Garbage | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Headed by iconic frontwoman Shirley Manson, alternative quartet Garbage debuted in the 90s with a guitar-based, electronic-washed sound that built upon the sonic landscapes of My Bloody Valentine, Curve, and Sonic Youth, adding a distinct sense of accessible pop songcraft that would help push them beyond cult fandom into the international sphere through multiplatinum releases Garbage (1995) and the Grammy-nominated Version 2.0 (1998). After a brief stylistic shift on the pop-influenced Beautiful Garbage in 2001, the band hit a chart peak on 2005s no-frills Bleed Like Me. Despite an extended hiatus that threatened to end the band, they returned in the 2010s, settling into established veteran roles with the self-released, rock-focused efforts Not Your Kind of People (2012) and Strange Little Birds (2016). Garbage was the brainchild of producers Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker. A native of Viroqua, Wisconsin, Vig learned to play piano as a child and drums as a teenager. After leaving college, he met future bandmate Erikson in the band Spooner. One of that bands fans turned out to be Marker, who approached the group and remained in touch over the years. While each one went on to pursue their own careers -- Vig became an in-demand producer, best known for helming Nirvanas breakthrough, Nevermind -- they wouldnt reunite until 1993, when they officially formed Garbage. In search of a lead singer, the trio caught wind of Scottish vocalist Shirley Manson. Influenced by pioneering female rock vocalists Siouxsie Sioux, Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde, and Debbie Harry, Manson kicked off her music career at a young age, joining rock band Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie while just a teenager, playing keyboards and singing backing vocals from 1984 until the bands breakup in 1993. Along with three former MacKenzie bandmates, Manson formed alt-rock foursome Angelfish, which released a single, eponymous album in 1994. Back in the U.S., Marker saw a video for Angelfishs single "Suffocate Me." He contacted Manson and, after a couple auditions, she formally joined Garbage as their lead singer in August 1994. Late that year and into early 1995, Garbage holed up in their Wisconsin studio to record their debut album. That eponymous first effort arrived in August on Almo Sounds. After receiving support from radio and MTV, the album began to climb the charts toward the end of 1995, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard 200. By the summer of 1996, Garbage had gone gold in the United States, and shortly afterward it achieved platinum status, supported by radio hits "Queer," "Only Happy When It Rains," and "Stupid Girl." Garbage was eventually certified multi-platinum and nominated for a pair of Grammy Awards in 1997. The band closed the era with a standout inclusion on the Romeo + Juliet film soundtrack, "#1 Crush," which topped the Billboard alternative chart in early 1997. That summer, Garbage began work on their second album. The record, Version 2.0, was released in May 1998. Topping the U.K. chart and peaking at number 13 in the U.S., Version 2.0 produced six singles, three of which ("Push It," "I Think Im Paranoid," and "When I Grow Up") were U.K. top ten hits. In the midst of an international headlining tour, Garbage received a pair of Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album. At the tail-end of the album cycle, they contributed another hit song to a movie soundtrack, this time for the 19th James Bond flick, The World Is Not Enough. For their third album, Beautiful Garbage, the band veered in a new direction, incorporating the sounds of hip-hop, R&B;, and early-60s girl groups. The first single, "Androgyny," became a moderate radio hit, but momentum stalled due to decreased promotion following 9/11. Three additional singles, including the electronic-pop "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)," kept the band on international charts into 2002. They promptly returned to the studio for a follow-up, but health issues and rising tension marred the recording process. The resulting album, Bleed Like Me, arrived in 2005 on A&E;/Geffen. Their first Top Five showing on the Billboard 200, the straightforward rock set featured production by John King (Dust Brothers) and additional drumming from Dave Grohl. "Why Do You Love Me" became their