Garbage went through hell and back during the making of this album, mainly because half of them walked out in the middle. Given all that, it's a minor miracle that it sounds as urgent and focused as it does. The band have effectively gone back to basics, dropping the loops and samples in favour of the melodic grunge-rock that made them so successful in the first place. But by far the most interesting thing about Garbage has always been their singer Shirley Manson, and Bleed Like Me shows that the Scottish supervixen is as charismatic as ever. Whether she's sulking as a misunderstood outsider, lamenting the end of a relationship or taking world leaders to task for fighting like little boys, Manson's vocals can turn even a workaday tune into something compelling and memorable. Let's hope they stay friends, because Garbage are too good a band to lose.
