Garbage

Not bad

Shockingly but decidedly not garbage

Another one that I owned on cd in middle school

First listen. Ok.

Loved the whole thing. My tween self wanted to be Shirley Manson but I was too shy. 5/5

I love this girly grunge-pop sound and the bubblegum-goth vibe.

пару треков зашло

I was surprised by how familiar most of the tracks on this album were considering I had never heard of the band. Maybe it was just growing up in the 90s these songs made it into soundtracks of shows/movies I watched. Regardless of that,

It was OK, a bit of a dirge...

One of my favorite albums of the 90's!

Queer was almost like a gay anthem but i think its more homophobic than that. Unless you like being called like weird ig? Oh these are some sad songs, Dog New Tricks sure is good bad sad

so 90s it feels a bit weird to be listening 25+ years later. Good though, and gets a Scottish bonus point (just)

Album name is correct

"The album was met with critical acclaim upon its release, being viewed by some as an innovative recording for its time." I guess. It doesn't strike me as an album I need to hear before I die. It's not bad; it's not great. It doesn't belong on this list, so I'm marking it as average and rounding down.

Favorite Track: Only Happy When It Rains

not bad, close to garbage though

Another 90's trope that was on every radio station, TV show and mediocre DJ playlist. Drove me crazy. I've heard this album in full few times, someone I dated listened to it a lot, but that's about it. Its edgy pop music, with a slight punkish undertones and I understand they made an effort to not include "grunge vocabulary" in their music. I hear and understand the appeal, but do not like the album, for reasons I cannot put to words. I might be biased "having been there", overexposure and what have you.

Surprisingly not garbage.

Blast from the past! Enjoyed revisiting this album

83% Best: Supervixen; Queer; Only Happy When It Rains; A Stroke Of Luck; Stupid Girl; Milk Must-Hear? Sure

Oh man, that is really REALLY bad, even for the 90s.

I have always kind of wrote off Garbage so I wasn’t expecting much from this album, but I may been wrong. Enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

One of my favorite albums. Not a single song on the entire album that I don't like. 5/5

Solid debut. A few bangers.

So gay.

I didn't like ANYTHING about this record until track 7, when all of a sudden I recognized sthg and started to enjoy it. Still, I wouldn't reach for this album a second time

Her angst, blended with sexuality and brutal lyrics, is great. It’s smart, edgy, raw, and powerful. There are so many solid songs back-to-back that it just keeps getting better.

All too aware of this band having been alive and near various radios in the 90s. They were not a "change the channel" band but never thought too much of them. So until about halfway through my inaugural trip of this album I was preparing my one word review - "garbage!". I thought the first half was a mess - overproduced mid level dreck. But from Vow I was onboard. In the end - I think a lot of people do this vibe much better. But vow, stupid and and milk are all standouts.

Love the pacing and roughness / rockish. Slaps. And they even still make music and tour!

This album is Garbage. 4.5 stars

Milk is one of the sexiest songs ever!

Production consistently amazing. Songwriting dips in quality a LOT. Still pleasant and fun tho

Excellent stuff! Britpop's slightly fuzzier offspring, with some rocking tunes and great guitar work and vocals. Recommended!

3.5

Bueno

Sounds like a grungier Björk. I dig it.

Listening to the album has kind of cemented Garbage as the sort of band that occupies the middle ground of 90s britpop*. Also-there's. Nothing is terrible. There are a couple of big hits. But they're music is never going to be something at the forefront of my mind. *I know they're American with Shirley ... but that's never how they were marketed.

I really like this album, but it's not perfect. It has lulls and some odd tracks that could have been made better. The best songs on the album are incredible and classics, for me, but I can't quite give it 5 stars. This is still an album I go back to from time to time ever since it was released.

Garbage shoulda had a better career. I mean, I know they were a solid little band in the 90s but this is good!!! Real good!!

Not a one word review using the band name. If more songs hit me like #1 Crush, I'd put this at a 4. But they did not not. And I'm not clear if that was on the original release. Either way, some good stuff, but not 3nough for me to seek out more.

Plastical, artificial, sexy, materialistic, often awfully cheesy but more often catchy as hell. Predicted Marilyn Manson‘s sound of „Chemical Animals“. An essential 90‘s thingy - still often to be found on fleamarkets.

I never really got into Garbage. Idk if they just didn't hit my radar or what but this album won't change that. It was just very meh. I'm not sure what to rate it because it's just so unremarkable.

I can't objectively rate this album -- came along at a transitional point in my life when I was just getting out of graduate school and starting to "adult." I wore this album out. My fondest wish was to be broken by Shirley Manson. Something about this album just hit the sweet spot between U2 and Nine Inch Nails that I needed at the time. Listening to it always makes me happy, whether or not it's raining.

If not for the industrial and shoegaze elements, this would be another bland Trip Hop album. But while this has some good songs, as a whole it doesn't move the needle much for me. Personally, I don't have any deep desire to revisit which is unfortunate because I wanted to like this more.

I do like the singer she has a great bad ass presence. The music borders on sounding like commercial heavy rock a bit too much. I bet they may be good live.

Thank you for the new band I’m gonna obsess about for a month.

Starts off interestingly, before getting pretty mundane and monotonous. "Stupid Girl" gives a good break from the self-loathing and angst. The chorus of "Fix Me Now" is also a welcome break from the monotony. Wouldn't listen to this again.

this one started out pretty unassuming, but a few songs in, it totally had me hooked. by the time I got to "Vow" I fully got it: "grunge" music, but through a studio pop lens! kind of a cool angle that I hadn't really considered. it makes for a listen that's pretty easy-going and slick (this is a Butch Vig production, after all), but which still maintains a genuinely sinister undertone throughout. it won't weigh as heavily on your brain as a Live Through This or a Dirt, but there's definitely something slightly morbid going on here. like all the best "grunge" (kind of a crappy term, but you know what I mean), strong hooks, melodies and riffs abound here. but plenty of this album's best elements—Shirley Manson's somewhat understated presence as a lead vocalist, the prominence of loops and synths and non-diegetic noises of all sorts, the overall Wall of Sound quality of the production—make this a really unique listen compared to most of the other music I think about from this scene and this era. the sound palette here does a great job at synthesizing various nineties trends together. reading up a bit on Garbage's origins as a remix group also helped the material here come into focus; i can imagine the straightforward rock versions of pretty much all of these songs, and they're all much less interesting than these final products! decent 8/10.

Never heard this before but I like it very much!

Inte för mig. Skränigt. Daterat. Lyssnade inte klart

Vissa bra, vissa meh

I liked garbage for a while and only recently appreciated that they've taken an industrial driven beat to the mainstream.

