While making their latest release Bleed Like Me, it seems that Garbage effectively bled the essence of their musical genius into this album. With songs like \Why Do You Love Me,"" ""Bleed Like Me"" and ""Sex Is Not The Enemy"" Garbage will surely again reach the level of success of albums like the self-titled Garbage and Version 2.0.
The sound of the album, which can be characterized as a smooth blend of electronics, rock rifts and edgy lyrics, is at times reminiscent of early '90s grunge but overall, the combination is addictive. Some of the songs like ""Why Do You Love Me,"" ""Sex Is Not the Enemy"" and ""The Boys Wanna Fight"" are catchy pop songs-only more hardcore and without the cheesy teen bop appeal.
It is easy to sing ""I get back up and I do it again"" from ""Why Do You Love Me"" or ""a revolution is the solution"" from ""Sex Is Not the Enemy"" and ""the boys wanna fight / but the girls are happy to dance all night"" from ""The Boys Wanna Fight."" Granted, lyrics like these are a bit clich?? but this only makes the song more catchy. Besides, songs like ""Bad Boyfriend,"" ""Bleed Like Me"" and ""Right Between the Eyes"" have unique lyrics that make up for clich??s in other songs.
""Bad Boyfriend,"" ""Bleed Like Me"" and ""Right Between the Eyes"" are eerie, almost creepy sounding songs with lyrics that only add to that feeling. In ""Bad Boyfriend,"" Shirley Manson sings ""We may not last but we'll have fun till it ends / c'mon baby, be my bad boyfriend."" That lyric and others like it build up a nice tone of sexual innuendo.
In ""Bleed Like Me"" Manson sings ""Chrissie's all dressed up and acting coy / painted like a brand new Christmas toy / he's trying to figure out if he's a girl or he's a boy / he say, 'Hey baby, can you bleed like me?'"" The track gives amusing and sometimes depressing examples of why a person would want to ""Bleed Like Me."" Finally, in ""Right Between the Eyes"" Manson sings ""People kill to build you up / then they'll stab you in the back like that.""
Overall, this local talent has created an album that goes back to the essence of their musical abilities. Bleed Like Me is filled with the unique, catchy edge that originally made Garbage popular. It's almost ironic that a short-lived break up of the band ultimately inspired many of the tracks on this release.
Unlike previous Garbage albums, in Bleed Like Me it seems the band truly understands that anxiety and anger that is apparent in many of their lyrics. For avid Garbage fans and for those who think that their music is ""garbage,"" Bleed Like Me is a worthwhile purchase that showcases a genuine approach to music.