highest-charting U.S. single since 1998s "Special," and subsequent selections "Sex Is Not the Enemy" and "Run Baby Run" charted internationally. Despite being a return-to-form after Beautiful Garbage, Bleed Like Me hit a terminal road block when the supporting tour was cancelled and the band announced it was going on an indefinite hiatus. During this time, Vig busied himself with various production projects, including nabbing a Grammy for Green Days 2009 album 21st Century Breakdown. Also otherwise engaged, Manson recorded solo material and made her acting debut on the Fox television show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. A greatest-hits set, Absolute Garbage, kept fans hopeful for an eventual return, which wouldnt happen until 2012. After years of studio work, Garbage released their fifth album, Not Your Kind of People, in 2012. The first album of all-new material since 2005s Bleed Like Me, Not Your Kind of People was also their first independent release. Self-released on their own Stunvolume label, it included the lead single "Blood for Poppies" and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200. An international tour kept them on the road until 2013. That year, Garbage teamed with Screaming Females for the Record Store Day single "Because the Night." In 2014, they commemorated Record Store Day with the Brody Dalle-assisted "Girls Talk" b/w "Time Will Destroy Everything." The stand-alone single "The Chemicals" was released for 2015s Record Store Day and featured a guest appearance from Silversun Pickups Brian Aubert. A deluxe double-disc remaster of Garbage arrived at the end of the year, accompanied by the 20 Years Queer tour. Garbages sixth album, Strange Little Birds, was issued in 2016. Again self-released, it was a back-to-basics record, recorded in Vigs basement. Their least-produced album to date, it featured little of the obsessive studio tinkering that had characterized their earlier work, showcased by the raw, soulful single "Empty." Strange Little Birds topped the U.S. Independent, Top Alternative, and Top Rock charts, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard 200. For the 2018 20th anniversary of Garbages sophomore effort, Version 2.0, the band embarked on a tour and released a deluxe reissue that collected B-sides and rarities from the era. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 10 Title: Garbage Released: 1995-08-15 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Supervixen (03:55) 2 Queer (04:36) 3 Only Happy When It Rains (03:56) 4 As Heaven Is Wide (04:52) 5 Not My Idea (03:41) 6 A Stroke of Luck (04:43) 7 Vow (04:30) 8 Stupid Girl (04:19) 9 Dog New Tricks (03:57) 10 My Lover’s Box (03:55) 11 Fix Me Now (04:43) 12 Milk (03:54) |
| Garbage : Allmusic album Review : Garbages self-titled debut has all the trappings of alternative rock -- off-kilter arrangements, occasional bursts of noise, a female singer with a thin, airy voice -- but it comes off as pop, thanks to the glossy production courtesy of drummer Butch Vig. Not only is the sound of the record slick and professional, but all the tracks are well-crafted pop songs. Unfortunately, only a handful of the songs are memorable, but those that are -- "Vow" and "Queer," in particular -- are small, trashy alternative pop gems. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 10 Title: Version 2.0 Released: 1998-05-01 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:08:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Temptation Waits (04:37) 2 I Think I’m Paranoid (03:38) 3 When I Grow Up (03:25) 4 Medication (04:08) 5 Special (03:44) 6 Hammering in My Head (04:52) 7 Push It (04:03) 8 The Trick Is to Keep Breathing (04:12) 9 Dumb (03:50) 10 Sleep Together (04:04) 11 Wicked Ways (03:44) 12 You Look So Fine (05:23) 1 Dumb (04:26) 2 Stupid Girl (04:12) 3 Temptation Waits (05:19) 4 Vow (05:12) |
