For the Record: All About Garbage’s Strange Little Birds
To anyone who didn't grow up with grunge I ask: where did you put all of your teenage angst? Who helped you maneuver the optimism and anguish that came with a growing understanding of the world, and reminded you that other people have gone through the same struggles?
One of the musical coping mechanisms of the late 90s was Garbage, with front-woman Shirley Manson kicking ass atop jagged guitars and synths, reflecting our urgency and singing about heartache, confusion and desperation.
This month Garbage released their sixth album Strange Little Birds and, bless her, Manson is still angry, still frantic, still inspirational.
Both familiar and fresh, and like the first single “Empty,” the album serves as a great example of the pop-rock genre missing from today’s musical terrain. The band still dabbles in electronica and is defined by Manson’s signature vocals, alternating between a whisper and a wail.
The band was on tour last year celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first album, which may explain why Strange Little Birds is reminiscent of their earlier sound. They are currently touring in Europe and North America.
WE SAID THIS: More tracks are available on the band’s YouTube channel and I highly recommended for Garbage fans and anyone in need of a break from the radio.
