Aug 13, 2025 By Clinton Rhodes 2 min read

I’ll start off by confessing it’s always great to hear new music from Bush. The band’s “Sixteen Stone” immediately became one of my favorite releases of 1994 with captivating songs like “Everything Zen,” “Comedown” and “Glycerine” continuously blasting on my car stereo.

“I Beat Loneliness” is the British rock band’s 10th studio release, with frontman Gavin Rossdale orchestrating impactful tracks that serve as an intimate confessional about alienation, fear, recovery and self-enlightenment.

“Scars” opens the set and introduces listeners to Rossdale’s personal insights by way of haunting pulsations of sound that usher in his distinctive voice as he proclaims, “Scars are angels written on your body.”

The 59-year-old Rossdale delivers engaging performances on arrangements that outline ways to navigate through chaotic times and finding random slices of color in an otherwise colorless horizon.

“Oh, come here to me/Try to find the place you believe,” declares Rossdale on the title track as he examines the constant struggles of a complicated world that often triggers self-doubt during the search for inner strength and dependence.

Despite the dark themes, Rossdale offers little rays of hope on “Don’t Be Afraid” and “Footsteps in the Sand” that highlight understanding, encouragement and perseverance.

“All the freaks came out to play/The list of injuries echoes in the mind’s delays/I’ve seen you try to climb, one foot out the rain/Be my everything, you be Lois Lane,” sings Rossdale with a level of optimism that can be achieved through heroic actions.

“Rebel With a Cause” closes the 12-song set with a powerful message that reminds us that we are all in this beautiful mess together as Rossdale declares, “There’s a madness inside and no one is sane/We’rе all so guarded, hiding the pain.”

For me, Rossdale’s message isn’t about overcoming loneliness completely. It’s about discovering ways to manage isolation in a productive way.

In the end, “I Beat Loneliness” is a spirited effort filled with sweeping musical arrangements fueled by intimate lyrics possessing deep layers that reveal we are never really alone.

Clinton Rhodes is a Belle Vernon resident.