| Version 2.0 : Allmusic album Review : Unveiling the new model of a machine that made its debut three years prior, alternative rock outfit Garbage polished the raw grind of their hazy first album with the sparkling digital sheen of 1998 sophomore effort Version 2.0. Emerging from the eerie trip-hop and bleak grunge of the critically acclaimed, multi-platinum Garbage, the quartet expanded their vision, going into overdrive with a futuristic sound that blended their inspirations both classic (the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Pretenders) and contemporary (Björk, Portishead, and the Prodigy). While Garbage retained the sleaze and effortless cool of their debut -- hinted on early tracks "As Heaven Is Wide" and "A Stroke of Luck" -- they infused Version 2.0 with deeper electronic layering, improved hooks, and an intimate lyrical focus courtesy of iconic vocalist Shirley Manson, who seized her place as the face and voice of the band with authority and confidence. On the propulsive "When I Grow Up" and the bittersweet "Special," Garbage took cues from 60s girl groups with "sha-la-la"s and stacked vocal harmonies, grounding them with a delivery inspired by Chrissie Hynde. Elsewhere, the hard techno edges of Curve and Björk cut through the frustrated "Dumb" and the lusty "Sleep Together," while Depeche Modes Wild West years received tribute on the stomping "Wicked Ways." Beyond the blistering hit singles "I Think Im Paranoid" and "Push It," Version 2.0 is also home to Garbages most tender and heartbreaking moments, from the pensive "Medication" to the trip-hop-indebted "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" and "You Look So Fine." Balanced and taut, Version 2.0 is a greatest-hits collection packaged as a regular album, not only a peak in Garbages catalog, but one of the definitive releases of the late 90s. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 10 Title: beautifulgarbage Released: 2001-09-27 Tracks: 13 Duration: 52:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shut Your Mouth (03:25) 2 Androgyny (03:09) 3 Can’t Cry These Tears (04:16) 4 Til the Day I Die (03:27) 5 Cup of Coffee (04:30) 6 Silence Is Golden (03:48) 7 Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) (03:12) 8 Breaking Up the Girl (03:34) 9 Drive You Home (03:58) 10 Parade (04:06) 11 Nobody Loves You (05:07) 12 Untouchable (04:02) 13 So Like a Rose (06:17) |
| beautifulgarbage : Allmusic album Review : The great thing about Garbage -- the thing that nobody wants to mention -- is that they are veterans, from frontwoman Shirley Manson to the three studio pros who play the instruments. They slogged through the trenches of alt-rock in the 80s, whether it was in the U.S. or the U.K., and they came together at the precise moment in the 90s when they could fashion modern-sounding music with a keen eye to the present and modern. They consciously picked up elements from shoegazing, trip-hop, and indie rock -- anything sonically interesting in the underground, crafting them together with skill and a keen commercial eye. On their third record, Beautiful Garbage, thats more evident than ever, from how they approximate contemporary R&B with the sultry "Androgyny," or the Minneapolis new wave bubblegum funk of "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)," or the bluesy PJ Harvey strut of "Silence Is Golden." Its all the more evident because this has a shiny, sugary, unabashedly pop coating, an element that Garbage clearly revel in, as well as should the listener. This is every bit as enticingly postmodern as their other albums, and it sounds distinctly Garbage -- there are elements of My Bloody Valentine crashing up against Tricky, post-Madchester dance, jangle pop, goth stance, and classic pop -- but they seem less like magpies, more themselves, which means Beautiful Garbage is a more consistent record. Its unlikely to storm the charts like their first two records, especially since there arent standout singles like on the earlier albums, but overall the record works better, perhaps their best album. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 10 Title: Bleed Like Me Released: 2005-04-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bad Boyfriend (03:46) 2 Run Baby Run (03:58) 3 Right Between the Eyes (03:56) 4 Why Do You Love Me (03:54) 5 Bleed Like Me (04:01) 6 Metal Heart (03:59) 7 Sex Is Not the Enemy (03:06) 8 It’s All Over but the Crying (04:39) 9 Boys Wanna Fight (04:16) 10 Why Don’t You Come Over (03:25) 11 Happy Home (06:02) |
