Garbage Solidifies Their Return With the Emotionally Resonant ‘Strange Little Birds’

Matt Matasci

It always feels like a big event when the Scottish-American alternative rock group Garbage releases an album. This can be partially attributed to the generous spacing between studio full-lengths – waiting three, four, even seven years between releases. Most bands stick to the “every-other-year” formula, which is necessary to remain atop the consciousness of a fickle music-buying public. This release schedule is owed to many factors including a hiatus beginning in ‘08 and the group’s trans-continental lineup. Returning from their break did not change the approach of Garbage as it took another four years for the follow-up to “Not Your Kind of People” to arrive in the form of their newest LP “Strange Little Birds.”

There’s no question that this is a Garbage record when listening to the 11 songs on “Strange Little Birds.” All of the band’s trademarks are there, from the powerfully melancholy vocal approach of Shirley Manson to the quasi-industrial rhythms and atmospheres of the rest of the band, which includes Butch Vig (drums), Steve Marker (guitar) and Duke Erikson (bass). Despite keeping a strong grasp on their roots, the band also takes a step forward on their sixth album by incorporating pop and electronic elements. With songs like the synth-guided single “Empty” or the buzzing “Magnetized,” Manson and company show a willingness to gracefully evolve their trademark sound in a manner that few established rock superstars are willing to attempt.

“Sometimes” sets a strong tone for the record from the start. Beginning with a piano and string accompaniment, the song abruptly shifts into a haunting industrial grind. The masterful arranging abilities of the band (all four receive production credits) are demonstrated when the pulsating electronics are layered atop the gloomy piano intro creating a beautifully melancholy atmosphere. While the album is much more uptempo and melodic than its introduction, “Sometimes” sets the dark tone that carries throughout the 10 following tracks.

“Empty” is a perfect example of Garbage striking a balance between their past and future with choruses that feature Manson’s powerful contralto vocals and guitars that breeze by so quickly that it takes a few listens to notice just how heavy they can get. And like many of Garbage’s most beloved singles, it deals with frequently visited topics like frustration and battling inner demons. The song kicks off with a melodic line that offers a strong complement for its chorus, though morphs into a sinister-sounding chord progression during the bridges. This melding of their alternative foundation with modern electronic flourishes to create a “pop-industrial” dynamic is a pleasant shift from the long-running group.

“If I Lost You,” “Night Drive Loneliness” and “Even Though Our Love Is Doomed” slow the pace dramatically, offering some of the darkest moments on “Strange Little Birds.” “If I Lost You” goes all in with the electronic influences, foregoing any real rock instrumentation, buoyed by Manson’s pained but gorgeous vocal delivery. “Night Drive Loneliness” picks things up ever so slightly toward the end of the track, incorporating a more traditional Garbage-style chorus but still stands out as one of the slowest numbers on the album. “Even Though Our Love Is Doomed” features the titular line from the album “Such strange little birds/Devoured by our obsessions.” A seemingly cryptic line, it relates to the song’s theme of a faltering relationship that despite growing dull is all the pair have to live for.

Despite decades into their career together, there is never a moment on “Strange Little Birds” that feels like the band simply “reheated” older work and presented it as a new dish. Despite moving into new directions with this album as well as avoiding any rehashing of the past, this is still very much a “Garbage” record. In fact, one that is so solid it should rank alongside their first two records as the best in their history.

Garbage’s “Strange Little Birds” is available from Apple Music on June 10.