Version 2.0

Not as good as their debut, but still a decent listen.

The sequels sometimes are better than the original.

I was surprised how many of these tracks I remembered; there were either a lot of singles from this album, or maybe I owned it at some point. Still mostly holds up, Manson is a good frontperson.

Even though this is labeled as pop rock, it’s got a definite grungy edge that makes its catchiness hit even harder. It kinda reminds me of Pulp without the whininess. When I listened to Garbage’s debut on the official list I felt it was just barely short of five stars. Their follow up nails it.

This is a bland version of their album on the original list, which wasn't even that great (3 stars from me).

Man this one takes me back. This was definitely the album that got me interested in Garbage, as I really liked the way they were experimenting with electronic music and programming in this era. In retrospect, I now feel like their debut is probably the better album but there's still some great nostalgia listening to this album again after so many years.

Couple decent songs but overall overrated band

I guess for something called "Garbage" it was better than I had thought it would be? I think I was ready to have a strong negative opinion but I ended up just being.. bored? Throughout the album her voice became increasingly annoying and lazy sounding. I did like the beginning of the song 'You Look So Fire' - it was creepy and cool. That's all I have.

Garbage were just sort of *there* for me in the 90s (although they were kinda everywhere) but upon further review I hated that album. Shallow insincere cookie-cutter slice-and-dice production which ... I don't know, maybe this was cool at the time? I'm old and that was a long-ass time ago and anyways getting to this album of more of the same bullshit boring braindead "alt rock" songs....I thought that when you release 2.0 of a product it is supposed to smooth out the mistakes, fix the bugs, address the customer's needs and wants. Only the Butch Vig connection (stupid) and Shirley Manson's "cool" (annoying) attitude made the media and record industry push this band over a ton of far-better 90s acts sadly lost in the shuffle - it wasn't her singing that's for sure, she's not good. Will give slight credit to "Special" - that song is average/alright but not anything sp... Pass - terrible. 3/10 1 star. IMO: Belonged in the book? No.

I like this much more than their self-titled tbqh (but I do wonder if I should revisit that one too cause I feel like I *should* like it more)

I have seen this album cover a number of times when I would browse music stores. (See kids, back in the day we used to BUY our music instead of getting from Spotify.). It looked like one of those little LEGO plates you would build stuff on, which I thought was odd. But let's talk about the music, right? It's surprisingly good. There's a good bit of range in the songs, definitely a progression from the previous album (thinking of the BIG song "I'm Only Happy When It Rains"). The whole move from grunge to something different is very admirable. Good choice for the list. Top songs: "I Think I'm Paranoid," "Medication," "Push It," "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing"

I was pleasantly surprised by Garbage’s self-titled album on the main list, so I’m happy that I’ll get to check out another album from them. But what really excites me about this album is that it has “When I Grow Up” on it. I can’t remember when I first heard that song, but I’ve loved it ever since. Man, what a jam. Enough of my musings though, let’s fire this up! I didn’t fall in love with Version 2.0, but I did enjoy listening to this, and I thought it was a really solid alt rock record. It’s been so long since I listened to this album’s predecessor that I don’t think I can accurately say which one I enjoyed more, but if I had to give one of them the edge, I’d give it to 2.0 solely for “When I Grow Up.” “When I Grow Up” has everything I want in a song: slick guitar playing, shimmering synthesizers, and a pulse-pounding drum beat. On top of that, Shirley Manson’s vocals are top-notch, and I love signing along (poorly) to this song every time I hear it. But that’s not the only good song on this album; “Temptation Waits,” “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Medication,” “Special,” and “The Trick Is To Keep Breathing” are all really good. Overall, I really dig the way Garbage arranges and layers their guitars, keyboards, and synths. The alt-rock landscape was so crowded in the late nineties, but Garbage has a unique sound that no one else could duplicate, and I think they owe that to the influence of shoegaze and eighties synthpop. Version 2.0 is a solid rock record, and while it does have some filler, the best parts of it really soar.

Garbage's Version 2.0 is a nostalgia bang when the hits come out, a bunch of their stuff sounds like it could define an era, but I don't think the rest of the album stands up to the same quality. I think it's better than the self-titled album we had on the main list which I gave 3/5, this is just a higher 3/5.

De är pålitliga. Plattan på originallistan är bra. Denna platta är också bra. Tror jag har den liggandes någonstans i gömmorna.