| Bleed Like Me : Allmusic album Review : As polished and professional as it was, Garbages third album, Beautiful Garbage, killed whatever momentum the quartet had as the LP commercially crashed and burned not long after its fall 2001 release. Subsequently, the band faded out of view, taking a long hiatus before regrouping in 2004 to record their fourth album, Bleed Like Me, which was finally released in the spring of 2005. Although it was released halfway through the first decade of the 21st century, it belongs to the midpoint of the last decade of the 20th century, sounding like a virtual Cliff Notes of the sounds, themes, and styles of the post-grunge 90s. As they beefed up the guitars, the band have toned down some of the electronica underpinnings that have been present since their debut -- theyve not been excised, merely subdued, so this is still recognizably the work of a group that called their second album Version 2.0 with their tongue firmly planted in cheek. But Garbage dont just hark back to their earlier work on Bleed Like Me, they conjure all kinds of ghosts from the 90s, building "Sex Is Not the Enemy" on a Kim Deal bassline, while pasting together a guitar riff straight off of Stone Temple Pilots Purple and a chorus from Elasticas classic "Stutter" for the albums first single, "Why Do You Love Me." Other sounds of the 90s flutter throughout the album -- the title track reaches back even further, as its cavalcade of misfits uncannily recalls Lou Reeds "Walk on the Wild Side" in its structure, sentiment, and melody -- while lead singer/lyricist Shirley Manson trots out a litany of doomed relationships, kinky sex, wallowing despair, teenage cutters, and hostile confrontations, all topics that were de rigueur for 90s alt-rock. Manson doesnt seem like shes pandering -- several songs appear to cut close to the bone, suggesting that shes been through a particularly painful breakup recently -- and neither do the band. Theyre all old pros and they construct their music well, so its hooky and loudly stylish. Problem is, its a style thats about ten years out of date. Bleed Like Me doesnt sound like a revival, it feels like its out of time, as if the band doesnt quite know how to do anything else but sound like its the heyday of post-grunge alt-rock. Since the bands drummer and chief sonic architect, Butch Vig, helped create that sound with the albums he produced for Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, and L7, thats not a surprise, nor is it necessarily a disappointment, because the music is not bad. He and his colleagues remain talented, capable professionals, crafting an appealing, tightly constructed album that plays to the groups strengths. Its an enjoyable record, but its hard to escape the nagging feeling that Garbage has painted itself into a corner: they havent found a way to expand their sound, to make it richer or mature -- they can only deliver more of the same. While they may be able to do this well, it is nevertheless more of the same. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 10 Title: Version 2.0 / beautifulgarbage Released: 2005-10-31 Tracks: 12 Duration: 49:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Temptation Waits (04:38) 2 I Think I’m Paranoid (03:38) 3 When I Grow Up (03:24) 4 Medication (04:08) 5 Special (03:44) 6 Hammering in My Head (04:52) 7 Push It (04:03) 8 The Trick Is to Keep Breathing (04:12) 9 Dumb (03:52) 10 Sleep Together (04:03) 11 Wicked Ways (03:43) 12 You Look So Fine (05:26) |
 | Album: 6 of 10 Title: Absolute Garbage Released: 2007-07-23 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:16:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Vow (04:30) 2 Queer (04:36) 3 Only Happy When It Rains (03:56) 4 Stupid Girl (04:19) 5 Milk (03:54) 6 #1 Crush (Nellee Hooper mix) (04:46) 7 Push It (04:03) 8 I Think I’m Paranoid (03:38) 9 Special (03:44) 10 When I Grow Up (03:24) 11 You Look So Fine (05:26) 12 The World Is Not Enough (03:56) 13 Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) (03:12) 14 Shut Your Mouth (03:25) 15 Why Do You Love Me (03:54) 16 Bleed Like Me (04:01) 17 Tell Me Where It Hurts (04:11) 18 Its All Over but the Crying (remix) (03:49) 1 The World Is Not Enough (U.N.K.L.E. remix) (05:01) 2 When I Grow Up (Jagz Kooner remix) (05:23) 3 Special (Brothers in Rhythm remix) (05:15) 4 Breaking Up the Girl (Timo Maas remix) (05:19) 5 Milk (Massive Attack remix) (04:31) 6 Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) (Roger Sanchez remix) (05:01) 7 Androgyny (Felix da Housecat remix) (05:29) 8 Queer (Rabbit in the Moon remix) (05:04) 9 I Think Im Paranoid (Crystal Method remix) (04:25) 10 Stupid Girl (Todd Terry remix) (03:47) 11 You Look So Fine (Fun Lovin’ Criminals version) (03:38) 12 Push It (Boom Boom Satellites remix) (05:22) 13 Bad Boyfriend (Garbage remix) (05:04) |
