Garbage: Bleed Like Me June 2005 By: Marco Nieves

Moments of turmoil and shattered comfort often bring the best out in artists, painters, sculptors, poets and in this case, Garbage. Malcontent not with the media or the business, but with each other, the band members have succeeded in simultaneously creating one of the best albums of 2005, Bleed Like Me. Going back to their old hard-pop-rock roots from their first album, Garbage, was definitely a jump forward, reminding of the intensity behind their catchy verses, hard guitar riffs and most importantly, vocal pinnacles. Lead singers are usually the focal point of the band, and when it comes to Garbage, there is absolutely no choice but to revere the beauty behind Shirley Manson's clamorous vocals. Externalizing her thoughts with a sense of urgency and supremacy that cannot be compared with any of the other females topping the charts alongside Ms. Manson, it is clear that Bleed Like Me is not a statement of her weakness, but a daring stance against the antagonistic and apathetic that are probably too sensitive to handle her injuries.

Bad Boyfriend is the introduction to Bleed Like Me, starting off the album with a powerful track full of attitude and provocative lyrics. Continued by the undeniably infectious Run Baby Run and Right Between The Eyes, both which resemble the pop demeanor of beautifulgarbage, it is luminously clear that this batch of single-worthy songs might only come to an end once the album runs out of songs. Soon after follows their first single, Why Do You Love Me, a stomping and menacing track that is densely influenced by the aggressive tone of Version 2.0 and the raw conduct of their debut self-titled album. By recycling what made them stand out for more than a decade, this record envelopes the style of all the others, marking how Garbage has achieved what could be arguably considered their best album to date.

Through breakups, heartaches, scars that won't heal inside and out, Garbage made it definite that instead of becoming a troglodyte when life becomes a sequential streak of bad luck, you might as well embrace it all for what it is and manipulate it in your favor. You'd be surprised how someone's emotional garbage can end up being a heart's watchtower.

http://www.garbage.com
http://www.myspace.com/garbage