Fun trip back to the mid-'90s for me. This is a solid album with a few really outstanding tracks. Only downside was closing on what is arguably the weakest song of the album. Forgot how many of these got radio play when it was new!

A little too self titled imo… I don’t know I guess if this is nostalgic it can hit the sweet spot but felt all over the place to me. Grungy pop isn’t for me maybe

Excellent, I’d forgotten how great this album is and how much I’d listened to it in the past…

2- Stars (4/15)

Adore this album. Seen them thrice. At one point had every song memorized.

25/10/24 Average listen.

Когда-то я даже видел эту группу живьем, и это было довольное большое событие в тех краях. Тогда я был странным образом удивлен, сколько *взрослых* на концерте, и что у людей за 20 есть жизнь. Возможно, концерт был так давно, и поэтому у меня нет никакого мнения по их музыке, но если бы группа Garbage выступала где-то в непосредственной близости, сегодня я бы не пошел. Лучшая песня - Only Happy When It Rains.

Iconic from my teen years, I actually danced in the club to this.

Not hot garbage

It was a good album for the time, though not very great

Good production for a puesdo grunge sound, I wouldn’t play it again tho!

It’s okay, not really my thing. Some stand outs but nothing did a whole lot for me instrumentally or vocally.

Overall: 6/10 Pretty decent alt rock from the 90s, nothing stood out as amazing to me but it does a good job of blending rock with some electronic elements and the songs are consistently fun to listen to. Fav Song:Queer Least Fav Song: Supervixen

Honestly, I don't think that Garbage is the right title for this album, I think that a much better name for this album would be Pure Gold because that's exactly what this album is. I don't think i was expecting a whole lot from this album, just maybe a 3 star worthy rock album but this album blew all my expectations away from it's first song. The guitars are the right balance of heavy and melodic and Manson's vocals seriously added a lot to this album too as well as all the cool production quirks. Also, every song on this album is a banger and there is not even a bit of garbage which is ironic since it's the band's name. I've got nothing left to say, this album is just amazing. Best Song: As Heaven Is Wide Worst Song: Queer

Fairly bland, found myself falling asleep. I don't doubt that people who like this kind of music will think this a cracking album, but it was all a bit moist for me.

Nothing remarkable but a fun listen nonetheless. 3/5.

I'm learning as I go through this list, I like stuff that a little different. This album is a mixture of arty punk, grunge and some poppy bits thrown in. Lots of nice musical elements and experimental and a bit sexy. Really enjoyed it.

nice pop rock

Pure 90s rock/grunge/pop combination. Parts of it are reminiscent of Prodigy, with its upbeat dance rhythms with electronic instrumentation. The overall vibe is pretty good and reminds me of my yesteryears, but this wasn't a group I was particularly drawn to while younger and I can't say that feeling is any different now. This record, and band, has its place in music history but it's nothing too memorable from my perspective.

það er eitthvað þarna

Awful. Couldn't finish.

Not garbage from Garbage, not at all. Good, rocky dtuff well performed. I liked this quite a bit.

Óharðnaði unglinga-ég var á fullu að mótast tónlistarlega þegar þessi Shirley Manson of félagar gáfu þessa plötu út. Mikið rosalega hlustaði ég mikið á þetta dramarokk og ég verð að segja að platan eldist mjög vel. Fjórar stjörnur frá nostalgíu-mér

I feel like most of the not-new-to-me albums I've been served by this, I first heard when I was deliberately seeking out 'important music' or whatever to listen to, to develop myself in my teens. Reading lists, RYM and things of this nature. Not this one, baby! Personally speaking, this is an ancient text Also rewatching the X-Files rn and just passed 'Terms of Endearment' so nice. Week of Garbage

hmmm, interesting. Stoked to check this out. I do know a couple of tracks off this album. I know these guys are pretty legendary, not really my type of music. I do enjoy the tracks I do know, the singles.

Bang average miserablist pop rock. 2.5 🌟

this was the first album i ever ripped onto a computer and copied for a friend #limewire

Was not expecting to like this at all but actually did in the end. Portugal the Man x Gorillas x Radiohead. Nice.

Fun album, but a bit repetitive by the end.

Album is not holding up particularly well over time. I think it is the lyrics that truly need more work.

I am a Garbage fan now. Stupid Girl is such a mastertrack.

Wijs album. Only Happy When It Rains en Stupid Girl zijn echt wel schijte goeie nummers. Na dit te beluisteren, zijn Queer en Vow ook wel best goed. 3.4

Good 90s rock/grunge with a hint of electronic/industrial.

Really enjoyable despite the name. Great vocalist and looks of good instrumental work and production. Added to favorites b

Well, I've already heard this self-titled debut from Garbage before this journey. They're a 90s alternative group where three of the members - Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker - have had prior experience producing for various artists. The three recruited Shirley Manson for vocal duties, and together they sought to blend pop music with different genres. The result heard on this album is that each track feels unique in its mix. From the laid-back trip-hop of "Queer", to the straightforward electric grunge of "Only Happy When it Rains", to the groovy drum-and-bass of "Stupid Girl", the band built a rich soundscape of tunes off of samples and loops brought to their jam sessions. All the while, every member plays effectively; Butch with his driving beats, Steve and Duke with their good guitar hooks, and Shirley singing the lyrics the band collectively penned from shared dark experiences. I understand that not everyone may be into the genre-hopping style Garbage employs, as the quality can vary track by track. I also realized by "Not My Idea" that Shirley Manson's contralto vocals are an acquired taste as she can teeter between sultry and discomforting. But make no mistake, Garbage is not "garbage", as easy a joke as it would be. They're a fun group with a bit of edge to their pop to make them stand out. This debut album of theirs is worth a listen if you're curious. Update 4/7/2025: I ended up relistening to Garbage's debut over a hundred albums later in my journey. Upon reflection, I realized that I didn't have much of an issue with this album per my original review. Sure, it might sound a little dated, but the variance in song structure paired with the synth textures, distorted guitars, layered production, and Manson's vocals balanced between vulnerable and fierce culminate in an atmosphere that was enjoyable all the way through. There's an argument to be made that Garbage peaked with their first album, but even then, what a high peak to come off of.

A Stroke of Luck, Vow, Milk are too slow

Terrible album.

I despised this aside from the singles. If an album makes me yearn for Hole …

90er halt.

Dislike

Back in the ‘90s, Garbage had a fresh, innovative sound, especially as one of the early bands to find commercial success by blending electronic music with alternative rock. Revisiting this album was fun, but I have to admit, it feels a bit dated now. Some of the tracks, in particular, I’ve heard so many times that they’ve lost their impact. Despite that, I’d still say the album holds up better than a lot of other popular records from that era, even if it doesn’t feel as groundbreaking as it once did.

