Garbage- beautifulgarbage

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Nearly 10 years ago Garbage released their third album, beautifulgarbage. Many seem to have overlooked just how wonderful this album is. October 1st sees the 10 year anniversary of its release, so I’m getting in early (or late…depends on how you look at it) to explain why and how this is a remarkable album that you need in your collection.

 

I was about 8 or 9 when I first heard of Garbage. I remember seeing them on MTV in 1995 and just being in awe of the sound and I instantly fell in love with Shirley Manson. Maybe she’s the reason why I’m gay, or maybe it’s because my mum used to play kd lang around the house- so many reasons, none of which need discussing.

Anyway.

Garbage are one of the few bands I have been a fan with from the start. I grew up with them. I like to think I learnt a lot from Shirley’s lyrics. Songs such as Medication, You Look So Fine, The Trick Is To Keep Breathing, Metal Heart- well they mean the world to me, and I’m not entirely sure if I could even begin to explain how so.

 

Beautifulgarbage opens with Shut Your Mouth. The way Shirley sings here is pretty much like always, “I’ll act like I don’t give a fuck, but I fucking do.” And I think a lot of us live that way, feel that way towards people and their actions. There’s always going to be someone in our lives that we like to act like they do not matter to us anymore, that their actions and words are meaningless- but deep down, it’s the opposite. The feeling fades in time, trust me.

 

The album is full of heartbreaking songs which I feel paint the picture of a horrific break up, I know the vast majority of break ups are horrific but some can be liberating. Either way, someone always gets hurt. Not every song is about a break up here, obviously. Androgyny, So Like A Rose, Parade to name a few aren’t.

Nobody Loves You ends with one of the most gorgeous lines to have ever fallen from Shirley’s mouth, “Coughing up feeling just for you, to find something real to hold on to. But there is a hole inside my heart, where waves of my love come tumbling out.” This is so painfully accurate. I suppose we have all had someone we try to cling onto, and any gaps within ourselves we just urge some kind of feeling- whether it be love or just the ability to care, to just come out. You put all you have into feeling that maybe, you just don’t feel.
“You say that all the good is gone, that I have forgotten who I am. Free as a bird, wild as the wind. But somehow I cannot let you in.” You see that this person cares for you, but no way and no how- you cannot let them in. I guess some people cannot be let in. It happens to us all, no matter how strong you are.

 

So Like A Rose is euphoric. The build up in these 6 minutes is beautiful and hurtful. There is something about the ending of the song which makes you feel like you are floating through air. “Sleeping with ghosts, it’s such a lonely experience. The stars are out tonight, only they can hear you breathing.” The only comfort you have are ghosts (if you believe in them) and the stars. That’s all you have, but hearing it in this song makes you feel less alone.

 

If there’s one song by Garbage that is going to break your heart, then it’ll be Cup Of Coffee. It opens with such such gut wrenching line, “You tell me you don’t love me over a cup of coffee and I just have to look away.” This pretty much sets the tone for the whole song. Someone tells you it’s over, but the song isn’t about the break up, it’s about what you feel afterwards. The emptiness that this person has left you to feel, all alone. You walk the streets that you know they will walk on, you walk past their home- but you keep going because it hurts too much to stand and look.

“So no of course we can’t be friends, not while I still feel like this. I guess I always knew the score. This is where our story ends.”Then the person wants you to still be friends even though they’ve metaphorically ripped you apart. Friendship? No thanks love, move on. You always knew it would end, because most things do.

 

The album is full of insecurities and the like, which is probably why I hold this album so very close to me. Drive You Home projects these insecurities extremely well. “I got down on myself, working too hard. Driving myself to death, trying to beat out the faults in my head. What a mess I’ve made. Sure we all make mistakes. But they see me so large that they think I’m immune to the pain.” You work so hard and put as much of yourself you can into being better and to stop fucking up, but the truth is- you will fuck up. You’re human, it’s what you do. Yet, people perceive you to be someone who doesn’t feel the pain of mistakes, but you feel it. You feel it more than most. You just know how to hide. “I never said I was perfect, but I can drive you home.” You know you’re not perfect, but who is? But you know that you can make the one you love/care for feel safe, even if you are carrying a shitload of insecurities around with you.