Es un estilo un tanto peculiar y diferente. Con canciones buenas, y que seguro que con más pasadas de escucha, ganaría más enteros. Le vamos a dejar con buena nota. Variedad de rock suave, algo de electrónica y muy buena conjunción.

Solidan alt rock

Comparing this with the selftitled... I'm certainly less impressed, bummer

I enjoyed this album but always felt Garbage's first album was their best. It's good but the original belongs on the list. 3/5

My first reaction before listening was that this wouldn't be as good as Garbage's self-titled debut, and it turned out I didn't give that a great review on the original list. But when I actually listened to "Version 2.0," I found that I was familiar with most of it, and generally enjoyed it. "Stupid Girl" and "Only Happy When it Rains" are a bit played out and annoying, but I didn't feel that way about any of "Version 2.0's" more popular songs. I gave "Garbage" another try afterwards, and while it may have deserved more than a 3, I still prefer "Version 2.0" - overall the band finds a pretty good balance between industrial rock and electropop, sprinkle in a bit of shoegaze, punk, and power pop, and somehow blend it all up for a pretty even and consistent vibe. Somehow simultaneously unique while blending a lot of diverse influences and also inspiring a lot of future bands.

I like Garbage but this isn't quite up to the standard of their first album. A couple of good songs but more patchy.

Not bad,, but doesn't really add much or move things forward from the first album

Good, fun, grungepop.

Funny, I was just thinking of how I've had to wade through a lot of rubbish in this post-1001 list when I saw the next album was...garbage. Also funny how this ended up being the better album that's popped up in a while.

Great album! Such a good follow up from their first album. I've enjoyed Garbage for years and it was nice to re-visit this one.

Pretty solid album overall

It’s Garbage, so you know it’s going to have that good stank. Shirley Manson turned herself up to 10 on this disc and I think her lyrics here represent the best of the Garbage discography. I felt that the production slid backwards ever so slightly, so while I’ll rank it a star lesser than their premiere, I still think it’s one of the more hit-dense albums of the 90s.

The debut is an album we own and I gave it a 3 on the og list. I haven't spent any time with this album before now but did find it enjoyable enough to put on again in the future. Fave: When I Grow Up.

I didn't mind revisiting this. I said I'd give their first album 4.5 if that were an option, and this is more solidly a 4. Fave tracks - I think I dug the more melancholy ones on this play through, so "Medication" and "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing".

I know there was another Garbage album on the original list, and at the time I was surprised that it was on it and this album was not, as this was the only thing I was familiar with when it came to Garbage. Well turns out neither of them were albums that I needed to listen to. Very much has that strange blend of alt-rock, dance-rock, industrial, power pop that only the mid 90s could produce. Pretty tame and boring background music. This was fine I guess, just really, and squarely not for me.

Recycled.

preferred version 1.0

This is some pretty mediocre pop/rock. Could be from a local bar band that only plays on weekends. I'm really not sure what the appeal of Garbage is. I didn't get it in the 90's and I don't get it now.

Dug it far more than anticipated. 4/5

Another band I’ve been well aware of but never listened to a whole album before. I enjoyed it 👍

There's already enough garbage on the original list.

The Garbage album that's already on the list is better, but this is still pretty good.

This is a great album. Strong and unwavering style throughout. Length just isn’t justified. It’s close, though. One of these songs, not sure which one, could have been cut. Iconic vocals, great production, great instrumentation, original songwriting. Very nice, Garbage. 4/5

An album of it's time to be sure. But I looked it then. My wife loves it so it gets a lot of plays in our house. In the end, it's rather good for me, though a little too produced.

I get it, Garbage is a big deal in certain circles, and it doesn't hurt that the lead singer is nice to look at. Brit pop either runs hot or cold for me, and this one is cold. Not in the realm of Radiohead, but definitely not something I really enjoyed either.

I like Garbage and this album is good, but I feel like the OG album is a perfect representation. I wouldn't say no to more Garbage though. My personal rating: 4/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

finally, some “Garbage” I actually like! sorry but all the heavy metal user album just really aren’t my thing, this band is amazing tho!

The version 2.0 is an upgrade from pure rock to something more electronic-influenced. Yes, there are electric guitars with rock riffs, but the beats are noticeably more dancey with pop hooks to boot. While not great, I found it to be a lot more refreshing compared to their debut album which sounded a lot staler. By the late '90s, bands needed something more to differentiate themselves from the pack. I think Garbage took a pretty good route here. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Despite their popularity and legacy, I don't think I'd have Garbage on the list at all. Doesn't quite stand out enough in the wave of '90s alt rock.

