In summary:

Bush’s first album in a decade was worth the wait, delivering a collection of highly polished rock tunes jam-packed with memorable choruses and big riffs.

The Sea Of Memories receives 8/11.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Bush’s decision to disband in the aftermath of Golden State (2001) came as no surprise.

The commercial failure of an album which is widely considered to be their finest piece of work to date seemed to place a heavy burden on frontman Gavin Rossdale, and when co-founder / lead guitarist Nigel Pulsford decided to quit the band midway through the accompanying tour, it seemed like all she wrote for the UK rockers.

After ten years of silence, the singer took to Twitter in the fall of 2010 to annouce that Bush would be returning with a brand new album, and was reportedly very surprised by the positive response – not just from the band’s fanbase, but from the rock world as a whole.

A lot can change in ten years, I guess…

You see, interest in the nu-metal craze which destroyed the sales of their previous LP had long since disipated, and the rock scene was undergoing a bit of a nostalgia turn after the successful reunions of the likes of Creed, Soundgarden, Ugly Kid Joe, and Rage Against The Machine.

Of course, none of this would matter if their comeback LP totally sucked, right?

So let me reassure you from the outset that The Sea Of Memories was every bit worth the wait!

Bush always presented an intersesting conundrum in that they were their own worst enemies.

Frontman Gavin Rossdale’s innate ability to write stadium-filling anthems always seemed to clash with his longing for critical acclaim, and it wasn’t until he finally stopped denying his gift on the band’s third LP that Bush really clicked into gear, and this continued on their fourth LP.

So you’ll be pleased to learn that The Sea Of Memories picks up right where it’s predecessor left off.

Comeback single The Sound Of Winter shows does a wonderful job of showing how the band have continued to evolve their sound throughout their time away, resulting in one of the standout rock songs of the year.

This is quickly followed by stunning piano ballad All Night Doctors. With shades of Glycerine, Rossdale’s tortured vocals paint beautiful picture on the struggles of everyday life, in what is possibly a career highlight.

Guitarist Chris Traynor is central to everything which makes this record flow so neatly.

Traynor originally stepped in to help the band fulfil the remaining dates of that ill-fated 2001 tour, and he was handed the job on a full-time basis when Nigel Pulsford declined to partake in the eventual reunion. This change proves to be a stroke of genius, as Traynor’s clean tone and thick riffs provide the perfect backdrop to Gavin Rossdale’s weathered voice on songs like All My Life, and it’s difficult to imagine how the album may have sounded without him in the mix.

No album is 100% perfect, of course.

The main gripe throughout The Sea Of Memories is that a few of the tracks feel a little “rushed”.

This is somewhat understandable, considering Rossdale admitted the whole thing was written and recorded in just three weeks in order to help the band capture the sound of their initial energy upon reforming, but it sometimes allows some of their old bad habits to creep into play.

Just like on their early work, Rossdale occasionally pairs a great chorus with a weak verse (Red Light), or a great verse with a weak chorus (I Believe In You), and I think we can all agree that the electric chorus of of hit single The Afterlife deserved a better supporting structure.

The album finishes with the incredibly strong trio of Stand Up, The Heart Of The Matter, and haunting final track Be Still My Love, on which a regretful Rossdale laments the ghost of a prior relationship.

Bonus song The Year Of Danger (from the deluxe edition) also deserves a mention here, as it manages to combine the leftover pieces of three songs from the cutting room floor into an eclectic funk-infused rocker, and the end product is easily stron enough to have earned a place on the main disc.

The crisp sound of this album comes courtesy of super-producer Bob Rock. Rock has a proven track record for helping rock bands sound absolutely massive, and his appointment pays dividends for Bush, as they deliver scores of the guitar-driven hard rock which has been sorely missing from the music scene during their decade-long hiatus.

It sounds absolutely fantastic, and Rock’s superior production makes the new material feel both modern and relevant, so even though this reunion may have been steeped in nostalgia, this album most certainly lives in the now.

The Sea Of Memories peaked at #18 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, meanwhile lead single The Sound Of Winter achieved #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay Chart, and follow-up single The Afterlife racked up an impressive 10 weeks on the charts.

In summary:

Bush’s first album in a decade was worth the wait, delivering a collection of highly polished rock tunes jam-packed with memorable choruses and big riffs.

The Sea Of Memories receives 8/11.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★