Garbage
Not Your kind of People

When talking about Garbage and what they represented in the 90s, I feel a bit of envy and nostalgia: not having lived those years, musically speaking, too young to listen to the chameleonic innovations of pop-rock, the electronic influences left by the 80s, the years of dirty and gritty sound reminiscent of the most important grunge and post-rock movements, the birth of new icons, established pop stars, brit pop, the emerging indie, the last echoes of dream pop and shoegaze, ambient, trip-hop and much more... these are just some of the many reasons why at ten years old, beyond games, school, friends, and carefree times, I would have liked to be actively sensitive to these very interesting sounds.

I can't recount how Garbage, in their own small way, took their place in the charts around the world with their clever and forward-thinking way of mixing elements already skillfully seasoned in the past and giving them a touch that’s a bit chic and a bit sly, with innocent anthems and tracks that filled your mind. I discovered them later, when they were supposed to be an established band, when with their incessant desire to experiment and reinvent the most pop sounds they released their most unusual album to date, Beautifulgarbage, a sort of break from the overuse of electronic sounds with which they had made themselves known.

But that was 11 years ago. After another album, a compilation, and a silence lasting 7 years during which each member continued with their own activities, attempted solo careers, continued producing bands, and so on, they return to the scene acclaimed yet at the same time unknown. Someone said that producer Butch Vig had waited for the tenth anniversary of "Nevermind" to be able to resurrect his favorite plastic toy and that Manson, after accepting the rejection of having a probable solo album released, worked to come back to life as before and perhaps even more. The more cynical ones say it was simple for them to abandon the majors and create their own independent label (Stunvolume) to feel free from contractual impositions. Others thought they dared more now than ever outside the commercial sales patterns. Others still considered this comeback almost unnecessary: their sound has been copied by many other far more interesting sounds.

And let's get to the point. Seven years after that distant "Bleed like me" we find them more in shape than ever, and it seems the silence was beneficial, the band is fresh and with decent publicity, they return to make headlines. Personally (and I speak as a fan of this band) I didn’t know what to expect. I always suspected they couldn't stray far from the brand they had created for themselves (after all, they are Garbage!), but I hoped for something more. What, I still don't know. Listening to the first single "Blood For Poppies" left me a bit perplexed. And if I had to give a judgment after the first listen to the entire album, I would have slammed it badly. "Not Your Kind Of People" comes across as an album that overcomes the uncertainties of the last two productions, at the same time it gives us the old and new Garbage. After the little "trashy" and indigestible dance intro of "Automatic Systematic Habit", passing through "Big Bright World" and arriving at the already mentioned "Blood For Poppies", we encounter that mix of innovative and clichéd sounds that characterize the band. If we have to make a comparison with their previous albums, we can attempt to say that the early Garbage and Version 2.0 can be heard in "Control", "Felt", "Sugar", and perhaps even "I Hate Love" on a base where you can't help but think of Eastern Europe and what many thought could tantalize the new "queens" of pop. The title track echoes many hints from their third work in a nostalgic lullaby; "Man On A Wire" could have been in the tracklist of "Bleed like me". The other episodes are also good, which among more rocking rhythms ("Battle In Me") and melodic moments ("Beloved Freak") close the first part of the album.

The tracks contained in the deluxe edition, show a Garbage more introverted and minimalist. If among all "The One" stands out on a syncopated and pounding base, the dark "Bright Tonight" falls into sweeter melody without exaggeration, leaving space for the more interesting "What Girls Are Made Of" and "Show Me" that among dirty electronics and a sound that almost embraces the echo of quasi-country without giving up well-studied bases, bridges, and continuous backing vocals, ends harmoniously with the rest of the productions of the entire album.

It's a strange album, I realize it right away; it fits perfectly with current times yet remembers a lot of their past, transitions from one musical moment to another with extreme ease, overcomes the uncertainty of their long absence from the scenes, recovers honestly from their latest unremarkable productions without overdoing it and not daring as much as many thought (and we thought). A welcome return of one of the bands that fascinated me in full adolescence.

The most fitting score would be a 3.5 out of 5.