The Butch Vig production is always so clean... solid album!

This was, okay? It's not as good as the original, but it also isn't that different? It's a re-tread more than anything, making that 2.0 feel more like a stability update more than anything, and if there's one thing I think Garbage needs, it's variety, not stability. Still, Garbage is decent, and so is this album.

September 10, 2025 HL: "I Think I'm Paranoid", "When I Grow Up", "Push It", “Special”, “You Look So Fine” They’ve done it again

I found this album to be a pleasant surprise. I liked Garbage okay when I was younger, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the other Garbage album that I got on this list. This one, however, felt really fresh and interesting with all the techno elements mixed in. 4/5 Really fun listen

Not my bag tbh but I imagine it is good fun pop

I like Garbage and I like this album but I just don't think it's anywhere near as good as their self-titled one. There's a few duff tracks on it.

Repeating a once-smashing, groundbreaking formula (here summed up as big-beat electronica + grunge guitars + pop melodies + teenage angst) is not always conducive to full artistic success the second time around. As far as this listener is concerned, most of the music in the second Garbage album lacks the tension or infectious intents that made the legendary bangers found in their debut so memorable for me. I may have an interest for the styles explored by the nineties British-American act in *Version 2.0*, but I honestly consider that the latter pales in comparison to *Garbage*, plain and simple. This underwhelming nature is all the more frustrating given the fact that Shirley Manson, Butch Vig and their colleagues try so hard to dig the exact same vein that made them sound like a fully-formed act from the get-go. Unfortunately, the results on this second LP often fail to come off as elegant or convincing enough in the long run. Style over substance is the sin I see here. Case in point: the opener "Temptation Waits", where the guitar tones sound incredibly weak compared to its obvious (extraordinary) model "Vow" on the first album. This is not a passing flaw within the album by the way. Most of the songs on the first side of the record indeed appear as vaguely defined derivations from tracks on the previous LP. "I Think I'm Paranoid" is a three-legged clone of "Only Happy When It Rains" for instance, up to its vocal lines and the contents of its lyrics. Cloning technology was the talk of the day during the nineties, was it not? Yet such tech was far from being perfected back then... Too many times, *Version 2.0* therefore sounds like a lab reenactment that turned sour -- enough to make an illusion on the charts when the thing was released, but not enough to make it stand the test of time. Subjective opinion, of course, but negative reviews must always take a chance and pretend to objectivity to get their point across. Hope I'm not ruffling too many feathers here, to take an image that's fitting to Garbage's artistry (see the first album's cover). Worse, some of the vocal hooks and choruses on the album's first half (specifically on "When I Grow Up" and "Special") are so cloying, they actually sound like fodder for annoying ad jingles, instead of material that could be used for truly likable songs. And I dare anyone here to praise or defend the processed jungle clichés of "Hammering In My Head", a cut which aged like milk, period. Embarrassing to close the first side of your LP with such a dud. Interestingly, the second side fares far better than the first, thanks to a string of four cuts that finally sees the four accomplished musicians in the band flex their songwriting muscles at last. "Push It" finally equals the hits of the debut. "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing" is a sensitive ballad akin to "A Stroke Of Luck". "Dumb" and "Sleep Together" explore minor chords-driven industrial-pop turf tense enough to justify a visit. But then Garbage inexplicably ruins that good run with a very awkward cut ("Wicked Ways", yet another dud). And to close the proceedings, you have "You Look So Fine", quite a nice ballad as well... but basically "Milk 2.0", up to its synth line! And by that late stage, such a formulaic intent to create a connective tissue with the first LP feels almost infuriating, like an avowal of creative defeat... For me, the second best album in Garbage's discography will always be *Strange Little Birds*, which was released in the quite late year of 2016. "Night Drive Loneliness", "Even Though Our Love Is Doomed" and "Magnetized" is an extraordinary run of back-to-back songs in it, for example. The first is a hypnotic, film noir-inspired gem, the second is simply put the *best ballad the band has ever written*, incredibly potent and cinematic, and the third is as powerful, dark and propulsive as anything Manson and co. have ever released when they originally broke out. Of course, *Strange Little Birds* was mostly ignored or misunderstood by "professional critics" when it came out. The hype was long gone by then, you see... Here's me hoping for a reevaluation of that one, though (is the user suggesting *Version 2.0* for this generator familiar with that other record, by the way?). I can't help adding that subsequent LPs released by the band since 2016 have been slightly more favored by said critics compared to *Strange Little Birds*, but that I don't care for them at all, oddly enough. So, all things considered, it looks like the one and only album Garbage's target audience and I can agree on is the debut. But hey, one is better than nothing, right? After all, "2.0 versions" of softwares are rarely remembered in the same endearing way as the original versions are. Their supposed "novelty" quickly wears thin in public consciousness, and they ironically appear as more quaint than the original version years or decades after the fact. It's all summed-up in the double-meaning of the word "novelty", is it not? 2/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 7/10 for more general purposes (5 + 2) Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 43 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 53 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 102 (including this one) --- Émile: voir ma toute dernière réponse sous le disque *Triage* au-dessus.

