Historically, 1994 was a pretty turbulent one in the world of Alternative Rock. Bands like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Hole were at peak mainstream popularity, but amidst it all, tragically Kurt Cobain was gone at only twenty-seven years old. A loss that sent many young listeners through a tailspin of emotion, in the coming months after Cobain’s death, new music emerged as a form of comfort and realization that even in darkness, there can be light.
You had albums like Soundgarden’s Superunknown, The Cranberries’ No Need To Argue, and Stone Temple Pilots’ Purple all finding a place in listener’s hearts. However, a late entry called Sixteen Stone emerged near the end of 1994 from a then-little-known band out of England called Bush.
The debut album from the young band consisting of Lead Vocalist/Guitarist Gavin Rossdale, Lead Guitarist, Nigel Pulsford, Bassist Dave Parsons, and Drummer Robin Goodridge, Sixteen Stone arrived on November 1st of 1994 with initially little acknowledgment. However, within six months the record began to pick up traction and by the Fall of 1995, Bush was one of the biggest Alternative Rock bands in the world. An astounding rise, one can look at “Comedown” (which Bush released as the album’s third single in September of 1995) as the big breakthrough. Reaching number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, “Comedown” awarded Bush their first-ever American Top 40 hit.
Putting their name practically on the tongue of every young Alternative Rock fan around the world, the release of “Glycerine” as a single in November of 1995 only enhanced Bush’s reach because it was yet another chart-topper. Followed by other big hits like “Machinehead” (released as a single in early 1996), all of these factors contributed to Sixteen Stone’s slow burn toward success. In fact, the album climbed from number 187 on the Billboard 200 at the end of January 1995 to a peak position of number 4. Wild when you think about it, the album remained in these charts for more than a year!
Something you may never see in today’s fragmented music industry, Bush’s Sixteen Stone has amassed over six million units sold in the decades since. So, why did everyone love it? Well, some cynics may compare Bush to the Grunge leaders who came before them, but the band’s style and sound were far more dynamic and polished. These guys were writing songs that were thoughtful, emotional, and filled with introspects that were far beyond their years.
With that in mind, the diversity of the songs on Sixteen Stone was truly compelling. You went from the muddier sounding “Everything Zen” to the catchy “Little Things,” before the irresistible dark mood of “Comedown.” From here, you also had the more acoustic-based “Glycerine,” which tugged at the heartstrings of anyone reflecting on moments in life, to the blistering “Machinehead,” which is arguably one of Bush’s best ever.
Offering so many sides of the spectrum, while Sixteen Stone was recorded in January of 1994, the songs were written at different times as Rossdale and Bush progressed. If you listen closely you can hear these changes and you can hear elements of Alternative Rock, Grunge Rock, straight ahead Hard Rock, and even some tints of Industrial Rock. Factors that make this album a Post-Grunge gem that is a fresh listen all these years later, it is amazing to think that Sixteen Stone is now celebrating a thirtieth anniversary.
Feeling like it was just yesterday the big singles were on MTV’s regular rotation, thirty years later Bush continues touring and releasing new music. Last releasing the very impressive The Art of Survival in 2022, in celebration of Sixteen Stone’s thirtieth anniversary the album is available as a special vinyl reissue. Arriving on November 22, 2024 through Craft Recordings, the new vinyl is offered in six limited-edition colored pressings which are ‘Opaque Red’ (available wide), ‘Silver’ (exclusive to Independent Record Stores), ‘Translucent Lemonade’ (via Best Buy), ‘Sepia’ (via Barnes & Noble) and ‘Highlighter Smoke’ (available at Revolver), plus a ‘Fog’ pressing exclusive to the band’s Spotify followers via Fans First.
Marking the second reissue to vinyl, the first being back in 2014 in honor of the twentieth anniversary, this new thirtieth-anniversary press features a sturdy gatefold sleeve and the same remastered cuts. Sounding sharp and powerful, the album is broken into 2 high-quality vinyl records breaking Sixteen Stone into sides A-D.
Overall, this reissue is a great way to celebrate thirty years of Sixteen Stone. Coming out after Bush’s 2024 Greatest Hits tour, it also follows the recently released Loads of Remixes EP that arrived on September 13th. For those interested, the new EP is a seven-track collection that reimagines some of the band’s most memorable songs. With the EP only available digitally, fans who adore the physical format should not hesitate to seek out one of these new special-colored pressings of Sixteen Stone, because Cryptic Rock gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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