Not Your Kind Of People

Only fifth album after almost twenty years…

However impressive Garbage were in the nineties and however high the band was regarded by most merciless critics and stunned listeners, it seems that the band should and could have achieved a lot more than that. Alas, the mighty human factor was in the way of these musicians, who in the eighteen years of their collaboration have appeared on the verge of breakup more times than in a studio to make another record. The latest break, caused by a number of serious issues, lasted for as many as six years. This was how long the audience was forced to content with the group’s old works, and wait agitatedly for news from their headquarters. In the end, in spring 2012, the musicians did announce the release of their fifth album, called Not Your Kind Of People. Fond of most various experiments, Garbage members have brought back to life the sounding of their first, that is their best, works, which should delight their supporters.

Rock and roll aggression and vibe of electronic music

The first CD recorded at their own label in LA, Not Your Kind Of People is not going to strike with novelty, nor is it going to impress with a number of real hits. The strength of this album lies in the wholeness and quality of the material, which should have been expected once you know who was going to work on this release. Drummer Butch Vig, an experienced and established producer, has armored the album with a classy contemporary sound and the style Garbage were beginning with, a mind blowing synthesis of aggressive guitars and pulsating electronic. Shirley Manson does not deliver extraordinary vocal performances here, but on each track she does work at an established high level and still expresses plenty of acridness, directness and harshness. Automatic System Habit is a confident start with a convincing call to join the dance floor. Big Bright World shows an opposite side of the band, a skillful use of synthesizers to make up a catchy tune. And that means that, as usual, Garbage are going to change tempo and approaches throughout the album to create as stylistically variegated music as possible. Number three, Blood For Poppies, can be right now relegated to Garbage golden catalogue than to the absolutely smashing chorus and funny lyrics that makes the song even more colorful.

A bold reply to skeptics

Garbage would have long ago descended to the level of one-day formations, should they have recorded a simply danceable and loud album, but the band’s fans know that these musicians are good at changing the mood of the record in a couple of moments. After the vibrant start, Not Your Kind Of People suddenly sinks into a rather dark atmosphere, whole nervous and spacious electronic takes the lead. I Hate Love is an upbeat and tensed track in the vein of Depeche Mode, and it is followed by Sugar, a soft ballad with very sad keys. Afterwards, the album goes slack for a little bit as the next two songs are of just mediocre quality, but it makes the final piece, Beloved Freak, even more fascinating. Garbage don’t slam the door, but, instead, go lyrical and offer a very beautiful ending to this incomparable album. The Deluxe version of Not Your Kind Of People includes four more tracks, but these are certainly bonuses and can not be seen as the album’s substantial parts. On the whole, Garbage have confidently replied to speculations that this release is just an effort to play on the feelings of fans and a nod to the fashion for reunions. Not Your Kind Of People is a mighty and remarkable album that will make the band’s discography even more interesting.