I hear a lot of influences on this album. Especially from the 80s, like Talk Talk, the Cure and Killing Joke, but the result sounds very 90s. The album starts of with a couple of big hits. The middle is... I wouldn't say garbage, but not as good. Towards the end it gets better again. Favorite song: Queer.

Not really for me at all. That strange blend of alt-rock, dance-rock, industrial, power pop that only the mid 90s could produce. There is a hit on this album that I recognized, but other than that it was mostly just background noise.

Not good when release, still not good no idea how it made this list

Never gave these guys a chance and I really enjoyed this record. I expected it to be dark, monotone, boring. Had some catchy stuff, parts I wanted to listen to again. Not an average record - I’ll give it a four.

just garbage, man. From the silent gaps on Supervixen to the distortions on Stupid Girl, and much in between, a very rewarding listen. Milk is my favourite song. For some reason, I don't really like "only happy when it rains", despite it's popularity. I remember seeing this album as a kid as my parents owned a CD, had never listened to it before though. 4.5 star and not pure perfection as the 5 star suggests, but nonetheless, a fantastic listen.

Soulless, lifeless and insincere. This is music as a product pretending to be art. A grungy cash-grab 5/10

Definetely not my kind of jam. There are a few tracks that i may save in my Spotify account, but didn'd really enjoy the album. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics though, so i didnt get into the album rythm and ethos if such rythm and ethos exist. Great to have playing during work, but i didn't find anything remarkable about it. Songs that i liked: Track 9 - Dog New Tricks Track 10 - My Lover's Box Songs that i didn'd like: Track 1 - Supervixen Track 2 - Queer

Garbage is good for the most part but I only really like it in places. Songs where she mumbles in an attempt to be seductive or whatever and then gets into full voice at the chorus don't really appeal to me, but when they get into a groove from the start and let go a bit, Vow, Only Happy When it Rains, Stupid Girl, they're a lot better. A solid 3, just some of the stylistic choices aren't my favourite.

Not garbage, quite good actually. Milk sounded vaguely familiar, but I hadn't heard the rest before. It's pretty solid female-fronted electro rock, more PJ Harvey than No Doubt in the most part. It's pretty catchy, lyrics are in the most part worth listening to, high 3. Probably would've been a 4 if I had any nostalgia for it.

For no apparent reason, I’d always written Garbage off as a singles band. This album, with no really weak tracks, proves me wrong. There are some really strong songs on here, not only the singles Happy When it Rains and Stupid Girl. And the run between those two songs is simoly excellent. On the shadow side of things, the three tracks after Stupid Girl are a letdown, and the opening pair leaves a little to be desired. Supervixen is a poor choice for opening

a comfy listen albeit unmemorable. i feel like this is more impressive as a pop album than a rock album

indie Pop/Rock, 1995 -> 3

One of my favorite bands in the 90s, I still go back to this album today.

Solid and a fun listen which I'm bumping up to 4 because of, but I can't shake the slick almost over produced quality. The songs kind of pass right by me, very pop heavy.

Never listened to this one before. Was peripherally aware of Garbage because they are right in my radio phase but couldn't name any of their songs. Really loved this album! A lot of the singles were great but just your kinda classic grungy 90s rock.

I don't get the hype.

I wish I could say ‘this title is accurate lol’ and get on with my day but this is actually really good

It was just OK

næntís blanda af raftónlistarbítum og indírokki. mjög misjafnt að gæðum. bestu lögin skemmtileg, of langt. þarf ekki meira.

This album sucks. I much prefer Garbage 2.0. Stupid Girl is obviously a banger but otherwise it's pretty void. I can see why it's on the list because it was influential, but a lot of the time the first pass of something is pretty crappy, and that definitely applies here.

Love this album.

i thought this might turn out to be a guilty pleasure but it’s just greasy and neurotic

Not sure why but this one didn't resonate with me. Felt like it didn't go hard enough? I know I like some of Garbage's later stuff a bit better. Maybe I need to give it another shot sometime.

"Garbage" is an ironic name for this album and the band itself. I enjoyed most of the songs to a high degree. "Vow" is probably the best one. (very underrated) All tracks after "Stupid Girl" are dull in comparison to the songs that came before. But that doesn't stop this album from being great. 4 stars for "Self Titled".

Vocals reminded me of Patti smith at times but found the lyrics pretty terrible and music sounded like one of those sample tracks on a keyboard after a while

Queer Only Happy When It Rains Vow Stupid Girl

Alternative bands from the 90s with one word names tend to blend into one for me and I initially struggled to remember anything from this one apart from Stupid Girl. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the more down tempo tracks on this that edged into shoegaze/trip hop territory, with the highlight for me being A Stroke of Luck with Shirley Manson’s voice flowing like warm honey. Lovely stuff.

Good pop album taking inspiration from indie rock, shoegaze, electronics... Sufficiently diverse and efficient, well served by Manson voice. It succeeds in not being too tawdry to be enjoyable despite its mainstream leanings.

Almost no skips! (Sorry, “My Lover’s Box”. You’re half good at least.) The big singles are the weakest songs imo. Such a great album. High school me won’t let me give it anything less than a five.

A Stroke of Luck

It’s another one of ‘those’ albums (I’ll have to think of a name for them) that are nice to play in the background, and are representative of their genre, but do not go much further past it. I’m positive if I paid more attention rather than just putting it on whilst I did work then it’d be more interesting. But how much more interesting? It really does seem like average, inoffensive alt-rock, perhaps a product of its time, perhaps timeless. I’m not sure of the specifics. What I do know is that it’s at least ‘alright’.

Full of catchy tunes 4/5

Bello bello. Uno dei primi che ho sentito, ormai è un classico

finalmente un album di questo genere anni 90 che mi convince davvero. grazie amici immondizia, il vostro nome non vi si addice. bravi bravi.

Solid album. I marked 4 tracks: Supervixen, Queer, Only Happy When It Rains, and Vow. I'm less into Stupid Girl, maybe because it was overplayed. But the whole album is quality.

"Dad, what did music in the late 90s sound like?" This is actually like a 3.5.

The through line of a band or musician breaking into the mainstream, often building on risk-takers who came before, that then result in a dozen market-driven copy-cats is as reliable as the sun coming up every day. Pixies --> Nirvana --> Silverchair X-Ray Specs --> Sleater Kinney -->Avril Lavigne While I'm sure Shirley Manson has loads more autonomy than the average boy-band member, there's still something so slick and market-ready about Garbage. Sure, the music is catchy (if dated) with vaguely subversive lyrics - but I just don't *buy* any of it. Like, when PJ Harvey sings 'you leave me dry,' or Courtney Love screams 'when they get what they want, and they never want it again,' I *believe* it. With Garbage's music, not so much.

