Garbage - 'Bleed Like Me' (Warner)
2/5
By: Lauren Gallagher
She's got attitude. She's got style. Garbage's leading lady Shirley Manson sticks out in a crowd, if nothing else, for that eyeliner alone. Or the skimpy dresses.
So, she is unique, but what of the outfit she fronts? Having sold millions of albums worldwide, Garbage show no signs of slowing, with their fourth album 'Bleed Like Me' out now. And while their latest effort turns up the amps, producing several relentless, anthemic ditties, is it - ultimately - enough?
'Why Do You Love Me' pounds hard with narcissistic queries, perhaps the most infectious song on the release, but 'Sex Is Not The Enemy' puts up a good fight for rabid tunefulness. 'Metal Heart' combines epic strings, glitchy rhythms, and Manson's lilting vocals to a hypnotic rave-rock effect. But despite its best efforts to sound tough, 'Why Don't You Come Over' comes across as a misguided attempt by garage try-hards The Donnas.
In earnest, the album tries to meld the hard with the sultry, as on title track 'Bleed LIke Me', where Manson takes a break from shouting over phat riffs, and instead echoes the revered Mr. Cohen. 'Happy Home', meanwhile, opens gently, Manson's deep voice soothing like a lullaby before an 'ah-ah-ah' chorus proves a rude awakening, killing any initial homely ambience stone-cold-dead.
This is a tawdry pattern with 'Bleed'. If something favourable appears, it quickly vanishes or gets drowned in mediocre, generic post-grunge riffs. While a few memorable melodies stand out, it falls short. Too bad, after all this time, the music isn't as distinctive as Manson herself.
Artists in this article: Garbage
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