Garbage

Version 2.0

Three Years On... Still Incredible

Review Score:

(10/10)
When this album was released, I was unsure whether or not it could match the beauty and brilliance of their debut. Version 2.0 not only met the challenge of matching their debut, it exceeded the challenge.

This album still amazes me every time I hear it - and I must have heard it at least 10,000 times! It didn't leave my CD player the summer or autumn of 1998. The sound is so warm and inviting, while also being full of shimmery, icy sounds. What's more, most of the songs better those on the debut. "Temptation Waits" opens the album with a crash and a bang. "I Think I'm Paranoid" builds dynamically on a crunching guitar riff. "Special" blends two Pretenders songs and finds Shirley doing a note perfect impression of Chrissy Hynde. "Medication" is a delicate, lilting melody laid overtop of a gorgeous arpeggio. "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing" takes Kate Bush's classic 1985 hit, "Cloudbusting" and inverts it into a dreamy landscape of lush synthesizer and chilly vocals. "You Look So Fine" is the most beautiful song the band has recorded to date. A haunting piano riff begins and ends the track, leading into Shirley's most personal lyrics ever..."You look so fine/I want to break your heart/ A give you mine." If any other band got ahold of this lyric, it would melt into a smarmy ballad, but Garbage keep it just scary enough to make you hold your breath while Manson entices you into inviting her inside.

What lays instore for Garbage is anyone's guess. Their third album, "Beautiful Garbage" is due late this summer. One can only hope that it will be as consistently thrilling as "Version 2.0." For my money, Garbage nudges out Radiohead as the best band of the '90s.

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