Forgot how good this album is. Many hit songs and a great time in music with bands like Garbage.

Alternative rock, synth-rock. Ni fu ni fa.

¡Bravo! Aunque un poco largo.

So many amazing and iconic songs on this album like "Push It," "Special," and "You Look So Fine." Shirley pours all her emotion into this album for you. And she's not messing around. It’s the real deal, so just listen up.

The album is perfect

I played the debut a lot back in the day, it was gritty and uptempo with some excellent lyrics. Version 2.0 never hooked me in the same way. Listening now, I get why: the production is slicker, the edges smoothed out, and some moments (like the “daddy-daddy-daddy” chorus on You Look So Fine) make my toes curl a bit. That said, this is still perfectly listenable, and in places really strong. The increased electronic touches don’t bother me at all, in fact, they fit. Special is a classic, and The Trick Is to Keep Breathing stands as one of their best songs. A solid record, but for me, it doesn’t capture the raw spark of their debut.

"Not garbage" - as you are contractually obliged to say under every positive review of this band. Not as good as their debut, but man, what a comfort band.

This should have been in the main list along with their debut self titled album. I remember buying this on its release after loving their first album. "I Think I'm Paranoid", "When I Grow Up", "Special" and "Push It" are superb tracks, the rest follow the magnificent musicality and vocal genius.

Soild 90s alt rock,

Garbage were such a weird little band. Here in the UK they were lumped in with grrl-power Britpop bands like Elastica and Lush, but in the US they were part of the post-grunge rock scene. Version 2.0 suffers from this weird lack of identity, and it feels constrained and more on the pop side of pop-rock. But "Push It" is fucking amazing.

An excellent pick for this list!

Yeah, like the internet, version 1.0 was more enjoyable! Poppier, while keeping an edge, it lacks the kick and queasiness that made me love the first album. Not bad, but not perfect.

I had not listened to this record in a really time before it came up here. I enjoyed it, but I felt like it was pretty one note throughout. So it got a little tiring for me.

I loved their debut. This one's still grungy, but leans a lot more industrial on the B-side & has a kind of euro dance/pop stink on the A-side. Both directions are very Produced, and it's worse than what the first album was doing. Still liked it a lot!

Did we get any garbage on the main list? I mean beyond the live albums and other stinkers? That’s a little list humor. This had that late 90’s charm that reminded me of the background music in certain TV shows. Hard to explain but it was a vibe.

Feel like we may have had an album from this group before, right? Not sure. It's decent though, a couple tracks I liked but struggled to hear anything special or "hear before you die" worthy. 2.5/5

Another really fun Garbage album filled with hooks and a great combination of rock and electronic production

I don’t have anything clever to say (or a joke to make about their name, which is not clever), I just like this music

Again this is nothing special. Interesting 90s quirky rock/pop. They have one album already in the 1001 but do we need two? I think not.

I liked their first more, but not much more.

It's tempting to say that this record is only 5 or 10 years old - but no, it's coming up to thirty years since this hit the shops, and I remember it well. Well. I remember Shirley Manson. "Garbage" (by Garbage) is an album that I listened to a fair bit back in the 90s, and, it turns out, I listened to Version 2.0 a lot more, because putting this on for the first time in years was like slipping into a warm friend. The first track is nothing special. Manson's voice sounds almost like it's coming from underwater, with pretty heavy vocoder effects. Things get much better, though. The vocals definitely become cleaner and clearer, and that's brilliant.. Because when they do, especially during "Hammering in my head", those vocals are dirty, urgent and delicious. The second half of the album is as tellingly placed in the late 90s as any music could be. I grew up with it, and going back to it is great. This is actually a much better album than Garbage, so I'm happy with it being suggested.

Never gave Garbage a chance. Should have. This is pretty solid.

Was never a huge Grabage fan but it does remind me of my best friend who was a fan, so that’s nice.

