There are singers and bands that captivate you from the very first moment that you listen to them, while some others take more time for you to truly appreciate their musicality. I remember that what happened with Garbage to me was a combination of both factors. The first song I ever heard of them was a snippet of Sleep Together in the Cherry Falls movie trailer, and I instantly loved it, but it wasn't until later, after spending years listening to their entire discography during different phases and periods of my life, that I knew that they would become one of my top bands, if not my favorite. I really love their dark and haunting electronic sound, but I also like the fact that the lyrics are usually about people being vulnerable or fragile. As a person who has endured long periods of hopelessness due to my mental illness, I can relate deeply to such themes, for they are told from a compassionate point of view, but also with the awareness of someone who demands justice in a world full of inequality.
My favorite album of them is Version 2.0, in which they acquired their best songwriting and sound to the date, but their following album, Beautiful Garbage, is also a great one and it was unfairly unappreciated back in the day, probably due to the fact that it wasn't as rocker and dark as the previous ones. Besides, the album was released in 2001, around 9/11, so Shirley Manson stated recently that she felt that their career was cursed because of this. However, the album remains as one of their best works ever, in my opinion. I also prefer the darker Garbage, but I don't dislike listening to this slightly different sound at all. In fact, I love the production here. The futuristic guitar arrangements are very modern and original. Shirley's voice sounds clearly more powerful than it did in the debut album and more present than in Version 2.0. The songwriting is on point as well. I believe that the melodies are better than the lyrics, and yet they manage to talk about relevant matters, such as the hypocrisy in the music industry or some themes related to transsexuality and the LGBTQ+ community, which were clearly ahead of its time. On top of that, this album contains one of my favorite songs of all time, Cup of Coffee, which has clearly shaped my musical taste and even inspired my works as a musician myself. The theremin and the strings in this song are simply amazing. I've read on the Internet that it's not a very popular song within the Garbage fan community, but I must go proudly against the current in this case. One of the best heartbreak songs ever written. Those who have experienced such pain will surely agree.
Favorite songs: Shut Your Mouth, Androgyny, Cup of Coffee, Silence is Golden, Cherry Lips and Untouchable.
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