 

The album is gloriously heartbreaking and you need it. It’s as important as Garbage, Version 2.0 and Bleed Like Me. I’ll never understand why beautifulgarbage was always overlooked. Maybe it’s not as raw as the first two albums, but to the true Garbage fan- it’s everything they want. Any album or single, any piece of music they get from Garbage is a blessing. Garbage are like The Smiths- to love them, you love them for life. You don’t just like the one song. You love everything they do. You love the B-Sides such as Trip My Wire and Soldier Through This. Everything they do is important to you. Their lyrics provide comfort on good and bad days. You’d be lost without this band. That’s what makes me love Garbage. They can say how I feel and think, because sometimes I don’t know how to, and that- that is what makes a band like Garbage standout from others. Everyone has a band like this, which means the universe to them.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

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Every part of me hated writing this, but I had to get it out. I’m fully aware how crap it reads, but it had to be done. I suppose. I guess I just wanted to write about how much this song means to me right now.

Currently everything feels ever so wrong. When I get this, I have no choice but to use a band or singer to be my crutch.

Usually it’s The Strokes, Morrissey, Metric, Bob Dylan and Cat Power.

Now? Now I’m using The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Why? Well, because right now, they’re the only band I listen to that vocalise every ounce of hurt and disappointment I feel. Nobody I know listens to them, so that makes my attachment to this band less painful, I suppose.

 

I’ll just start with a song off their new album, Belong. Heart In Your Heartbreak is the one song in the world that makes me feel less alone and slightly okay- even if I do want to have some form of outburst when I listen to it. Everything about this song just reaches me in a way nothing or no one has. Or maybe, I just can’t let them. A song won’t let you down, but a person will.

“And there’s no use to say just how much it kills, when it still kills all the same. Every thought of her name like a hand to an open flame.” Something so simple can just sum up the immense pain of having your heart torn out. Someone mentions the person, and every part of you aches-in a bad way. When someone used to mention them, and you were happy. Now? Even just their name makes you feel awful.

The chorus. Fuck. The chorus is just a massive ode to a mistake. We’ve all made them haven’t we? We’ve all given a part of ourselves that don’t deserve it, but at the time- you feel it is right. I still think it was, and always will be. Anyway, chorus:

“She was the heart in your heartbreak. She was the miss in your mistake. And no matter what you take, you’re never going to forget.” She was once everything, but you were nothing. You can get drunk out of your mind, do whatever- but you cannot forget this person. It’s an internal war that will not get out.
“She was the tear in a rainstorm. She was the promise that you would’ve sworn. And no matter what you say, it’s never gonna come back.” They make you cry, you’d make promises for them- to them, and you never make promises. You can bend over backwards until you crumble for them- but they will never be yours. You know why? Because they probably never were.

 

Then you realise, you are utterly alone in this feeling. Yes others have felt the same, but you are entirely alone. But you’ve got this song to carry you through. Hell…you want to stand outside said person’s window with this song playing, just so they understand how crap you feel. But you know, sooner or later they’ll feel the same. You won’t be an empathetic shoulder for them to cry on, or will you? Probably because you’re a pushover.

Anyway, this part sums up the loneliness and shame you feel: “And your friends don’t understand that the world could end, and it would feel no worse than this. Every thought of the look in her eye, like a cold California sky.” It’s lovely and it helps having good people around, but nobody can shift this cloud of awfulness over you at all. Nothing and nobody has the answers. Maybe it isn’t answers you want. You just feel like you’ve lost one of the best things you had, except you didn’t really have it. You were close. You fell, and you fell alone. The falling part was great, but you hit the ground and as you hit the concrete- you had parts of you damaged that you don’t see any point in fixing.

 

“And no matter what you pray, it’s never gonna take the pain away. And even if she’d stay, you know it’s wrong. And no matter what you pray, it’s never gonna take the pain away. ‘Cause even if she’d stay, you know she’s gone.” And if by some strange stroke of luck they decided they wanted you, you know deep down it just wouldn’t be right, it’d be no good. You’re too hurt to call them let alone let them back in. Maybe in time. But wanting them to leave the one they are with, and come back to you is just wishful and stupid thinking isn’t it.

 

So in time, you’ll be alright. Or so they say. But you’ve been here a few times before that whatever faith you had, well, it’s nonexistent. Maybe you’ll function better carrying a bit of pain around. Maybe it’ll make you a better person, toughen up.

Whatever it’ll do to you, you just have to make sure that you act like it doesn’t matter and it never happened.

Until you get there, you’ll just play this song over and over

 

Trentemøller

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Lyrics are a vital thing for me. There is something comforting about someone else vocalising your frustrations, pains, highs,lows and disappointments. This is probably why I love lyricists such as Morrissey, Bob Dylan etc. However, recently I have found myself enjoying just music. No words. Just beautiful, haunting sounds that are equally as comforting as words from another.