A nice sound, an album of it too much but sprinkled on a playlist all songs welcome.

Interesting, a bit funky. Not bad.

Hadn’t heard this in a while. Was good to hear it again.

Pretty solid ‘90s alt rock with noisier elements thrown in sometimes. It doesn’t blow me away and it goes a bit from one ear to another but nothing bad. The stops in the first song were a bit distracting. 3 stars.

Favourite tracks: super vixen; only happy when it rains; vow; stupid girl; milk

Amazing, really full of energy, banger album from start to finish!

Top stuff

Very much in my wheelhouse but did absolutely nothing for me

I forgot to write this review last night, which tells us something. I associate Garbage with a mini-movement of bands that took the beigest elements of trip-hope - the beigest genre- and slapped them on watered down grunge or shoegaze (Sneaker Pimps for the former, Curve for the latter), and bored me. A couple of ok singles, I guess, and a wash of beige.

I avoided this when it came out, assuming it was a half-baked dull grunge-adjacent cash in. Once again, my jaundice bats 1.000! Snoozey college rock tunes, clumsy mild-dominatrixy lyrics sung a bit off-key, no respite from the pleasantly mild trip-hop shadow beats throughout - music for people who found "Nevermind" a bit too intense but liked the T-shirts, appropriate given Butch Vig's role in the whole affair. How would you describe it: refuse, rubbish, scrap, trash...?

First time I heard them and I was missing out truly! Trip hop, fun and excellent

Remember having a crush on Shirley Manson back in the day. Only happy when it rains was pretty much my vibe for a while. Album was much better than I expected. Figured the hits would be good and not much else, but overall good

**"Garbage" by Garbage: An In-Depth Review** Released in August 1995, Garbage's self-titled debut album marked a seismic shift in the mid-90s rock landscape, blending grunge, electronica, and alternative rock. The album features a compelling mix of styles and production techniques that made it both an immediate hit and an enduring influence on rock and alternative music. ### **Lyrics** The lyrics on "Garbage" are dark, introspective, and often ironic. Frontwoman Shirley Manson's delivery adds an emotional depth and complexity to the lyrics, which explore themes of alienation, self-doubt, desire, and disillusionment. Songs like "Only Happy When It Rains" showcase a sense of nihilistic irony; Manson sings about embracing misery with a sardonic edge, effectively capturing the disaffected ethos of Generation X. "Stupid Girl" offers a sharp critique of superficiality and self-destructive behavior, while "Vow" deals with betrayal and vengeance, with Manson's vocals oscillating between vulnerability and menace. The lyrics frequently employ a stream-of-consciousness style, and Manson's ability to oscillate between confession and confrontation gives the album its raw emotional resonance. The use of repetition in lines such as "I’m only happy when it rains" reinforces the obsessive, cyclical nature of emotional turmoil. This lyricism positions Garbage not just as a band channeling the angst of the era, but as one interrogating the complexities of those feelings. ### **Music** Musically, "Garbage" is a fusion of different genres, an alchemical blend of rock, pop, trip-hop, and electronica. The album is heavily characterized by its layered, dense soundscapes, which blend traditional rock instrumentation with loops, samples, and electronic effects. Butch Vig, one of the band's founding members and a renowned producer, employed a meticulous approach to layering guitar riffs, drum loops, and synthesizer textures. This innovative production creates a distinctive sound that feels both expansive and claustrophobic, a sonic representation of the themes of confinement and release explored in the lyrics. Songs like "Queer" and "Milk" lean towards a trip-hop influence with their brooding bass lines, hypnotic beats, and atmospheric effects. "Vow" and "Only Happy When It Rains" feature a grunge-inspired guitar crunch that nods to the Seattle sound Vig helped shape with his production work on Nirvana's "Nevermind." However, unlike typical grunge, Garbage’s songs often break down into unexpected electronic textures or synth-heavy bridges, keeping the listener on edge and engaged. The album also showcases impressive dynamic range. "A Stroke of Luck" starts with a subdued, eerie atmosphere, before exploding into a powerful chorus, whereas "Not My Idea" maintains a high energy level with its punchy guitar riffs and driving beats. The track "Milk" closes the album with a hauntingly sparse arrangement that lets Manson's voice take center stage, contrasting the otherwise lush production of the preceding tracks. ### **Production** The production on "Garbage" is one of its most defining elements, contributing significantly to its unique sound. As a producer, Butch Vig is known for his attention to detail and experimental approach, and this is evident throughout the album. Each track is meticulously crafted, with layers of sound meticulously pieced together to create a polished but complex musical landscape. The use of samples, loops, and studio effects like phasing, flanging, and delay, often blur the lines between the organic and synthetic. For example, "Supervixen" features looped and reversed drum tracks that give it a disorienting yet catchy feel. Meanwhile, "Fix Me Now" uses reverse delay on the guitar to create a swirling, otherworldly atmosphere. These production techniques create a sense of depth and space, making the album feel immersive and multi-dimensional. However, the production's heavy reliance on studio wizardry can sometimes feel over-engineered. While the complexity of the arrangements is impressive, it occasionally borders on cluttered, with certain tracks feeling overly busy or lacking a clear sonic focus. This can make the album feel dense to the point of being inaccessible, especially to listeners accustomed to more straightforward rock or pop production. ### **Themes** Thematically, "Garbage" is a study in contradictions, delving into the dualities of human emotion. The album explores themes of love and hate, joy and despair, self-assurance and insecurity. This tension is present in almost every song. "Only Happy When It Rains" captures a kind of existential irony, where misery is embraced rather than avoided. "Vow," with its tale of betrayal and revenge, oscillates between vulnerability and aggression. "Stupid Girl" touches on themes of self-deception and the emptiness of shallow pursuits, a critique of consumer culture and the pressures of image consciousness. The album's emotional core lies in its exploration of identity and self-perception. Tracks like "Queer" and "As Heaven Is Wide" delve into the feeling of being an outsider, of not fitting into societal norms or expectations. "Milk," the final track, is a haunting meditation on loss and longing, capturing the fragility of human connections. These recurring themes of alienation, disaffection, and introspection resonate deeply with listeners, particularly within the context of the 90s, where disillusionment with mainstream culture was widespread. ### **Influence** "Garbage" was both a critical and commercial success, reaching the Top 20 in the UK and US and spawning several hit singles. Its impact extended beyond its immediate success; the album played a crucial role in shaping the sound of alternative rock in the late 90s. Garbage’s blend of electronic elements with rock laid the groundwork for a new wave of artists who would further explore and hybridize genres. The album's production techniques, particularly its use of sampling and electronic manipulation, influenced the rise of "electronica" as a viable mainstream genre in the late 90s. Bands like The Cardigans, Republica, and even No Doubt incorporated similar electronic and studio effects into their music, drawing inspiration from the polished yet edgy sound Garbage pioneered. Moreover, Shirley Manson's presence as a strong, unapologetic female frontwoman with a distinctive style and voice became a template for many female artists in rock and alternative music. Her confident, sometimes confrontational lyrics and persona influenced a generation of female musicians and added to the diversification of the rock genre, which had been largely male-dominated. ### **Pros** 1. **Innovative Production:** The album's production is a standout feature, with its rich layering and use of studio techniques setting it apart from many contemporaneous releases. 2. **Unique Sound:** A successful blend of rock, pop, grunge, and electronic music gives "Garbage" a distinctive, genre-defying sound that remains influential. 3. **Strong Vocal Performance:** Shirley Manson's vocals are both emotive and powerful, bringing a unique blend of vulnerability and strength to the songs. 4. **Lyrical Depth:** The lyrics explore complex emotional landscapes, offering introspective and sometimes confrontational takes on themes like alienation, love, and disillusionment. 5. **Cohesive Themes:** The album maintains a consistent mood and theme throughout, making it a unified body of work rather than a collection of disparate tracks. ### **Cons** 1. **Overproduction at Times:** Some tracks may feel overly busy or cluttered due to the heavy reliance on production effects and layers, potentially alienating listeners who prefer a more straightforward sound. 2. **Dated Sound Elements:** While innovative at the time, some of the electronic elements and production techniques now sound dated, reflecting the specific technological limitations and trends of the 90s. 3. **Lack of Sonic Variety:** Despite the genre fusion, the album can feel sonically homogenous at times, with similar tempos and moods dominating many of the tracks. 4. **Ambiguity in Lyrics:** The abstract, stream-of-consciousness style of the lyrics can sometimes feel opaque or impenetrable, making it challenging for some listeners to connect with the songs on a deeper level. 5. **Dark Tone Throughout:** The consistent dark and moody atmosphere might feel oppressive or one-dimensional to listeners looking for more dynamic emotional shifts. ### **Conclusion** Garbage's debut album is a bold and innovative work that successfully merges a range of musical influences to create a unique sound. Its themes of alienation, introspection, and disillusionment, coupled with its distinctive production style, make it a compelling snapshot of mid-90s alternative rock. While it has its drawbacks, such as occasionally dense production and a somewhat uniform tone, these are outweighed by its strengths in vocal performance, lyrical depth, and genre innovation. The album remains a significant milestone in rock music, influential in both its sound and its attitude.

