The Science of Things
The Science of Things is the third studio album by Bush, released in October 1999 on Trauma Records. It came after Sixteen Stone and Razorblade Suitcase, and it was the last Bush record to appear through Trauma. It reached number eleven on the US Billboard 200 and went platinum in both the US and Canada. It was also the second-to-last studio album to feature guitarist Dave Parsons and Nigel Pulsford.
What sets it apart is the way electronic touches are folded into the band's hard rock sound, most obviously on the lead single "The Chemicals Between Us". A loose science fiction theme runs through the record, and the lyrics take in the 1980 murder of Dorothy Stratten, Tony Blair's election in the UK and environmental damage. It is worth hearing for the sound of a post-grunge band stretching its palette.
The Science of Things: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 51:21Tracklist
- 1Warm MachineGavin Rossdale4:26
- 2Jesus OnlineGavin Rossdale3:45
- 3The Chemicals Between UsGavin Rossdale3:37
- 4English FireGavin Rossdale3:32
- 5SpacetravelGavin Rossdale4:46
- 640 Miles From the SunGavin Rossdale3:39
- 7PrizefighterGavin Rossdale5:41
- 8The Disease of the Dancing CatsGavin Rossdale4:02
- 9Altered StatesGavin Rossdale4:11
- 10Dead MeatGavin Rossdale4:16
- 11Letting the Cables SleepGavin Rossdale4:37
- 12MindchangerGavin Rossdale4:49
- Produced by
- Clive Langer, Gavin Rossdale, Alan Winstanley
- Recorded at
- Mayfair Studios, Westside Studios, Whitfield St., Air Studios, Sarm Hook End & Nigel Pulsford's home
- Recorded
- 1998
- Mixed by
- David J. Holman, Paul Palmer, Tom Elmhirst, Bush, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
- Engineered by
- Tom Elmhirst, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
- Labels
- Trauma Records, Trauma, Interscope
- Length
- 51:21
Line-up
- Sacha Puttnam · strings, piano · guest
- Gwen Stefani · vocals · guest
- Claire Ashby · violin · guest
- Alison Dodds · violin · guest
- David Lasserson · viola · guest
- Rosie Wetters · cello · guest
Singles
- “The Chemicals Between Us” · 14 September 1999
- “Letting the Cables Sleep” · 18 January 2000
- “Warm Machine” · 11 February 2000
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 1999 | 11 |
| UK Albums Chart · 1999 | 28 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 1999 | 6 |
| Austrian Albums · 1999 | 18 |
| German Albums · 1999 | 19 |
| European Albums Chart · 1999 | 33 |
| Scottish Albums · 1999 | 33 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1999 | 36 |
| Dutch Albums · 1999 | 48 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 1999 | 49 |
All 12 charts
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1999 | 70 |
| Swiss Albums · 1999 | 99 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada · 1999 | Platinum |
| United States · 2000 | Platinum |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 26 October
Every year →
More from Bush
Full discography →
The best of 1999
All of 1999 →
More on Trauma Records
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 1999-10-26 vs 1999-11-17 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 17 November 1999 | ignored lone early release dated 1999-10-26 |
| Wikipedia infobox | 26 October 1999 | |
| Wikidata | 1999 | |
| US release | 26 October 1999 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1999 | earliest UK or European date |
11 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | XE | Trauma Records | 606949048310 | other |
| 1999 | US | Trauma Records | 606949048327 | other |
| 1999 | GB | Trauma Records | 606949048327 | other |
| 1999 | CA | Trauma Records | 606949048327 | other |
| October 1999 | US | Trauma Records | 606949048327 | other |
| 26 October 1999 | US | Trauma Records | 606949048327 | original |
| 17 November 1999 | JP | Trauma Records | 4988067042668 | other |
| 2001 | DE | Steamhammer | 4001617728529 | other |
| 20 October 2014 | XE | Round Hill Music | 860830000133 | other |
| 6 September 2017 | — | Round Hill Music | 886444857758 | remaster |
| — | — | Universal Music Group | 886444855433 | other |
Cover art sources
itunes · native: native 3000x3000
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| itunes ✓ | 3000×3000 | native: native 3000x3000 |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 953×953 | upscaled |