Track Listing

1. Bad Boyfriend
2. Run Baby Run
3. Right Between the Eyes
4. Why Do You Love Me
5. Bleed Like Me
6. Metal Heart
7. Sex Is Not the Enemy
8. It's All Over But the Crying
9. Boys Wanna Fight
10. Why Don't You Come Over
11. Happy Home
12. Why Do You Love Me [CD-ROM Track][Multimedia Track]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16444 in Music
• Released on: 2005-04-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Album Description
Described as a thundering return to the band’s original hard rock sound, ‘Bleed Like Me’ features eleven tracks that return to the power and simplicity of their debut. The first single is the explosive ‘Why Do You Love Me’. Amongst the other highlights of the album are the dynamic opener ‘Bad Boyfriend’, a heavy out and out rock song featuring a guest appearance from Dave Grohl on drums. Aside from Grohl, the album also features an additional guest in the shape of Beck bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Japanese pressing of 2005 album scheduled to include one bonus track TBA. Wea.

Amazon.com
Despite making it through a difficult four-year stretch in which the band temporarily broke up, singer Shirley Manson left her husband, and new technologies made the sleek electro-rock sound of its first three albums feel passé, Garbage resurfaces in rude health on Bleed Like Me. Manson is still kickboxing the air and stomping the glitter under her heels, as she channels Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde on edgy glam-rock anthems like "Run Baby Run" and "Metal Heart." All the while three bookish producers in the background--including Butch Vig, who famously helmed Nirvana's Nevermind--turn up the sleazy machine-like rhythms. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl sits in on the drums for the menacing "Bad Boyfriend," but it's the confessional title track Bleed Like Me"--part "Walk on the Wild Side," part therapy session for former cutter Manson--that shatters Garbage's image as the ultimate non-stick studio band. "You should see my scars," goes the chorus. And, for once, Manson is actually willing to reveal them. -- Aidin Vaziri

New York Daily News, April 10, 2005
Unlike many who exhaust their talent on their first efforts...Garbage have used their long history to perfect their ideas.

Customer Reviews

Bleedin' good
It's been four long years since Garbage released "Beautifulgarbage," their oddball blend of pop-rock and electronica. And somehow the energy is still there in their fourth album "Bleed Like Me," an amped up rock album that takes Garbage back to its musical roots.

Not that it came easy -- frontwoman Shirley Manson has talked about how the band barely made it through "Bleed Like Me," because of (what else?) band infighting. Fortunately, they seem to have channeled that energy to their music. It's obvious from the start that their music has gone back to rock, as the combustible riffs of "Bad Boyfriend" erupt around Manson's throaty vocals.

The songs that follow are steady if unsurprising. Garbage's sound feels like the band has worked out their own niche, like a slightly worn slipper. It's loud and rock-y with some catchy rhythms woven in. These are not simple songs, though -- for example, "Who Do You Love Me" is a betrayal/love song, where Manson accuses the lover of sleeping with a pal one moment, then wails, "Why do you love me... it's driving me crazy!"

Garbage dips into sweeping rock melodies, ballads and electronic sputters here and there, and those touches keep the electrorock from ever feeling monotonous. But the amps and roaring guitars rule the music, much as they did in 1998's "Version 2.0." Sometimes those guitars feel like they're soaring to epic heights, but disappointingly they always get reined in at the last minute.

Fortunately, if the music seems restrained, then the singer does not. Shirley Manson hasn't lost her power as a vocalist; even when her vocals are distorted or distant, she is still the center of the music. She wails, she purrs, she yells, she murmurs. And it all works.

Garbage doesn't disappoint in their fourth album, "Bleed Like Me." Perhaps the album's main flaw is that they don't forge any really new turf. But purely as a follow-up, it's a darn good album.

A bittersweet CD--they bled and got strong for it!
Some will say that Garbage hasn't matured but instead put out a long awaited album that is somehow lacking-or just too much of the same with all those sounds of the 1990's. There's no doubt, however, the 90's elements on this album are good and work as part of Garbage's typical style. (I think Garbage did tone down some of the electronica effects and elements that have been part of their trademark.) Maybe there's some truth to this-and maybe not. But there's no escaping THIS truth-this album REALLY rocks hard! It's an exciting, strong, straight ahead smack in your face set of song tracks leaving you wanting more! To start off with, the first several songs on this CD are the best nonstop, unrelenting run of recorded guitar-crunching Garbage work since the best parts of their self titled CD debut ten years ago! The intensity and elements of the stunning guitar work in the three songs "Bad Boyfriend," "Right Between the Eyes" and "Why Do You Love Me" leave no doubt that these guys have proven that despite all the band's recent problems they can still make crackin' hot music! "Bad Boyfriend" also features Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame on drums.

There's no shortage of honesty and emotion in the lyrics, either. Shirley Manson, the Scottish singer, does her usual job of singing awesomely; she also plays electric guitar on this album. Some say Manson sounds at times like PJ Harvey; she can be a quite the versatile performer! What's more, the songs are full of blunt, awesome in-your-face tough lyrics such as "I know some tricks I swear will give you the bends" and "If you can't love me, honey/Go on, just pretend." I love the effect this all gives you! Obviously Manson and the others in Garbage don't play games when it comes to truly sharing their feelings. I think Manson's own pain over her breakup with her husband is something she channels into her songs about emotional torment. These situations are so real to us too because inevitably so many of us experience these feelings sooner or later.

I especially liked the track "Run Baby Run" and the empowering, almost sacred song "Right Between the Eyes." Then there's the song "Bleed Like Me." This one is fierce, rockin' with raw emotion-excellent musical work! (The band says that the song "Bleed Like Me" was inspired by the movie Thirteen.) There's also the scorching hot song called "Why Don't You Come Over," with its references to Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" and Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." Incredible stuff! All in all, the CD is bold and strong, yet more than honest enough to expose some human vulnerability in the relationships we all go through.

The band works well together on this CD. Despite a few problems--including a serious break between drummer-guitarist Butch Vig and the band--they pull this CD off really rather well. It all makes for some really good listening. Look for Steve Marker on both electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizers, laptop, programming, and noises! Steve even does bass overdubs on "Bad Boyfriend" and "Metal Heart." Another major contributor is Duke Erikson who also plays both electric and acoustic guitars, works with synthesizers, programming, and atmospherics, too! Duke also works the mellotron and plays piano on the ballad "It's All Over But The Crying" and "Happy Home." Among other things Vig (who worked so hard on Nirvana's Nevermind) plays electric guitar, drums, and bass on the song "Bleed Like Me." Justin Medal-Johnson plays bass also and Matt Walker plays drums on several of the tracks here.

"Happy Home" seems to work pretty well in its place at the end of the album; this song is a somewhat painful yet beautiful track about independence and what is yet to come. Yes, I would agree with others who write that the end portion of the album has a slightly different feel to it; but really it's still very good stuff.

Hey, look-this band is ROCKIN'! Bleed Like Me is really a rather good album proving once again their numerous talents-it's a great addition to any solid rock/alternative rock collection!

thank god thank god thank god, they're back
after waiting, and waiting, through many possible release dates and "are they or are they not?" questions about the new album, garbage is back in their purest form with this album. the lead single, "why do you love me", is one of their best radio-ready songs ever, and the rest of the album follows suit.

do not overlook track 8, "it's all over but the crying", which is one of shirley's best deliveries of a ballad, right up there with "nobody loves you", "the trick is to keep breathing", and the b-side "deadwood".