Sounds very mid 90s. Shirley Manson’s voice is fairly distinctive. They sounded like a more poppy version of Hole on some songs.

Very good. Still sounds fresh. Saw them a few weeks ago still sound the same. Shirley has a great voice.

Megachill

Beautiful voice, different genre than the albums listened to so far.

LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOO. legendary pull supervixen- i love it. i think overplayed it but 7 or 8 queer- <3. 8 only happy when it rains- 10 bitch fuck all yall as heaven is wide- 9 or 10 not my idea- 6 or 7 a stroke of luck- 6 or 7 vow- 7 stupid girl- 8 or 9 dog new tricks- 6 my lovers box- 7 fix me now- 6 milk- 6 or 7 favorite track- only happy when it rains or as heaven is wide. me without this album: 💀. also id love to give a big shout out to my friend agnes.

Good rock! Has a little punk to it

I really enjoyed relistening to this album. I love their sound.

Solidna 90s nostalgija

3.5

Solid but inessential 90s alt-rock. 3.5/5

An album I loved in my college years. Holds up pretty well for me today... At least the first ⅔ of it. The opening three songs really kick! Kind get a bit fillery at the end. But it closes nicely with "Milk" which has a nice James Bond theme sound, which would prove advantageous a few years later. (8.8) ★★★★

Solid noisy alt-rock! I prefer the more noisy, shiegazy parts, over the triphop-adjacent parts

Released in 1995 when the alternative rock boom was winding down and it wasn't clear what the next big trend in rock was going to be. As result, it incorporates some sounds that were big at the time, but ultimately feels very dated. "Vow" is great, and the other big singles are decent, but as a whole the album is just okay. 3.5 stars.

2 stars

Pretty dated production with lots of slightly limp techno dance beats and gimmicky effects particularly on the first track with the harsh, sucking gated gaps of silence. There a few pretty good songs and I do like Shirley’s suave, slightly snarly Madonna vocals but really it is just Stupid Girl that is the standout for me. 6.0

I loved this album as a teenager and guess what? I still love it now! It still holds up. Love Shirley’s attitude. She’s a badass. 4.5 stars 9.2 out of 10

I like it a lot. The album cover is one that is pleasantly seared into my memory

This garbage was anything but a dumpster fire

This his some good spots and a some bad spots for me. The singles were ubiquitous in my teen years as Shirley was scottish so Garbage were claimed as one of ours even though they are an american band playing american rock. Shirley herself was responsible for scarousing many teenage boys and i was one of them. The second half of the album showcases the songwriting chops of the band and there are some good tracks. However there is a lot of this that strikes me as bland 90's american college rock of which ive had my fill. This genre for a brit is the equivalent on this list of the americans who complain about too much british indie. Ive struggled through pixies, janes addiction and this and it just bores me generally

I liked it. But not my favorite.

SOOOOO 90's. After Kurt Cobain died it was like every band started using those trip hop drumbeats and synths. Crazy, mang. I actually kind of like the whole "dark neo noir"-ish aesthetic they have going on here, and some of the arrangements are quite nice, but besides that it's pretty standard angsty alt rock affair with some electronic influence. I guess the occasional tonal turns that mix major and minor modes (like "Not My Idea") are pretty cool too? But too same-y and not captivating enough to be great.

This was super weird, but there's something about it I really liked. Probably wouldn't play it repeatedly but I'm glad it was on this list since I never would have listened to it otherwise

Great debut album, not a bad track.

like the punk rock vibes. its a good kick and a good energy. definitely will listen to again, but no song is particularly memorable

Didn’t hate it, but nothing really stood out to me.

a sound coming together so strongly it honestly makes me a little mad. so many bands spend albums finding out who they really are. Garbage were sure -- and right -- on their first album. bubblegrunge guitars and Hacienda beats go together like cheddar and grapes; maybe it's not your first inclination, but when you do it for the first time you just can't stop. i guess you could call it a "grebo" album, but the reason people prefer "Stupid Girl" over "Unbelievable" by EMF or "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones (now there was a band) is because "Stupid Girl" has butch vig and those other songs have some asshole from Britain in a pre-war town, blissfully deceiving themselves that the Teen Spirit Bomb will never drop and destroy their little lives. Garbage are post-apocalyptic warriors, dressed in the clothes of the burnt past and the chains of the new world, ready to take on the ruins.