| Absolute Garbage : Allmusic album Review : Looking back, there is no band that sums up all the myriad 90s trends better than Garbage. They were led by alt-rock superproducer Butch Vig, the man responsible for the production on Nirvanas Nevermind, but he also helmed classics of the era for Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, and L7. They were a rock band that indulged in noise and rode a hard backbeat but they were about fluid textures -- a move they learned from shoegazers like My Bloody Valentine and Curve -- so they could ease into trip-hop when rockers started flirting with electronica. They were fronted by Shirley Manson, giving them an entryway not only to the countless Women in Rock pieces, but her Scottish heritage also gave Garbage a tenuous U.K. connection in the days of Brit-pop. They brushed against so many touchstones that they couldnt help but seem a little bit prefabricated, but their music was done with the sharp, crass calculation of a bunch of old studio pros and a singer who had been kicking around since the mid-80s, when she was in British indie also-rans Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie. Garbage knew how to make records that sounded good and sounded like the times, so when they had their big break they knew how to stay on the charts. And they did, riding the post-grunge wave into the 2000s with albums that charted progressively higher, but not longer, than each previous record, while each new single showed up on many different charts without staying around on the radio as long as those first few hits from their eponymous 1995 debut. In other words, like lots of post-grunge alt-rock bands. they wound up being a one-album wonder with a couple of almost-hits to their credit after the first blockbuster, as the 2007 compilation Absolute Garbage makes clear. Spanning an overly generous 18 tracks -- supplemented on the Deluxe Edition in true 90s fashion with a 13-track bonus remix disc -- Absolute Garbage runs through all the U.S. radio hits and a good selection of international singles, skipping such latter-day singles as "Androgyny," "Breaking Up the Girl," "Run Baby Run," and "Sex Is Not the Enemy." By the time the compilation draws to its close nit-picking over such omissions seems pointless, since it already seems that the comp has lingered far longer than necessary on the last stage of Garbages career, erasing the memories of sexy, hooky singles "Vow," "Queer," "Only Happy When It Rains," and "Stupid Girl," all arriving on the debut and all still sounding sleek and alluring. Which, of course, is kind of the story of their career: they made a big impact at first, but then their studio professionalism overtook their pop instincts. They were still often gripping at a sheer sonic level -- Shirley Manson was a compelling, dynamic performer and Vig and his cohorts surely could construct a fantastic-sounding record. A few more of those moments could have been captured here. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 10 Title: Garbage / Version 2.0 Released: 2008-09-15 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:40:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Supervixen (03:55) 2 Queer (04:36) 3 Only Happy When It Rains (03:56) 4 As Heaven Is Wide (04:52) 5 Not My Idea (03:41) 6 A Stroke of Luck (04:43) 7 Vow (04:30) 8 Stupid Girl (04:19) 9 Dog New Tricks (03:57) 10 My Lover’s Box (03:55) 11 Fix Me Now (04:43) 12 Milk (03:54) 1 Temptation Waits (04:38) 2 I Think I’m Paranoid (03:38) 3 When I Grow Up (03:24) 4 Medication (04:08) 5 Special (03:44) 6 Hammering in My Head (04:52) 7 Push It (04:03) 8 The Trick Is to Keep Breathing (04:12) 9 Dumb (03:52) 10 Sleep Together (04:03) 11 Wicked Ways (03:43) 12 You Look So Fine (05:26) |
| Garbage / Version 2.0 : Allmusic album Review : This two-fer from Warner Music includes the popular Shirley Manson-led alternative rock outfits 1995 eponymous debut and 1998s Version 2.0. Of the two, Garbage features the most bang for the buck, boasting the smash hits "Stupid Girl," "Vow," and "Only Happy When It Rains," while the latter, despite a few solid tracks like "Push It" and "Special," breaks little ground for the group. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 10 Title: The Absolute Collection Released: 2012 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:17:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) (03:12) 2 Stupid Girl (04:19) 3 Androgyny (03:09) 4 I Think I’m Paranoid (03:38) 5 Vow (04:30) 6 Bleed Like Me (04:01) 7 Supervixen (03:55) 8 Blood for Poppies (03:39) 9 When I Grow Up (03:24) 10 Why Do You Love Me (03:54) 11 Big Bright World (03:35) 12 Special (03:44) 13 Only Happy When It Rains (03:56) 14 Shut Your Mouth (03:25) 15 Queer (04:36) 16 Tell Me Where It Hurts (04:10) 17 Breaking Up the Girl (03:34) 18 Milk (03:54) 19 Push It (04:03) 20 #1 Crush (Nellee Hooper mix) (04:46) |
