CD of The Week

"Only Happy When It Rains" hits a little differently now, doesn't it? Still one of Garbage's most iconic songs, it finds Shirley Manson inviting and even reveling in the idea of sadness and strife in her life. But what happens when it starts to pour? Indeed, we're 30 years out (?!) from that first plea for misery, and reality keeps acquiescing in abundance. As if this country's full faceplant into fascism wasn't enough, Manson has had to undergo multiple hip-replacement surgeries after onstage injuries sustained in recent years, forcing her to write and record her vocals for Let All That We Imagine Be The Light completely separate from her bandmates as well as delay plans to tour. Furthermore, this period of isolation overlapped with the death of her beloved dog, Veela. Rain? Try a flood. Most people would get swept away in it. But Shirley, Butch, Steve, and Duke have always known how to swim against the currents of the world's attempts to weigh them down, and they've generously offered a lifeline to the rest of us on their latest release just when we need it most.

Indeed, the band flips its initial mission statement inside out and explores what it takes to be happy despite the stormy weather outside. Lead single "There's No Future In Optimism" sets a scene of darkness and chaos, then boldly suggests going out and dancing anyway. In other words, forget the future for a minute and focus on finding good in your present worth preserving, preferably with community or chosen family. "Hold" nails a similar sentiment more bluntly, beckoning the listener to "just hold on tight for our dear life". The sonics around these themes match their weathered warmth, glimmering with all of the glam and grunge textures that propelled Garbage to stardom in the first place while still boasting flashes of well-tailored experimentation. "Radical", for instance, pulls off a dash of sludge that ironically echoes darker, doomier bands while offering the album's titular sentiment. "Sisyphus", meanwhile, sees austere strings blossom into crystalline trip-hop as Shirley gives herself and us a pep talk for any number of rainy days: "This little body of mine is going to make things right."

It's not all hope, mind you. Manson still has plenty of time to call out the tedium of misogyny on "Chinese Fire Horse" with a sing-song snarl worthy of Elastica. She turns to all of the people who carry water for the patriarchy on the literally slurping "R U Happy Now," putting out a call for introspection from those privileged enough to tune out the noise that consumes the rest of us. But again, Manson comes back to the idea of chosen family and how important it can be. Closing ballad "The Day I Met God" recounts Manson's moment of epiphany while on Tramadol during her recovery, seeing God as the faces of everyone she ever loved. That love, Garbage suggests, may be all that we have to hold onto as the world continues to burn, but it'll also be invaluable in sifting through the ashes. Shirley declares that "there's no future that can't be designed with some imagination and a beautiful mind." Let All That We Imagine Be The Light is a peak example of what a band of Garbage's tenure can still design with their own imagination, and listening to it is almost enough to convince you that maybe we'll figure out a way forward yet, even if we'll still need an umbrella.

Garbage returns to Philadelphia at Franklin Music Hall on September 16th with Starcrawler opening up.