One artist in particular that I currently cannot go a day without listening to is Trentemøller. He’s a Danish producer/ electro musician. His debut album came out in 2006, and his second album came out last year. Pretty big gap, right? Regardless, it was worth the wait. With musicians like him, it is always worth the wait. He’s remixed so many artists from Depeche Mode to Röyksopp. Everything he touches, he makes utterly beautiful. I’ve honestly never felt this towards an artist before. Yes I adore Morrissey- but my love for him is different. With Morrissey-well, he just tells my life story constantly. With Trentemøller, it is like being thrown onto another planet. No words to comfort you, just these glorious sounds that you can create your own meaning from.

Take Me In is my favourite. The fact it lasts just over 7 minutes makes me very happy. I love songs that last that long. The song is utterly euphoric. I’ve been playing it all day. I just want to stop people, and make them away of his genius ways. Bloody wonderful.

Miss You was the first track I heard. I found it by accident. I have no idea what I was listening to when I found it, I may have been listening to Burial and this song was recommended. It’s just gorgeous.

This is the kind of music where you just sit and do nothing to. Close your eyes, ignore the world and give all your thoughts and energy to the music.

You don’t always need words to express how you feel.

Summer Camp- I Want You.

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Since February this year I have been obsessed with a song by Summer Camp called, I Want You. No day has gone by where I haven’t played this over and over every single day. There is so much that I love about this song, it just causes every part of me to be entirely happy. The lyrics, the girl’s voice, the music- everything. When it kicks in- it blows your mind. Then when it ends you play it all over again just so you can get that “Fuck me, this is out of this world” feeling all over again.

“If I could i’d kiss your lips so hard your entire face would bruise.” Such a gorgeous line. We’ve all had someone in our lives that we just want. Nothing else, no one else is enough- just that one person. You want to hold them so fucking close, so you’re part of them for a while. The desperation in this song is heartbreaking, anyone who cannot relate to it clearly has a heart of stone.

When the bass comes in, it just transforms this song into one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time. It’s just stunning from start to finish. Forget wanting a person so badly it hurts, I just want to play this over and over- when I’m not listening to this, nothing feels right. Extreme? Possibly. I just can’t get enough of this song.

It’s simple yet at the same time utterly complex. “You’re so smart, you break my heart.”– that line means a lot to me right now, for too many personal reasons.

It’s only April, but it’s my song of the summer. More than likely my song of the year too.

Burial.

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There’s something about the music that Burial creates that just makes everything alright again. You can just sit or lay in the dark listening to his music, and everything just seems to fall into place even when it is so far from that. The sound is like a wave of comfort that no other musician has ever created. Does this sound extreme? Good, because that means you’re not listening closely enough if you don’t see…well, hear it.

A lot of music that you love hits you in your heart and you just feel it, it sinks into the pit of your stomach. It’s like that feeling you get when you’re around someone you become fond of, butterflies I suppose. The feeling you get from hearing a certain piece of music or your favourite band in general can cause you to react in a way that leaves others looking at you as if you are mental. Or maybe I’m alone in this, more than likely.

Anyway, Burial’s music doesn’t hit you in the heart- it goes deeper. It gets you right in your soul. That part of you that you never thought a piece of music could get you, he does exactly that. You don’t expect it. You shun him because you think, “Oh it’s dub step or whatever- it holds no substance.” Bullshit. Utter bullshit. Burial is remarkable. If you can’t see it now, after all these years- then I have no idea what will make you see it.

Oh I know what will- try listening to Ego or Mirrors- the two tracks he recently did with Four Tet and Thom Yorke. Seriously, if those two tracks do nothing to you, then you have no soul. And you more than likely need a hearing test too.

Burial is perfect music to just ease your brain, to make everything seem normal for once. It’s perfect escape music. Get on a train or lay on your bed- play his music and shut your eyes. Good music throws you into a different world; it takes you on a journey, where only you and this piece of music exist.

His sound is quite dark, yet at the same time distinctly euphoric. There are not many vocals in his songs, and although I love words- sometimes it’s nice to just have a sound rather than a voice. A sound can make you take what you want from it. It can cause you to create your own meaning rather than listen to a song about having your heart torn out and feeling the same desperation as the singer. With Burial, the sound takes you and you make it your own. You create what it means to you. That, makes a brilliant artist.

The Strokes.

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My love for The Strokes started when everyone else’s did, in 2001. I remember first hearing Someday and wishing I was a teenager in New York rather than the Isle Of Man. Being a teenager in Grimsby would’ve been better than the Isle Of Man, anyway- moving on.