The better of the Garbage catalogue.

Yes to Garbage.

Stupid Girl I've heard before, just didn't realize it was Garbage! Interesting alt rock pieces.

Pretty good album, I liked her rock songs more than the other stuff she was playing though.

This album was mid. Was pleasantly surprised from my lower expectations.

The name is more than fitting.

It was fine.

The type of energy I want for my life right now.

Thoughts before listening: Garbage is one of those bands where I like their hits, but in general its not for me. I think with multiple producers in the band their sound just comes off as too polished and overproduced. I'm sure I'll add the hits to my playlist though. Review: Yep, just how I remember this band. The hits are definitely catchy, but its just too "perfect". There is no grit to their music which sounds exactly like what it is: a bunch of people who make a living producing alt-rock hits getting together to write their own album. With this coming a day after getting Public Image Ltd, I can say that for the most part, I prefer this sound to PiL which was trying very hard to be anti-pop music. Although I will say that I prefer PiL's 2 best songs to anything I heard here...maybe its the shock value of finally hearing something enjoyable on that album as opposed to Garbage where everything basically sounds the same. Anyway, this is a 3-star album.

No

One of those bands/albums I’m very surprised not to have ever listened to considering they sound like a mix of 90s artists/bands that I love (PJ Harvey, smashing pumpkins, portishead, the breeders) Vocals are great Some very cool riffs

I wasn’t that interested in this album as a teen but it is a great album for me as an adult. It really holds up

Weird!

Uuiuu

Nice work. I think I liked stuff from other albums of theirs better.

Lots of underrated classics on the album that I was too scared of at the time.

Very much not what the name implies. Shirley Manson is the perfect singer for these songs: defiant and world weary, but with a playful edge.

Nothing of note sadly. 4/10

Well wasn't Shirley Manson, a former Glasgow prostitute, a bvreath of fresh air when she launched onto the scene in the 1990s? Absolutley not a stupid girl... Excellent singles, excleent balance between grunge, rock and electronic. Overall just excellent. They didn't maintain this standard after the debut though.

Like the album, Some are a bit melancholic

Garbage

Classic alternative album. Doubt I’ll listen to again. I’ve heard stupid girl a ton on the radio but there’s a reason I’ve never chosen to sit and listen to it and actually seek it out

Nostalgia for a lot of the songs on here. Very enjoyable and more of their hits than I expected on this. 4 or 5 *

For an album called garbage by a group called garbage, it isn't garbage.

Honestly a really well made and produced album. I really enjoyed it. Reminds me of being in 5th grade and hanging out with Billy and Carls older sisters

didn't hate it or love it. a lot like PJ Harvey IMO 3/5.

3.5 rounded down just didn’t connect w this one idk highlights: queer, only happy when it rains, stupid girl (aug 16 2024)

Not bad really. It holds up.

Some good songs. Wasn't a massive fan back then and I haven't been converted I'm afaraid.

This one feels like the poster child of 90s grunge-inflected pop/rock. The album's techno-minded sound and Manson's alluring persona complemented and countered the grunge sound Vig had helped pioneer after producing Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind. The musical techniques used on Garbage felt radical at the time and had a clear influence on subsequent popular music, pairing distorted heavy guitar sounds with dark, sultry, sometimes angry female vocals. Normally I would list the songs I liked on the album, but on this one there are no bad tracks. 4⭐️

There are tracks on this album that sound too much like an American version of triphop, which I don't like. At other times, it's *painfully* 90s. But it gets a small ratings bump for still somehow not sounding like much else at the time. That said, it felt like a racing game soundtrack.

I’m Only Happy When it Rains. very 90’s.

Quintessential 90s alt rock. Lots of nostalgia here, and the sound still holds up even if the album might get a bit long.

I liked this! It was nostalgic in some way to me.

this is almost a greatest hits itself! Great tunes and the perfect mix of beats and loops and guitars and cocky vocals. Deserves way more praise than it gets.

A pretty good album. I think their most popular songs are actually some of the weakest and some of the less known songs are really different and enjoyable. Unique and thoughtful lyrics.

Idk mane sounds like a good time to me.

Mason's voice is incredible and they have a perfect balance of 90s alternative and that ethereal vibe. Great lyrics and incredible riffs. My only regret is I didn't know of them sooner - they would be huge if released now

YAY!!!! OMG this album has so many fucking memories tied to it. Incense, glow in the dark stars, getting high, summer, Amanda, just moving here, riding the uta bus to work and back, somehow Einstein Bagels. lol Good solid album here! 10 million stars.

I was surprised at how much I liked this record. I had never listened to it, but was familiar with a hit or two.

Really great alt-rock album with some almost breakbeat-type drum programming on many of the songs. Reminds me of what Bowie was doing around the same time with Earthlings. Some strong hooks and some really impressive vocals. I especially love that opener, easily one of my favorites of all time, though it was the one song i knew before going into this, so maybe I’m a lil biased.

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 🐷 Mix: 🆗 Musik: 🚯 Wertung: 🚯🚯(🚯)/5

I love this era of 90s rock

Had no idea what to expect from the name but I'm here for it

Never liked this band.

Honestly really enjoyed this

Vocals didn’t age wel, nor did the synth drums but overall enjoyed it. The last 4 tracks could have just been cut.

Okay debut from Garbage.

Bowie’s good of course, kinda bores me half the time though

Not my idea of a good time.

5/10, я не понял, но вроде норм

Really good overall. I saw Garbage back in 2005 and really enjoyed their set, but never really listened to their albums, which was clearly a mistake.

Didn’t like it. Poor audio production.

Average alternative Rock. Okay to listen to.

No thanks

#57 - no real takeaways from this

Bien. No sé pq no le doy un cinco.

