 5 very big hits that all continue to receive heavy rotation on rock stations across the country.  Bush managed to stay on the charts for the rest of the 90s even as their record sales kept slowly but steadily declining with the 1996's Razorblade Suitcase selling 3 million copies and 1999's the Science of Things selling 1 million copies before the bottom dropped out with 2001's Golden State, which failed to even go gold. Guitarist Nigel Pulsford left Bush right before the release of Golden State, so Bush hired a temporary guitarist to play for the Golden State Tour. After that tour concluded Bush quietly broke up. 

For the rest of the '00s, Gavin Rosedale formed a new band called Institute, which didn't last long, and then he put out a pretty generic solo record. At the dawn of the 2010's Gavin resurrected the Bush moniker, but only brought back the band's original drummer Robin Goodridge, since Nigel Pulsford and Dave Parsons declined returning to the band. Over the course of the 2010's this newly revamped Bush would release 4 studio albums and would eventually see Robin Goodridge exit the band as well leaving Gavin Rosedale as the only original member left in Bush. For me this second era for Bush is really just Gavin Rosedale's solo career masquerading as Bush, since the production and guitars sound over compressed and neutered on most of Bush's 2010 albums. The exception is the band's 2019 The Kingdom, which sees the return of actual distortion and Grunge to the band's sound, but the songs are still nothing to write home about in my opinion. I've tried on multiple occasions to get into Bush's second era for over 10 years now, but nothing really grabs me. Try as I might I just find this revamped version of Bush to be pretty generic and forgettable with little to recommend in all honesty. 

With all that said, I hear Bush is still great live and I would like to see them at some point if possible. Still, I feel even if I saw Bush live, I'd just be waiting for the 90s hits and tolerating the newer songs in between. If you can't tell already, this list is going to focus squarely on Bush's music from the 90s, since that's the era I care about for this band. I'll also say that this list doesn't really have any surprises either, because Bush's best songs were typically their biggest hits as well. As a result, all my picks represent Bush's biggest hits from the 90s plus one single that didn't chart. Still these 10 songs are among the biggest and most endearing hits of Grunge and 90s Alternative as a whole. In fact, you probably know most of these songs already even if you don't recognize them by song title alone, since most of these songs have been in regular rotation on rock radio since the mid-90s. Alright here we go!

10. Personal Holloway (1996)

1996's Razorblade Suitcase is one of the most fascinating albums of the 90s, because it follows the Grunge formula as established by Nirvana and Pearl Jam of following up your big mainstream breakthrough with a difficult follow-up that is sure to alienate some of your listeners. Many critics felt Bush hired Steve Albini simply because Albini had worked on Nirvana's In Utero, but Gavin was a much bigger fan of Albini and wanted to make a record that sounded like his favorites that Albini had produced for acts like The Pixies and The Jesus Lizard. I'll admit that the second half of Razorblade Suitcase is pretty meandering and tedious in places, but the album comes out of the gate strong with its three best tracks also being the first 3 tracks on the album. Personal Holloway opens the album and establishes that Razorblade Suitcase is going to be a rawer and more intense album than Sixteen Stone. Bush had already indulged in their love for distortion and Grunge riffs on Sixteen Stone, but on Razorblade Suitcase the guitars sound like buzzsaws that can cut you if you get too close to them. In fact, that's probably why the album was named Razorblade Suitcase, because the guitars feel sharper and more deadly thanks to Albini's stark production. Personal Holloway had a music video attached to it, but it never took off on rock radio, which is a shame because it's definitely one of Bush's best songs. Personal Holloway is probably the only single by Bush that deserved better. 

9. Mouth -The Stingray Remix (1997)

On top of Razorblade Suitcase being a fascinating example of Grunge's value on authenticity and willingness to alienate some listeners, the album also represents one of the last gasps from the Grunge era before everything changed in 1997. Released in December of 1996, Razorblade Suitcase hit #1 on the album charts and it's first two singles charted strongly (more on them in a bit), but eventually the album started to lose steam, as each single did worse than the last until they were not even charting anymore (Personal Holloway.) The album also stalled at 3 million in sales, which is nothing to scoff at but Sixteen Stone had sold over 6 million copies. It was clear that the Grunge era was officially over and if Bush wanted to remain on the charts, they had to switch things up, which is what they did for the album's last single Mouth. On the album, Mouth is another Albini styled track, but for the single release the group remixed it to fit more in line with the burgeoning electronica scene at the time. It's easy to forget now, but for a brief period in the late 90s, Alternative Rock had a bit of an identity crisis after Grunge died. It led to the Ska Revival, the Swing Revival and eventually Nu-Metal, but electronica was given the most backing from rock critics who felt this was going to be the future of Alternative Rock. They turned out to be wrong, but most bands had to grapple with Electronica in some shape between 1997 & 1998 despite that. Bush would eventually release an electronica remix album called Deconstructed, which isn't very good, but serves as another fascinating time capsule. Still the Mouth Remix was much better than the album version and it made the song feel more mysterious, sexy and epic than the album version. It was also the first Bush music video I ever saw too. 