Their debut album, Is This It did something to me that has lasted 10 years. It has been an album I go to when everything seems a bit shit. The frustration I hear in Julian’s voice and the lyrics means so much to me. As a result, I have Is This It tattooed on my wrist. I know it sounds oh so morbid, but maybe it’s just my sick sense of humour coming through.

Many websites and magazines have constantly said how important Is This It is, ignored Room On Fire and just destroyed First Impressions Of Earth.

It’s about time this is put right.

I’ll start with First Impressions. Basically, it pisses me off and wounds me when people just dismiss it. Have you not listened to Juicebox? Have you ignored the beautiful lyrics of Evening Sun? What about Razorblade? Seriously, it is an amazing album. If you hate it, I doubt my words will make you change your view. Try and give it one more listen before you dismiss it and you will see just how wonderful it is.

Room On Fire. Overlooked slightly I feel. The End Has No End, Between Love & Hate, Meet Me In The Bathroom- why isn’t this album held up as high as Is This It?

All of their albums, including Angles have that mind blowing raw, aggressive New York sound. Many have tried to copy it, but they cannot master it. The Strokes have, with every single album.

Jules’ voice is everything I want in a singer. He just sings every word with frustration and a lot of feeling- yet at the same time, just makes it look like he doesn’t give a shit. Yet you know he does. On The Other Side is one of my favourites, “I hate them all.I hate myself, for hating them. So I’ll drink some more. I love them all. I’ll drink even more. I’ll hate them even more than I did before.” The sheer disappointment in his voice here, that seems directed at himself, well- it is something we can all relate to. That’s why I love First Impressions Of Earth so much. Out of all 4 albums, this one just pours out with disappointment and frustration.

Each band member just makes everything they do look so effortless and natural but at the same time you can see how much they love what they are doing. Everything about them is easy to relate to. A lot prefer to hold musicians away from reality, but I think it’s good to feel like you can relate to them. In a way, it just makes you feel less alone.

You get bands such as The Smiths, Velvet Underground, Ramones, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus & Mary Chain etc who just change everything in music. They are rare and so many try to copy them over and over, but there will never be anyone quite like them again. I feel The Strokes fall into a list of bands just like that. There will never be another band like The Strokes.

Their solo projects made me think, “this cannot be the end” cue a few panic attacks, but their solo projects were stunning. All of them. Then a week ago, we were finally blessed with Angles. No it isn’t like Is This It. You know why? Because that was 10 years ago. They’ve grown up, got married, and had children- they’ve changed. If you fell in love with them 10 years ago like I did, then nothing in the world is going to stop you from loving them now.

The Strokes to me are what The Smiths and Garbage are to me. My crutch. They are the three bands I go to when everything is wrong, besides it’s a lot better than bothering a friend. I love a lot of bands and different kinds of music, but there is something about The Strokes that just have everything I want. It’s like finding your dream home in the perfect location. That’s right, music means more to me than where I live (to an extent…I don’t want to live in a cardboard box!)

If/when they split up, I have no idea what I will do- I’m just thankful I’ve had a band like The Strokes to be everything I want and more.

James Blake.

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James Blake has caused me to appreciate a side of music that I ignored for a while. I’ve always paid close attention to lyrics. Lyrics are important to me. I find other people’s words fascinating- mainly because my own can be quite invalid. Hearing how another says a certain word to make it have more meaning than it used to, well, it impresses me.

However, along comes James Blake and all I can hear is layers and layers of amazing sounds that cause me to feel something strange. I’m not entirely sure if I’m going to be able to word this successfully, but I’m going to try.

 

The sounds are haunting. The way his voice echoes over the music causes your body to just freeze and you think “BLOODY HELL!” Obviously language may be slightly more vulgar, but you know what I mean (my mum may read this and I don’t want to swear too much!)

When I first heard Tell Her Safe it felt like I could believe in new music again. I played it over and over for weeks but there was nobody I knew I could share it with because well, nobody would care. So I kept it to myself, as usual. Everything about him is quite indescribable; no words can express what his music does to you. It just elevates your soul and nothing around you actually matters. All that matters is this piece of music that James Blake has created.

 

I have mixed feelings about seeing him live. Whilst I am fully aware it’d be a glorious experience, I like the feeling of escaping listening to his music in the dark through headphones drifting in and out of sleep. I think if I fell asleep at a gig (again) it’d be frowned upon. It’s an internal battle that I’ll have until I decide to see him.

