Garbage
Bleed Like Me

THE REVIEW

"Bleed Like Me" is the fourth album by the band led by the charismatic Shirley Manson and producer Butch Vig (well-known for having produced "Nevermind" by "Nirvana", "Siamese Dream" and "Gish" by "Smashing Pumpkins", and also for having collaborated with bands like Sonic Youth, just to name a few). An album that almost remained unfinished, due to the vicissitudes that happened to the band: in fact, during the full swing of the "Beautifulgarbage tour", Butch Vig fell ill with hepatitis and was replaced, and later, Manson underwent surgery on her vocal cords, delaying the album's release initially scheduled for 2004, but postponed to 2005. There is a noticeable temporal gap from the usual three-year album-tour routine that Garbage had accustomed us to with their previous works.

"Bleed Like Me" is certainly an album that once again brought experimental innovation and, as always, will have taken fans by surprise. We are far from the dark and post-Curve origins (with whom they are always compared) of the self-titled debut album from '95, which earned them awards and recognition and over 4 million albums sold. We are also far from the electronic evolution of "Version 2.0" (also inspiring the Cardigans with their "Gran Turismo") and far from the trend change of "Beautifulgarbage" (their best work for commercial feedback but not critical).

No longer as young as in the past, with already exploited ideas, it seems difficult to propose something new and non-repetitive: yet Garbage still try, attempting to coexist the past and the present, while simultaneously innovating and continuing to experiment with a new sound. It's a pity that it cannot be said the result was fully achieved. The album presents itself as good, easy to listen to; the innocent little songs remain, which also receive good airplay, but there is also a noticeable lack of gems like those of the past with their easy-to-sing choruses turned into real anthems for fans of the genre (just think of "Queer", "Only Happy When It Rains", "I Think I'm Paranoid", "Push It", and ballads like "Milk" or "You Look So Fine" that cannot be compared to those present in this work).

The album opens as it has in the past with a strong and energetic piece: "Bad Boyfriend" very gritty, in perfect grunge style, thanks also to the skilled collaboration of Dave Grohl, still showing his drumming prowess; Manson whispers chills, at times seems to be angry and also excited for this "bad boy" of hers for whom she will reserve something special......

However, here comes the first blow or rather the first disappointment: "Run Baby Run": sparkling sound, very imposing, an uninspiring video that accompanies it, but a song for which Garbage will surely not be remembered. The same goes for "Right Between The Eyes", where the attempt to vigorously open the song aiming for a "punk rock" essence doesn't work at all, only to give us once again the usual verse-chorus explosive finale cliché.

On the positive side is "Why Do You Love Me" (also the first single for the album launch); good, yes, but not more than that. And here we come to the title track "Bleed Like Me", the usual melancholic ballad that along with "It's All Over But The Crying", leaves us a bit of bitterness and some hope in sad sounds without giving up on sampling (Garbage's great passion). The true and only gem is the industrial "Metal Heart": one that hides a build-up in the explosive and convincing finale, definitely worthy of being compared to pieces contained in "Version 2.0".

Unfortunately, if we exclude the crazy and vibrant "Sex Is Not The Enemy" and the unsettling ballad typical of every album closing "Happy Home", the rest sounds decidedly repetitive, and it seems like the end has truly come for this band that, after reaching the height of success and disappointing many fans with the previous work, doesn't seem to recover fully with this production. Those who have come to their music with their debut album will be disappointed by this work, a desperate attempt to continue with the origins; those who instead have come aboard with the previous album will find in "Bleed like me" songs undoubtedly poppy and carefree but will hardly appreciate it as before, because like it or not there will be neither a "Androgyny" nor a "Cherry Lips" to lose themselves on their rhythm.

In conclusion, the work is not to be entirely discarded, Garbage still knows how to give us some emotions, Manson’s voice still gives us chills and excites us; naturally, after ten years there is a need for innovation and to experiment with new sounds, but all things considered, they succeeded because they wisely learned from their past mistakes and crafted a work, certainly better than the previous one, that gives great hope for their return (whose timing is uncertain given the rest period they decided to take). Anyway, if Garbage should return (we're talking about a new album and not the Greatest Hits released in 2007), they would be well-received because they have represented a slice, albeit microscopic, among the many musical genres currently on the scene.

In conclusion, this album certainly deserves reevaluation, a good result, not without flaws, but it is at least worth listening to, even just to distract and get carried away in an electronic world, to be captured by the singer’s sensuality who, despite her not so youthful age, still fascinates and being surprised to notice so much energy in these forty-year-olds who still play with the same fervor as they used to.