8. Swallowed (1996)

While Razorblade Suitcase would run out of steam in 1997, the lead up to it was huge. Sixteen Stone was still selling like hotcakes and Bush were declared the new kings of Grunge. Bush pretty much peaked commercially around this time and the album's lead single Swallowed reflects this as it became Bush's longest running #1 song on the Alternative Rock Charts (7 weeks) and it became their third song to crossover to top 40. Swallowed uses the patented grunge formula of soft verses and loud chorus and it's certainly the most mainstream sounding song off Razorblade Suitcase, hence why it was the lead single. It's also the only single from Razorblade Suitcase that I would still hear on rock radio in the 2010s. It's a solid single though not my favorite off the album. That song will come later on this list. 

7. The Little Thing (1994)

Sixteen Stone is one of the biggest rock albums of the ‘90s and it's also one of the definitive Grunge albums of the decade despite rock critics slamming it. What makes it definitively Grunge is that in a lot of ways Sixteen Stone is the first Grunge album whose primary influence is actually just Grunge. Grunge didn't start off as a real genre, it was a label given to bands from the pacific northwest that shared some sonic similarities, but were all very different. Nirvana is more Punk mixed with Beatles pop, Pearl Jam is classic rock in the grand tradition of The Who with grooves that sound like Aerosmith, while Alice in Chains and Soundgarden are both very indebted to heavy metal, especially Black Sabbath, but Soundgarden delved more into psychedelia than Alice in Chains and Alice in Chains delved more into 60s style folk pop compared to Soundgarden. Sixteen Stone represents the moment Grunge truly became a genre unto itself as the album bears all the hallmarks of Grunge mixed together in a way that feels more Grunge than the Seattle Big 4 at times. Bush's influence doesn't go further back than the Pixies and most of the other Post-Grunge bands who started popping up around this time felt the same as well. These 1st wave Post Grunge bands were not indebted to the 60s, 70s or even the 80s for the most part, then were indebted to 90s Grunge and The Little Things is a perfect example of this. You can't call it punk, you can't call it metal and you can't call it classic rock, but man does it sound like everything you think Grunge should sound like. The music video also reflects this as it's mostly a bunch of weird and strange imagery that screams mid 90s even though the video is all surface and lacks a story or message like a lot of the great Grunge music videos from that era showcased. It's certainly cool to look at though and like I said even if it lacks originality, The Little Things sometimes satisfies my Grunge cravings because it feels more Grunge than Grunge. 

6. Glycerine (1994)

Glycerine was the biggest hit off Sixteen Stone, where it topped the Alternative Rock chart and peaked at 28 on top 40 though it received more airplay on pop radio than that charting number conveys. The billboard singles chart was a weird beast in the 90s that didn't really accurately reflect how big some songs were back then. Anyway, it's easy to hear why Glycerine became the biggest hit off Sixteen Stone, because it's basically a love ballad that appealed greatly to female listeners who made up a large chunk of Bush's fanbase. The song has a very appealing stripped-down quality to it that's driven mostly by a guitar riff, which is one of the most memorable guitar lines of the 90s. There's a reason The Simpsons used Glycerine as Homer's Faux Grunge song that he dedicated to Marge that was called Margarine. Glycerine also features a lovely and tasteful use of strings which also close out the song on an atmospheric note. Glycerine is a lesson in less is more as the song works as well as it does because of its stripped-down simplicity. Bush would try to recapture the magic of Glycerine again & again, especially on their 1996 follow-up Razorblade Suitcase on songs like Straight No Chaser and Bone Driven, but it proved elusive for them as Bush never made another ballad that could match the success of Glycerine. This song was truly lightning in a bottle for Bush and it remains one of the most beloved songs of the 90s. 

5. Everything Zen (1994)

The lead single off Sixteen Stone actually became a fluke hit. By the time Sixteen Stone was completed in the fall of 1994, the band only had an American music contract. They didn't have a contract in their home country in the U.K. Even still, the record company treated Sixteen Stone as dead on arrival and didn't give it much thought. Gavin meanwhile went back to doing odd jobs like painting houses until K Rock, the legendary rock station, started playing Everything Zen. Soon thereafter Everything Zen took off on rock radio and the music video became an MTV Buzz Bin clip. All of sudden Bush was in high demand in America and the band was happy to tour and give interviews relentlessly for the next 2 years. The initial success of Everything Zen being owed to K Rock is a nice reminder of how influential radio used to be in breaking new artists, especially before the 1996 telecommunications act, when DJs had more of a say on what they played on air. The thing that stands out about this song for me is Nigel Pulsford's guitar work. He is throwing out so many different riffs and solos throughout Everything Zen and it's exhilarating. His guitar work is the one element of Bush where they could not only feel edgy but unpredictable as well. The riffage on this song is fantastic and as we enter the top 5 you'll see that the reason I like these 5 songs the most is due to Nigel's guitar riffs and solos. 