 

Limit To Your Love is a lovely cover; however one cover that surpasses this is A Case Of You, originally by the wonderful Joni Mitchell. It’s just gorgeous. There is something about it that reminds me of Antony & The Johnsons. I’m probably alone in this, as usual. However comparing this cover to Antony & The Johnsons means it is THAT mind blowing. I’m not a fan of Feist, so when I heard he had covered one of his songs part of me didn’t want to know, but it works. I’m not exactly the world’s biggest fan of covers, yet there are a select few that eclipse the original.

 

What Was It You Said About Luck is my favourite (for now…it will change, it always does.) a vulnerable voice over a keyboard is something that you cannot fault, ever. Unless the singer is shite, obviously!

 

Just because James Blake did not win BBC’s Sound Of 2011 doesn’t mean you should ignore him- or the others that didn’t win. Just because the winner is thrown at you constantly, doesn’t mean it is good (I’m not slagging off Jessie J, she can sing- I’m just not a fan of her songs) but seriously- give James Blake your attention. Buy his album, turn off the lights, listen closely and allow the music to take you somewhere. Somewhere better.

 

 

The Kills- Blood Pressures.

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This may or may not be a biased review of The Kills’ new album, only because they are one of my favourite bands ever. Their 3 albums (No Wow, Keep On Your Mean Side and Midnight Boom) are works of genius. Maybe I’m in the minority that feel that way- aside from fellow fans of The Kills.

 

In 2008, Midnight Boom was my favourite album of the year. In 2011, Blood Pressures became my favourite album of the year.

The Kills are a band that you cannot help but admire. I don’t think I could trust anyone who couldn’t see the beauty and genius in Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. They make so much noise for two people. They’ve proven over and over that you do not need to have 5 people in a group to create something so utterly fascinating.

The Kills do have a significant sound. It sounds violent, dirty, passionate and raw. For me, that makes a band. If they can create something that sounds like a brawl, then I will probably love them.

 

A lot of fans have said that Blood Pressures is The Kills going back to the sound of No Wow and Keep On Your Mean Side. To an extent, maybe this is true. I just see it as progression. To me, it sounds like a bigger version of Midnight Boom. The Kills create music that makes you want to either beat someone up or tear your clothes off, and someone else’s. I’m sure this says more about me than them by saying this, I don’t care. I just love the bones of this band. Everything about them is all I want in a band. They just ooze purity.

 

The album starts with Future Starts Slow which is like a massive kick in the face. It’s big, it’s brutal. The album is so bloody fearless and vulnerable. “But I’ll never give you up .If I ever give you up my heart will surely fail.” That’s one of my favourite lines from the album. The way Jamie and Alison have a way to just deliver the most heartbreaking line over the most aggressive sound is mind blowing. From the start, you just know that this album is going to own every part of you.

Personally, my favourite track off the album is The Last Goodbye. When The Kills do slow songs, they do them extremely well and in a way that just tugs at your heartstrings. The song sounds almost like a hymn, just the way Alison sings such personal, heart-felt lyrics is enough to make the strongest person get teary eyed. The line, “How can I rely on my heart if I break it with my own two hands?” Is so painfully true and it hits you in the gut. You really feel her pain in this song. That line is easily my favourite from the album. The sheer honesty is, well, there are no words. You have to hear it for yourself. I can only imagine how beautiful yet hurtful this will be live.

 

I could easily go into depth about each song on this album, but it’d bore you to death. Just trust me that you need this album in your life. It makes me want to drive off somewhere, except I can’t drive so I suppose I’ll have to make do with going on a train. It’s got a road trip feel to it; a lot of their songs give off that vibe.

Also, go see them on tour in May. It is the most intense thing you will ever see. You will be in awe of Alison and Jamie’s chemistry. You’ll go home wishing you had someone with that kind of connection with, it’s astounding.

 

Maybe this review is biased, but it isn’t wrong. From start to finish Blood Pressures has you in some kind of trance and when it ends- you just press play again, and again.

2011.

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These are some artists who I hope to be big in 2011.

Anna Calvi- for the past 2 and a bit years I’ve been in love with her music. I hope this year people start paying attention.

The Vaccines

Tribes

Clare Maguire

Starsmith

CocknBullKid

Esben And The Witch- Like Anna Calvi, I’ve been into these guys for a long time…please 2011..make them massive!

Doll & The Kicks- I’m not going to ever stop promoting this band. They need to be signed. They’re the hardest working band I’ve ever heard of. They just need YOU to listen to them and support them.

Is Tropical

Foreign Office.

Spark

Katy B

There. That’s my list. Go listen to them. Spread the word.