Not Your Kind of People (Vinyl) [Import]

First of all, I think this is an excellent album, overall. An excellent Garbage album, that is. Yes, there are some things which I would have done differently, had I produced it. And, sure, there are some things which don't grab my attention and make me respond with unbridled joy.

For example, `Auto Sys Habit' is a bit too poppy, for me. `Blood For Poppies', after that nice guitar line, goes into this major key chorus. For me, that sounds awkward. But I love the broken up middle. See? Nobody likes everything.

But the criticisms I read here, and elsewhere, are the very points I use to recommend the album.

1. "Shirley using too many vocal takes, too much signal processing". I say, that's Shirley, and she has always used signal processors on her voice; she has always overlaid vocal tracks. This is Garbage and Shirley Manson, not Sarah Brightman.

2. "The album is over-produced". I say a big production is the signature of a Garbage album. The production of a Garbage record is always complex and the sound is huge. Always.

3. "Derivative." "Cliched". "No risk". "Comfort zone". I say, this is Garbage, NOT Kaiser Chiefs or Pink Floyd or Pixies or whomever. This is Garbage. This is a rock band. And, by the way, Shirley is 45, not 23; Duke Erickson is now 61; come on. They are doing what Garbage does. After a 7 year pause, they have done it very well.

4. "Stuck in the 90s". "Never outgrew angst". "Dated". I say, It's a Garbage album, for crying out loud!!! What do you expect? Who can imagine Shirley singing a song sounding like Diana Krall or Joss Stone? Angst is in her blood.

5. The tunes are `unimaginative', `tired', `lame'. I say, This is ridiculous. There is so much going on in these tunes (evil big production, remember) that one must listen to the thing a few times to catch it all. It is lush, it is noisy; it's melodic and grating and clashing; it is packed with sounds and ambient stuff; it's typically Garbage-style dark and melancholy and edgy (most of the time). And often it rocks like anything they ever did.

So if you like Garbage, you'll like this new record. If you're seeking some incarnation of a Garbage that has changed into something besides Garbage, then you're out of luck.

We should all detest Shirley Manson & the boys for keeping us waiting so damn long for another album, but you know we still love them. This album roars with a ferocity that pop music rarely ever attains.
Garbage has always had more of an edge than any other pop group I can recall. This work features some their hardest sounds yet. Like my favorite bands (U2, Radiohead for excample) they've never tried repeating themselves. "not your kind..." has the sound that you love & sets Garbage apart, but it is different from their other stuff.
Manson is a tough cat to characterize. She has never reminded me of any female singer I've ever heard. On this disc she sings with a fire & passion that reminds you why you have missed this band sooo much & why you practically did back flips when they suddenly announced early this year that they were back.
Her "boys", Duke Erikson, Steve Marker &, of course, Butch Vig, attack every tune with an industrial, post-punk vengence that signal that they may have been mad my by their own absence. Even the slower stuff (which there isn't much of) has a sense of danger to it. They go to the outer edge of their sound without sacrificing the melodies & hooks that make them so bloody much fun to listen to. Strangly enough my least favorite song is their single, "Blood For Poppies", & I really like that song. "Battle In Me", "I Hate Love", "Control" & "Automatic Systematic Habit" absolutely kick you-know-what. These are among the best songs they've ever produced on what may be a better album than their awesome debut.
It is certainly their best album in 7 years. (The 15 cut longer edition is definitely worth whatver extra $$$ you have to shell out.)

Garbage is one of my favorite bands from the past twenty years. In the late 90s I listened to their first two albums non-stop. Catchy, melodic, danceable yet rocking, both the self-titled debut (1995) and the more up-tempo follow-up "Version 2.0" are modern classics. "Queer," "Only Happy When it Rains," "Stupid Girl," "Vow," "Special," "Medication," etc. are some of the best alt. rock songs of all-time.

Not wanting to rehash the same formula, Garbage expanded their sound, incorporating elements of electronica and dance-pop for their third album "Beautiful Garbage" (2001) and went for a more rocking sound with its' follow-up "Bleed Like Me" (2005).

One thing that I liked and admired about this band was their willingness to take chances. Each of their four albums had its own personality. Even if the first two were the most similar, each one still had its own flavor. I was very pleased to read that Garbage were working on a new album and wondered what direction they would take. Unfortunately, they didn't really take one with "Not Your Kind of People" (2012).

I want to be clear about one thing, this is NOT a bad album. It's actually quite good. Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Shirley Manson still know how to churn-out finely written, well-crafted songs and every track on this album is good. Shirley Manson remains an exciting, charismatic frontwoman and her words and voice still captivate. The problem is that Garbage are playing it safe and except for some modern touches here and there, are in their comfort zone, making an album in the vein of their first two albums. While some of the songs like "Automatic Systematic Habit" and "Blood for Poppies" have a modern, almost Lady Ga Ga feel, this album sounds pretty retro. It could have been released anytime between 1996-1999 and it would have probably sold a few million copies. The album is at times very exciting and when it's good, it's very good, but even so, it seems like it has a "been there, done that" kind of feel. One exception is the very cool "Control," which has an almost Clint Eastwood, "Man With No Name" Western feel.

If you are a Garbage fan, buy this album. You'll enjoy it. But if you are new to Garbage, start off with the first two or the greatest hits and then maybe check this out. Also, make sure to order the deluxe edition (red cover) as it has four bonus songs and is only a few more dollars. The bonus songs are good, but sort of by-the-numbers.