4. The Chemicals Between Us (1999)

As I said when talking about The Mouth Remix, Bush decided to jump onto the electronica bandwagon in 1997 and put out the remix album entitled Deconstructed. Still, it wouldn't be until the group's third studio album in 1999, The Science of Things, that Bush actually fully integrated Electronica into their Grunge sound. Of course, by 1999 Electronica was out and Nu Metal was in, but the song had enough hooks to still become a huge hit anyway where it became the group's fourth Alternative Rock #1 in the fall of 1999. The first thing that jumps out about The Chemicals Between Us is that guitar riff which sounds like it's being cut off at the end every time it plays. It also sounds different from the guitar riffs Bush usually does since it feels a lot punchier and more dance oriented than their typical Grunge riffage. The production on this song also sounds completely different from Sixteen Stone and Razorblade Suitcase, but in a good way and it helps this song sound even better. Even people who don't like Bush, such as my brother, still like this song because it is so damn catchy and so well produced that it's hard to resist. While Bush would have other charting hits on rock radio, including their 2011 chart topper The Sound of Winter, The Chemicals Between Us feels like the last truly classic Bush song in my opinion. For me anyway Bush never sounded this good again. 

3. Greedy Fly (1996)

Greedy Fly was the second single off Razorblade Suitcase and while it didn't do as well as lead single Swallowed, it still became a solid top 5 hit on rock radio and it's pretty much the last single off that album that anyone remembers now besides the Mouth Remix, which feels more connected to their electronica remix album. For me this song represents the peak of Bush's collaboration with Steve Albini, especially because of how far they push the Grunge formula of quiet verses to loud choruses to the extreme. In a lot of ways Albini helped codify this Grunge formula on the albums he did for The Pixies and PJ Harvey and it reached a commercial peak with In Utero on songs like Heart Shaped Box. Greedy Fly seems like the climax of that formula as Greedy Fly not only juxtaposes soft verses with a loud chorus, but the song itself is punctuated with actual moments of silence throughout. While Entertainment Weekly gave Razorblade Suitcase a bad review, they did mention that the moments of silence on Greedy Fly crackle and pop thanks to Albini. The song itself sounds very creepy, especially on the verses, and the cinematic music video drove this home as it was one of the most disturbing music videos of the 90s that featured lots of body horror, creepy imagery, and some shocking violence. Both visually and sonically, Greedy Fly sees Bush and Albini trying to push the Grunge formula as far as they possibly could and I think they succeeded brilliantly. The downside is that there was pretty much nowhere left to go after this, which is why this song and video are one of the last true moments of 90s Grunge before the genre collapsed on itself. 

2. Machinehead (1994)

Let's just get it out of the way, the best thing about Machinehead is that driving riff, which is one of the best and most memorable riffs of the entire decade. That riff helped turn Machinehead into one of Sixteen Stone's biggest singles despite being the 5th single off that album. As soon as the song starts it pumps you up immediately, at least it does for me. For a couple years Machinehead was my track anthem when I sprinted the 400-meter dash. I would have this song running through my head as I sprinted, especially the lyrics "Breathe in, Breathe Out" which was honestly just good advice for a runner. My Dad's always really liked this song too and it's not hard to hear why. This is Grunge played as arena rock and it's one of the best full throttle rock songs of the ‘90s. There isn't much else to say about Machinehead so just turn it on and crank it up! 

1. Comedown (1994)

Comedown was the third single off Sixteen Stone in the summer of 1995 and while Everything Zen and The Little Things had both done really well on rock radio, Comedown did even better, becoming the group's first #1 Alternative Rock Hit and their first song to cross over into the pop top 40. Comedown represents the moment where Bush went from being another Post-Grunge band like Sponge, The Toadies or Local H to becoming one of the biggest bands in all of Alternative Rock for the 90s. Soon Bush wouldn't be playing small clubs anymore, they'd be headlining arenas instead. I know for me Comedown was the song that really turned me into a Bush fan in the fall of 2002. I still remember listening to this song in my bedroom and being so taken with it. The intro to the song is probably my favorite part of the song, which is why I don't like the music video edit because it cuts the intro out. You start with this steady but groovy bassline with hints of guitar and distortion poking through little by little as the intro keeps building up more and more until that guitar riff explodes through the speakers. It gives me an endorphin rush every time I hear it and it ranks among my favorite intros in all of music.  I'm listening to Comedown as I type this and it's still giving me an endorphin rush. This song never gets old for me no matter how many times I listen to it. For me Comedown is one of the true classics of Grunge and no rock critic or Grunge purist can convince me otherwise.