Not sure why I ignored this album. It’s quite good

A nice bit of nostalgia.

Not garbage!

Bleh. I hate Garbage. And they already have their supposedly "best" or at least most commercially successful album on the O.G. list. This is a wasted pick. Garbage is still garbage to me.

A great re-listen

I bought this album when I was a teenager but didn't give it enough of a chance. It was more lo-fi than the I was used to and my brother teased me for listening to it. God knows why. It was certainly a bit rich coming from someone that used to play The Thong Song on repeat. Packed full of catchy electro pop rock songs, this is pretty good. I prefer it to their eponymous debut. Rating: 3.5 Playlist track: When I Grow Up Date listened: 18/11/24

Listened to this all the way through the very first time. There's a certain excitement to opening a CD, and this cover was especially interesting because it was textured and tactile. Crazy, I know.

Great album. Really like the electronic alt pop/rock vibe and Shirley Manson's delivery. They do as well in the higher energy tracks (I'm Think I'm Paranoid, Push It), as well as the slower tempo ones, such as The Trick is to Keep Breathing. Enjoyed this from start to finish.

Geggjað dæmi!

I gave the Garbage debut a 5 on my list, and I think I prefer that one to this one. A few songs just don't stick right with me ("When I Grow Up" is a little too bubblegum for my taste), and I'm not crazy about the songs that interpolate classics (i.e. "Push It" with The Beach Boys, "Sleep Together" with Romeo Void), but the other songs continue the gritty, self-confident pop-industrial sound that I liked so much on the debut. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Medication", "Dumb"

Alternative rock, synth-rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Not so garbage

I vaguely remember the garbage album on the list so I’m pretty sure it’s pop punk dance type stuff and this felt more electronica and techno but still similar to the first album. Nothing stood out too much to me but I’ve been very outspoken on my enjoyment of this type of female rock. The thirteen cover would make a cool duet with the original tho.

I like the debut album better. Nice thing about this one is you feel there is some more coherence between the music, lyrics and vocal melodies as Shirley Manson was involved from the beginning.

My take on this album is very much the same as their debut album, which is that I love it. In fact, I shall repeat that review as it fits here too: "This is Garbage!" is what anyone would exclaim upon hearing the shortest snippet of this instantly recognizable band. I don't even know how to describe their music except to say that they sound like they'd make a great James Bond theme, which of course, they did. When this album came out, it sounded very edgy and very new, while still being something you could dance to. It still sounds great, and now I want to listen to more Garbage.

Not garbage.

We listened to Garbage’s debut album on the official 1001 list… and I was really happy to see it there… but this is my all-time favorite from Garbage. Perhaps it was because I discovered Garbage when this album came out and spent more than a year with it glued into my CD player… feeling like the baddest badass around… Yes, I love their debut album, but I love this one even more! Thanks for adding it!

A decent album by the hilariously named Garbage. I’ve heard of a few of these songs before mainly in movies but this whole album was not that bad. Pretty shocked it was nominated for album of the year so not sure if it was a down year or the Grammys used to have taste outside of the top 40s. To me there’s better 90s alternative out there. This was a bit too upbeat yet trying to be edgy for me. I’d rather have more hardcore instrumentals with these lyrics. 5.9/10

I think Version 2.0 is much better than their first album, in my opinion both should have been included in the 1001 list. One of my favorite albums of all time.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: I think I’m paranoid, Special, You look so fine

Their 1st excellent album is on the main list (I scored it 4 and felt it hadn’t dated, contrary to some other reviewers). This is still very pop with synths and chiming guitars that are not too heavy, but have an industrial edge. Surprising number of radio hits.

Energetic, catchy and mildly trippy. Enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Special, You Look So Fine, I Think I'm Paranoid, The Trick Is to Keep Breathing, Sleep Together, Temptation Waits

I'm a little torn on this one, Garbage always felt a little over pushed, however I was 15 when this came out and the hot goth girls were all into it so will always have a special place in my heart plus some great singalongable singles.

I always found echo Elly to be a more interesting version of garbage

It was an alright album. I would visit it again although no one song stood out in particular

This album was fine, but I didn’t think it added anything that the Garbage album on this list didn’t already cover. Having said that, this scope of this album is huge and the fact that it works as well as it does is a great achievement.

Fuck and yes! It's like my dad always said. You can't please anyone so you've got to please yourself. He might have been talking about orgasms now that I think about it.

While there are some fun early-00’s bops on here, none of them rise above what I would’ve expected for the era. A good time but not wholly memorable all in all.