 | Album: 9 of 10 Title: Not Your Kind of People Released: 2012-05-11 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:00:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Automatic Systematic Habit (03:18) 2 Big Bright World (03:35) 3 Blood for Poppies (03:39) 4 Control (04:12) 5 Not Your Kind of People (04:59) 6 Felt (03:26) 7 I Hate Love (03:54) 8 Sugar (04:00) 9 Battle in Me (04:15) 10 Man on a Wire (03:08) 11 Beloved Freak (04:30) 12 The One (04:45) 13 What Girls Are Made Of (03:49) 14 Bright Tonight (04:03) 15 Show Me (05:14) |
| Not Your Kind of People : Allmusic album Review : Despite all appearances to the contrary, Garbage spent only eight years on an indefinite hiatus -- it only seemed like they spent over a decade wandering in the pop hinterlands. Granted, Garbage fostered this impression, presenting their 2012 album Not Your Kind of People as a grand comeback, inviting comparisons to their earlier work and happily riding the burgeoning 90s revival of the 2010s. Unlike their two W administration-era albums, there is no grappling with new sounds and styles, only an embrace of the thick aural onslaught of "Stupid Girl" and "Vow." Garbage have homed in on their essence and are unafraid to revive memories of their past glories. Old pros that they are, theyre able to deliver their hooks cleanly and efficiently, accessorized in just enough ruckus to cut through the murk. There is no evident flab in either the composition or production; the album avoids the moody detours that sometimes bogged down their latter-day records, and there is a noted emphasis on the pure, simple power of melody. Every hallmark of Garbage is here, the only concessions to their advancing age arriving via Shirley Mansons keenly aware lyrics, leaving the rest of the record to stand as a simultaneous testament and revival of their strengths. And therein lies the rub: what once was futuristic now sounds nostalgic -- or to borrow a title from another member from the class of 1995, "Brand New Youre Retro" -- and thats the appeal of Not Your Kind of People, for better or worse. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 10 Title: Strange Little Birds Released: 2016-06-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sometimes (02:52) 2 Empty (03:54) 3 Blackout (06:32) 4 If I Lost You (04:11) 5 Night Drive Loneliness (05:24) 6 Even Though Our Love Is Doomed (05:26) 7 Magnetized (03:54) 8 We Never Tell (04:25) 9 So We Can Stay Alive (06:01) 10 Teaching Little Fingers to Play (03:58) 11 Amends (06:03) |
| Strange Little Birds : Allmusic album Review : Garbage made their comeback in 2012, returning to action after a seven-year hiatus with Not Your Kind of People. Strange Little Birds arrived four years later -- a gap thats just over half the length of their hiatus -- and it plays as a continuation of its predecessor, a record that draws a conscious bridge to the bands 90s heyday. If Garbage are no longer opting in with new trends, theyre also not grasping at elusive straws from the past: Strange Little Birds is a comfortable record, an album from a band that embraces its signatures and limitations. As theyre a group of studio musicians, Garbage still thrill with the possibilities of recording, loading each track with all manner of trickery -- showiness that envelops, not alienates. Part of the pleasure of listening to Garbage is how their form is their substance: its about lush, dark waves of sounds as much as it is pop hooks. Shirley Manson may tackle risky sociological or personal issues in her lyrics, but how she sings is paramount, how her voice alternately soars above and is subsumed by the washes of treated guitars. Strange Little Birds showcases this narcotic pull so well because it doesnt push at the edges of the bands sound: it embraces this ebb and flow. Such modesty doesnt mean Garbage settle for the expected -- they can achieve a sultry slow burn on "If I Lost You" -- but the impressive thing about Strange Little Birds is how it feels simultaneously familiar and fresh, a record that echoes the past without being trapped by it. | ||