Rarely have I heard an album that blends similar genres in a way that the feel seamless as they intertwine. The influences of Shoegaze, Noise Pop, Industrial, Grunge and mainly Alternative Dance with Alternative Rock as the main genre creates a sound that makes you wonder if the description one person gives will be same the next will give it. Either way, this album is great introduction to a more hazy and noisy sound that, while not being as great as let's say "loveless" by mbv, has a much lower entry bar that might help people understand the greatness of said record when they haven't really set foot into mbv's extremely shoegazey and noisy sound sound. The opening track 'Supervixen' already gets you into the hazy and sometimes dreamy mood that still shares a lot of elements with Dance music that make you feel like you've been put on both ecstasy and LSD on the same time. I especially like the very shoegazey moments that explode out of thin air all over the song. With 'Queer' a slightly Trip Hop inspired sound appears and the shoegaze vanishes. But that allows the song to have a very strong chorus that shares some industrial elements as well. The guitar after the second chorus comes out of nothing and really makes this song a highlight on the album. 'Only Happy When It Rains' is one of the best known songs on the album and I do really like the grunge inspired crunchy guitar that really drives the song through out and the chorus is also really catchy but the longer the song goes on the more uninteresting it becomes after a while. The song 'As Heaven Is Wide' goes a very different direction with a more electronic and sample style sound that still works as a very dancey song with a lot of focus on drums and bass. While the sound they create might be something really different and forward thinking, it isn't as interesting as previous songs. 'Not My Idea' is one of the noisiest songs on the album and they perform that really well. The jarring guitar that appears throughout the song really sets a tone that is alternated with a more casual chorus. The song generally has a lot of dynamic and melodic changes that make it sound very special although like songs before, looses its interest after a while. A more psychedelic approach has 'A Stroke of Luck' that combines sounds from Trip Hop and Dream Pop with Grunge and Industrial parts to create a very mysterious and nocturnal sound. The second half of the album starts with 'Vow', a return to the Noise Pop and Shoegaze style that although I like the sound of the instrumental, gets ruined for me as I really do not like the vocal performance on this song. But as much as I do not like the vocals, the better is the guitar bridge which makes me really conflicted on this one. 'Stupid Girl' is another highlight of the album for many. Although the structure is something heard a million times before, the chorus is incredible once it starts. The continuing build-up really works to make the song feel organic and different for the most but not all the way. I like the electronic moments on 'Dog New Tricks' but I feel like the song had much more potential that wasn't build on enough. The hazy sound is done very well and it's much more dynamic than 'Stupid Girl' and I prefer it too but I still feel like they could've done more with the song than they ended up doing. 'My Lover's Box' might be interesting to some but it is not to me. The song just flows past my ears without sticking. The chorus is quite nice but that makes up a total of like 45 seconds in the whole song so I am not very fond of this one. A similar problem has 'Fix Me Now' although I like the chorus much more once it's actually there but considering it takes half the song the make it remotely interesting, the song just isn't as great as a lot of other songs even if the chorus is one of my favourites on here. It's the rest that makes it uninteresting. Closing track 'Milk' is the only song that is fundamentally different as it takes a very ethereal wave and electronic sound with typical Trip Hop drums. But all that makes it for me the best song on the album. It is just so beautifully dark and well... ethereal. The (I think) mellotron sample that reminds me a bit of Strawberry Fields Forever just adds to that. favourites: Milk, Queer, Supervixen, Only Happy When It Rains least favourites: My Lover's Box, Vow, Fix Me Now Rating: decent 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

that 90s edge is going on full here

Hot girl vibes

Quintessentially 90s sounding indie rock. The hits are the strongest tracks for me, and whilst a nice nostalgia trip, I probably won't be listening on repeat

Good album. It feels very 90s post-grunge with some really cool arrangements and good pop sensibility from the vocals, etc. It's got some techno-ish stuff, which feels very of that time. There's many really solid songs, but, as a whole, it doesn't feel or sound exceptional to me. ***

Really good! ugly ass album cover though 4/5

Not entirely garbage as the name suggests.

I understand why people loved it during its era but ultimately it is disposable sounding for me

Underrated group in my opinion. It's angsty and well-executed.

Overall this album is full of cool rock music, however I found the end of many songs to just repeat the same line a bunch. Liked Songs: Supervixen, Queer, Stupid Girl, Only Happy When It Rains I'll consider this a high 3/5.

A Lot of recognisible tunes here!

Felt like being back in the 90s!!

Seminal 90s Grunge Punk

Bro, I love the 90s so much! I always end up discovering things like this. I really liked the dynamics between the songs that vary between different emotions from one to another. It has 2 real hits ("Stupid Girl" and "I'm Only Happy When It Rains"). In other words: This is definitely not garbage! Despite the name hahaha

I think this is cool, but in the way that someone looks cool before you get to know them.

One man's therapy is another man's strip club soundtrack.

What an album. Standouts include Supervixen, Queer, Only Happy When It Rains, As Heaven Is Wide, And Stroke Of Luck. But really, all the tracks are fantastic.

It's all Garbage. Not in a bad way. It's just a sound that is familiar across the album. Solid and enjoyable without really knocking my socks off.

STANDOUTS: Only Happy When It Rains As Heaven Is Wide OVERALL: 2/5

Garbage was one of the first bands with a female singer that I liked. In the time of kooties I really couldn't risk liking girl bands, but they were cool. Then it was a slippery slope to Alanis, No Doubt, and others. 1995 was a crazy year for female bands. While Garbage may have opened that door for me, I apparently don't really ever return to them. It has been a long time since I heard most of this album and it still is pretty cool with the electronics and lyrics. I'll definitely add a couple more to my playlists and try to check up on their newer stuff. Favorite track "Only Happy when it rains" 3.5/5

My mum used to listen to this so there's a bit of nostalgia. It sounds very dated now, and you can definitely hear the smashing pumpkins influence.

i love this album, i hate how it’s mixed

Good in parts

Banger

This album had a nice blend of different sounds and styles. It combines the quirkiness of alt rock with the catchiness of pop (and other genres) which gave it a decent amount of bangers.

Very 90s, takes me back! Enjoyed it.

While I didn't like this music, I thought it was going to be a lot worse. There are a lot of garbage metaphors that need not be written, just knowing they exist is enough for me.

Wow, this sounded just like high school. I actually liked it better today than I did back then. Solid all the way through.

The mix sounds like a first album. I was always more of a 2.0 guy but there are some solid tracks here that hold up.

supervixen - 8/10 so original sounding to me I liked that queer - 7.5/10 ngl she has a hot af voice only happy when it rains - 6.5/10 nice but not a standout really as heaven is wide - 7/10 solid baseline not my idea - 6.5/10 also nice but lyrics r boring a stroke of luck - 8/10 such a vibe vow - 6.5/10 vibe but not as much stupid girl - 7.5/10 it's a bop dog new tricks - 7.5/10 gorgeous song my lovers box - fix me now - 8.5/10 sheesh banger milk - 7/10 I like her singing here overall thoughts - very different to what i regularly listen to (this album is like alt rock/indie) but i really liked this. guitars great and like the lead vocalists voice but im no glazer so tbh i do think it's not an album that sounds out too much amongst what i think are great albums, but i still like this.

