The 30th anniversary repressing of Short Bus is a sonic triumph for fans of industrial rock and vinyl collectors alike. Despite its DIY origins—originally recorded in a Lakewood, Ohio basement—the remastered vinyl edition breathes new life into the gritty textures and raw energy that defined the album. The pressing is clean, with minimal surface noise, and the remastering process has preserved the album’s aggressive edge while enhancing its dynamic range. Tracks like “Hey Man Nice Shot” and “Dose” benefit from a deeper low end and more pronounced separation between the layers of distortion, vocals, and programmed drums. The analog warmth of vinyl adds a visceral punch to Richard Patrick’s serrated guitar riffs and haunting vocal delivery, making this edition arguably the best way to experience Short Bus in 2025. Each of the five color variants is pressed on high-quality 180g vinyl, and early reports suggest excellent consistency across all editions.
Originally released in May 1995, Short Bus was a landmark fusion of industrial grit and post-grunge angst. It introduced Filter as a force in alternative rock, with Patrick—fresh off touring with Nine Inch Nails—channeling his experience into a sound that was both punishing and melodic. The album’s standout single, “Hey Man Nice Shot,” remains a defining anthem of the era, its dark themes and explosive chorus still resonating today. But the deeper cuts—“Stuck in Here,” “It’s Over,” “Gerbil,” and “White Like That”—showcase the band’s ability to balance aggression with atmosphere. These tracks are textured, moody, and surprisingly introspective, revealing the depth of Patrick’s songwriting. Rolling Stone once described the album as “a timely combination of grunge heat and industrial ice,” and that duality is still palpable three decades later. The 30th anniversary edition doesn’t just revisit the past—it reasserts Short Bus as a vital piece of rock history. Hopefully a whole new generation of music listeners will fall in love with Filter the way we did in the 1990s.
Top Tracks: It’s Over, Dose
Rating: 8.5/10 (album)
Rating: 9.5/10 (repress)
Filter – Short Bus (30th Anniversary Vinyl Edition) / 2025 Craft Recordings / Domain
