So after a failed attempt to get into what's popular, I decided not to just go off and buy the number one hit on MTV. Enter my older half sister from my Dad's first marriage.
I always looked up to this girl. She was a lot older than me and everything she did seemed incredibly cool. She also had a kick ass (and quite intimidating at the time) music collection...and since she moved in with us when I was 12 and I had access to it, I decided to start taking my music recommendations from her.
Despite my clear obliviousness to the good music of the world at this age, my sister said something to me I'll never forget. One day while asking her about music, she said to me "Here. You seem to have an appreciation of good music." And handed me this album...
The Preteen Years
Garbage - Garbage (1995)
Not only did her saying that to me influence how I would approach this album, but it has influenced me in how I approach every album to this day. Such a passing comment, and I still think about it. What did she see in me? I didn't want to disappoint her.
I don't really need to listen to this album again to remember it...I still listen to it occasionally to this day. It's a classic. Sadly, I haven't really given any other Garbage album a fair shake. I don't even understand why - I'm sure they have some other good stuff...but this album is so good that it's really all I ever feel like listening to when I want to listen to Garbage. In my book, this is the definitive Garbage album...no musical statement by them had to be made after this.
Sound wise, this was the kind of music that I knew I should have been listening to. Coming down from Savage Garden, I had my pop sensibilities in check but I wanted something heavier. The Offspring clearly didn't work for me. Garbage is polished and dirty. Smooth and chunky. Hard and soft...it had layers to discover with every listen (all thanks to Butch Vig, no doubt). Just look at the cover art...it perfectly represents what this album sounds like. I didn't pay attention to producers at the time, but later in life when I did I wasn't surprised to find that Butch Vig was a member. He is one of my favorite producers of all time and if I see he has worked on an album, I will always give it a chance. Take his grunge-tinged production and Shirley Manson and you have a combination that can't lose. Oh, man...Shirley Manson. She was officially my first music crush. The way she sang and the things she sang about...what had this girl gone through? And damn it...I wanted to make her feel better...
I'm not going to bother going through any individual songs. This album is great top to bottom. This album deserves a listen from absolutely everyone. I'm happy to cut through some of the crappy albums I'll be talking about with this classic. It has undoubtedly influenced me more than any other early-years album I can think of. Thanks for the recommendation, Nicole.