I should love this as a child of the 90s, and yet I still can't get behind this kind of a rock sound. A couple of tracks were interesting, but I found most of it unoriginal and a bit too similar to other stuff I've heard from that decade. The closer was really nice, though. 3 stars

Enjoyable, although not outstanding. Even though I liked it, I am not sure why this is a 'must listen'. There's nothing particularly ground-breaking in there, although there's some decent music and well-put together songs.

When I was 15, I wrote an erotic (porno) story that involved myself and Shirley Manson. My sister who was younger found it screwed up in my wastepaper bin and tried to blackmail me with it. Anyway, great album but meant more as a moody teenager with a high libido.

This was very refreshing to get right after Permission to Land and Appetite for Destruction, they've aged like avocado, Garbage's self-titled has aged like cognac. Garbage's strength is their unique sound that blends influences from 90s genres like grunge, shoegaze, noise pop, industrial rock, baggy/alt dance, IDM electronica, and even grebo. I don't think any other band really sounds like them, even though they fit snug into the generic "alternative rock" label. Shirley Manson is an extremely talented vocalist who's sultry but depressed vocals fit well with the rest of the band's music.

Very interesting sound and catchy songs. Alt rock combined with other genres.

30 seconds in I had completely fallen in love with Supervixen. My first time listening to Garbage and I really loved it. I also have Dinosaur Jrs first album 4*, and I think this one is better. There is more variety and experiment with the music. However I’m still not sure it quite hits 5*

Hade bara hört tre låtar tidigare men här finns ju ytterligare en handfull låtar som är bra.

Chick version of Nirvana. Utterly unoriginal.

Big surprise on how much I liked it. Really disliked the hits from this album, but I supposed it suffered from over exposure. 4/5

I quite liked this Original and fresh They do themselves down with their name.

I was not initially expecting to like this album. But I thought it was a fun and sunny offering that felt edgy and self aware, but also had some maturity as well. Would have been better as an EP, as a lot of the second half starts to feel like filler. But definitely good overall. Top tracks: Queer, As Heaven Is Wide, Milk

01) Supervixen - 10,0 02) Queer - 10,0 03) Only Happy When It Rains - 10,0 04) As Heaven Is Wide - 10,0 05) Not My Idea - 10,0 06) A Stroke Of Luck - 10,0 07) Vow - 10,0 08) Stupid Girl - 10,0 09) Dog New Tricks - 10,0 10) My Lover's Box - 10,0 11) Fix Me Now - 10,0 12) Milk - 10,0 TOTAL: 10,0 (100/100) Current ranking: 3/231 Finally an album that will get five stars from me, I don't even have to listen to it. But I want to, just like I've wanted to for the last 28 years that I've had it on cassette tape. I bought it in 1996 on my graduation trip to Spain and we've been hanging out ever since. The best songs on the album, in my opinion, are "Stupid Girl", "Queer" and "Milk". My dream came true in 2019 when I listened to Garbage live at the InMusic festival. They did not disappoint and Shirley Manson was and remains one of the main idols of my teenage days. A musical icon! This album goes into my personal top 10 of all time.

this is not garbage in the slightest, some great alt rock with dance and electronic influence. lots of forward thinking lyrics that are hidden within the deeper cuts of this album, worth a listen simply to listen.

That ain't garbage

Good stuff.

A good album that represents a specific time well. Some good tracks

3/10

Amazing

Mostly not garbage. A mix of bangers and boring stuff

I wouldn't call it garbage. Some sounds like Prodigy with a female lead, others just run of the mill 90s alt rock to me.

Reverby Good vocals Not garbage

Ado je n'étais pas de la team Garbage. C'était pas mon truc, ça me semblait trop "emo". Et bien force est de constater que j'avais tort sur toute la ligne ! On peut dire que j'ai vraiment découvert à la réécoute et que j'y ai pris beaucoup de plaisir. Les rythmes sont entraînants, les riffs entêtants, la voix très cool. Du rock à la sauce 90's comme on aime : une noirceur énergique avec supplément féminin : on aime !

This album definitely sounds of its time, but it's a great blend of pop and rock with some catchy singles. Not quite as good as the follow-up though

2 1/2 (y)

Great album

This has not survived the ravages of the years.

Good not great

Was surprised at how familiar it was. Must have owned it at some point, but also played it a fair bit. Overproduced, but pretty good all told. Poppy, cool and arch. I liked it, might listen to some tracks again soon.

absolutely loved this one and probably wouldn't have sought it out on my own. we need more nasty fucked up women making music please.

this album rocks. i knew only happy when it rains and stupid girl going into it but found a bunch of new great tracks. interesting lyrics, unique sounds and song structure between tracks, and vibes are on point. this is exactly what I want from 1001 albums! favorites: supervixen, queer, only happy when it rains, a stroke of luck, stupid girl, dog new tricks, milk

This is very 90s, some nostalgia on the singles for me. Garbage to me always felt very manufactured for radio friendly music, ignoring those feelings and giving it a fresh listen here. Good album, deserved all the accolades

literally garbage

grungy, cool, melodic, tough, gentle. great stuff

Brought back a lot of memories. Saw Garbage last year and the band was just as tight. Shirley Manson is a real star.

More about the zeitgeist than the music. Good enough though.

Solid, more enjoyable than expected!

welcome to the 90s. perfect for a chill, sunny sunday afternoon spent drinking and playing d&d

This is my style!

Is it early indie? Is it depressed pop rock? Is it just three guys making weird sounds with a girl singing whatever she wants on top? I'm not sure, but they found a way to make grunge sexy and that is crazy to think about. It's haunting, confusing, complicated, sad, lustful... the list goes on. A bit specific for general listening but an impressive album

Dark, sexy, dangerous - Black and Pink.

The production is brilliant, as to be expected. Though I wouldn't revisit, I get why this is a popular album.

Garbage's debut album is one of my favorite albums of all time. From beginning to end, it is fantastic.

"If God's my witness, God must be blind." Fuzzy, grimy, catchy, and charismatic. The riffs are gigantic but manage to not smother the lyrics or Shirley Manson's performances. It's hard to listen to this over 20 years later and not hear the massive influence Garbage has had, from their contemporaries to new artists. In my opinion, this is a knock-out 90s rock record. Highlights: Supervixen, Only Happy When It Rains, As Heaven Is Wide, A Stroke Of Luck, Vow, Stupid Girl, Fix Me Now

not garbage