GARBAGE today still consist of all four original band members, Shirley Manson, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig. For more than 30 years since their founding in 1995 they have sold over 20 million albums. The unique, distinctive sound, songwriting and signature voice of Shirley Manson paired with electrifying live performances have led to a worldwide adoration, chart successes and critical acclaim. They are for sure an extremely influential band in their genre.

‘Our last album was extremely forthright. Born out of frustration and outrage – it had a kind of scorched earth, pissed off quality to it. With this new record however, I felt a compulsion to reach for a different kind of energy. A more constructive one. I had this vision of us coming up out of the underground with searchlights as we moved towards the future. Searching for life, searching for love, searching for all the good things in the world that seem so thin on the ground right now….’ — Shirley Manson

This quote is pretty much describing it best. Not much to add here.

The album servers you the wonderful mix of driving pushy beats, harmonies of melancholy and power in one that is so characteristic. And it makes it hard to lift some songs atop of the others.

But ‘Chinese Fire Horse’ must be mentioned here. A really outstanding song, dealing with the fact that you don’t have to be young to be classy, appealing, powerful, and desirable. And singer Shirley Manson is a living proof for this, almost like singing about herself.

If you are still not convinced, go and listen to ‘Get Out Of My Face AKA Bad Kitty’. A slightly more up-tempo song that will seduce and pull you in immediately. The bass line is hypnotizing. If you prefer the more industrial style sounds, ‘R U Happy Now’ will satisfy your gusto seamlessly.

These three picked examples show and represent the wide variety of sounds and styles GARBAGE are mastering perfectly in their very own way. You will always recognize the band in the very first few accords of every tune.

GARBAGE has always thrived in the space between beauty and destruction, and this album is no exception. It’s unmistakably GARBAGE, it is their pure DNA. If you have been fan and follower, you will not be disappointed. Yet it still pushes their sound forward, proving that after three decades, they’re still one of the most vital voices in alternative rock. ‘Let All That We Imagine Be The Light’ is a guide to find a little light along the way.

Links