Bonjour.
A couple of weeks back I wrote about my love of Garbage's eponymous debut album. At the end of the post I mentioned, almost as an afterthought, how their subsequent albums were a mixed bag of highs and lows. I want to use today's post to clarify that the uneven returns come later in their career, as the immediate follow up, titled Version 2.0, is an awesome album that absolutely holds up as an example of how to make a sophomore album. It is the embodiment of leveling up - the title alone conveys the idea of 'harder, better, faster, stronger', to use the popular phrase. Let's look closer, shall we?
The band knew the pressure was on. Their first album had been a runaway, almost unintentional success. Of course they put their best foot forward, but who hopes for that kind of success for an opening salvo? Having Grammy nods and international accolades and tours behind them, the band set about constructing Version 2.0 in 1998. Singer Shirley Manson had been a source of vigor on their previous album and took the reins for the follow up. She wrote the majority of the songs, penning almost all the lyrics, interpolations and samples aside. Working predominantly from their base in Smart Studios in Wisconsin once again, the band furiously created track after track, pushing themselves to their creative zenith. The resulting album has been widely regarded as some of their best work. Alternating between intense, manic beats that approach techno or drum n' bass level insanity and sultry, noir crooners, Garbage managed to set their own parameters of sound even farther into their extremes. In creating 2.0 the band escalated their already urgent and passionate sound to a higher, more engaging results.
The opening track, 'Temptation Waits', starts with only some ambient noise and a sly loop of cymbals keeping time. As Manson moans the first lines of the album I'm already hooked into the back and forth, hot and cold passions presented - "I'll tell you something, I am a wolf but I like to wear sheep's clothing. I am a vampire, I am a bon fire, I like to keep you guessing." She's laying out the terms of performing to the audience with these lines, and immediately upon doing so there is a sound of tape speeding up, machines waking up and the music kicks in to high gear. "You come on like I drug - I just can't get enough, I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more." Performing is her raison d'etre and it shows, as we're surrounded by the band already in full bore. Thumping dance beats and heavy bass, looping bites of guitar swirling in the air. It has to be one of the best ways to start an album I've ever heard. The fervent pacing rolls right into the next track, 'I Think I'm Paranoid'. A massively popular single for the band, it rollicks back and forth between verse and chorus, the verses presenting the happy-go-lucky clarity of sensible introspection which leads the band into the pounding, crunching reality that is the chorus. It's an insanely catchy way to inspect Manson's neurosis - the sweet, lilting allure of the verses disarms the listener until she wails the title, guitars dropping in like a sledgehammer swung ferociously from the speakers. It's really no wonder you can still hear the song on the radio ten years later.
The next track, another single titled 'When I Grow Up' approaches disco territory with it's four-on-the-floor rhythm and bass line. Pure pop sugar, the song launches into a hook that absolutely hurtles along at breakneck speed. Continuing her dichotomous approach to the album, Manson sings "When I grow up I'll be stable, when I grow up I'll turn the tables" in an amusing twist following the previous diatribe. This song has always been a personal favorite of mine. Though the subject of health and sanity remains, the tone shifts abruptly following this song. 'Medication' is a tune that shows just how the band can play their extremes against each other to the benefit of both. It's a song is slower and subdued, almost morose in it's contemplative sound. Manson sings of self-correction and a sense of balance being askew while being labeled co-dependant, all in the often-done metaphor of relationship-as-personal-
Some of the singles on Version 2.0 are insanely well done, like the Grammy nominated 'Special', full of Beach Boy-ish harmonies, and the core of the album, it's lead single 'Push It'. 'Push It' is indicative of just what they were attempting to do here - Manson whispers and hisses to "Make the beats go harder" and that's just what they did. For a single interpolating actual lyrics and melody from Brian Wilson (with his written consent) it's abrasive and frightening, a manic piece of work. But despite it's buzz saw guitars and bombastic drum loops the song is a total knock out, like it was designed for blaring in clubs and on the radio. From what we know about Garbage, it most likely was.
As much as I loved their debut, this album is even better. It was as big of a smash as well, selling the same amount as the self titled record. Unfortunately it was after this album that the band began to lose the magic touch; they've never soared quite as high as they did with their first two endeavors. Considering that, however, I think it only makes me appreciate just how fantastic the band can be. There are some strikingly original songs here, all of them unique and genuine in their passion. They've recorded some new material as of late, so here's hoping they can catch the same lightening in the bottle they did with their first two albums. I'll be waiting.
A couple of weeks back I wrote about my love of Garbage's eponymous debut album. At the end of the post I mentioned, almost as an afterthought, how their subsequent albums were a mixed bag of highs and lows. I want to use today's post to clarify that the uneven returns come later in their career, as the immediate follow up, titled Version 2.0, is an awesome album that absolutely holds up as an example of how to make a sophomore album. It is the embodiment of leveling up - the title alone conveys the idea of 'harder, better, faster, stronger', to use the popular phrase. Let's look closer, shall we?
The band knew the pressure was on. Their first album had been a runaway, almost unintentional success. Of course they put their best foot forward, but who hopes for that kind of success for an opening salvo? Having Grammy nods and international accolades and tours behind them, the band set about constructing Version 2.0 in 1998. Singer Shirley Manson had been a source of vigor on their previous album and took the reins for the follow up. She wrote the majority of the songs, penning almost all the lyrics, interpolations and samples aside. Working predominantly from their base in Smart Studios in Wisconsin once again, the band furiously created track after track, pushing themselves to their creative zenith. The resulting album has been widely regarded as some of their best work. Alternating between intense, manic beats that approach techno or drum n' bass level insanity and sultry, noir crooners, Garbage managed to set their own parameters of sound even farther into their extremes. In creating 2.0 the band escalated their already urgent and passionate sound to a higher, more engaging results.
The next track, another single titled 'When I Grow Up' approaches disco territory with it's four-on-the-floor rhythm and bass line. Pure pop sugar, the song launches into a hook that absolutely hurtles along at breakneck speed. Continuing her dichotomous approach to the album, Manson sings "When I grow up I'll be stable, when I grow up I'll turn the tables" in an amusing twist following the previous diatribe. This song has always been a personal favorite of mine. Though the subject of health and sanity remains, the tone shifts abruptly following this song. 'Medication' is a tune that shows just how the band can play their extremes against each other to the benefit of both. It's a song is slower and subdued, almost morose in it's contemplative sound. Manson sings of self-correction and a sense of balance being askew while being labeled co-dependant, all in the often-done metaphor of relationship-as-personal-
As much as I loved their debut, this album is even better. It was as big of a smash as well, selling the same amount as the self titled record. Unfortunately it was after this album that the band began to lose the magic touch; they've never soared quite as high as they did with their first two endeavors. Considering that, however, I think it only makes me appreciate just how fantastic the band can be. There are some strikingly original songs here, all of them unique and genuine in their passion. They've recorded some new material as of late, so here's hoping they can catch the same lightening in the bottle they did with their first two albums. I'll be waiting.
