New Garbage album "Strange Little Birds," forthcoming (06/10/2016)

My pre-order arrived earlier this week. I haven't had a chance to open/inspect it yet. I will report back if anyone is interested.

 

Please do.

 

Well kids, I checked out the This Is The Noise That Keeps Me Awake vinyl last night and it's quite an enjoyable listen. The record itself is centered, flat, and quiet. I'm not sure if it's 180g or not, but it is thicker/heavier than most standard records. Maybe 140g.

I hadn't paid much attention to the tracklist when ordering it, but upon listening to it last night I get what they were doing. They've basically taken the signature ballad from each studio album, and presented live takes...

Milk, You Look So Fine, Cup of Coffee, Bleed Like Me, Beloved Freak, Even Though Our Love is Doomed.

They have done nice crossfades between tacks on each side, which is a nice touch. That said, this is a song list that would likely never appear in a live set, 6 "slow" songs in a row! But as an "EP" which is essentially what this is, it works pretty well.

With such little officially released live material, it's a treat to have these songs in such great quality. There are of course lots of great live recordings "out there" (I've made a few myself), but hearing this stuff direct from the source makes me wish they would release more live stuff!

Spent a few minutes thumbing through the book as well, didn't really dig into it yet, but what I saw looked good and I look forward to spending more time with it.

 

Sounds excellent. The tracklist is intriguing.

 

New track has been released: No Horses

Listen to Garbage’s New Song “No Horses” | Pitchfork

Available in FLAC form on 7digital. Sounds pretty good on first listen.

 

Excellent track. This feels like a working band again. Love it.

 

Anyone else go to any of the "Rage and Rapture" shows?

I hit Philly Wednesday and DC last night. Philly show much better - probably because the Philly crowd was way more into the show.

The DC crowd was at least 2X bigger but they must've been there for Blondie, as there wasn't much enthusiasm for Garbage.

 

I think this new song "No Horses" is a career best. Powerful on many levels.

 

Me too. still digging it.

 

At the Mann Center in Philly, there's a little wall between the orchestra pit and the rest of the venue. I had a seat right inside the pit, and Shirley used the wall as a "runway" a few times during the show.

I got video from "Happy When It Rains" - here's a screenshot!

 

Excellent ^

 

So nobody else here hit any of the "Rage and Rapture" shows?

 

Is this one LOUD as well? I'm hoping not of course, but I have a guess as to the answer.

 

Going to Atlanta show tomorrow night mainly for the Garbage show depending on weather.
May drop by Criminal Records for book signing around noon as well.

 

I'm going to try to get to the Dallas show. I'm disappointed they seem to have dropped Night Time Loneliness from the set since that's my favorite track on Strange Little Birds but they haven't disappointed me yet with their live shows.

I've been checking out the new Blondie tracks and they sound pretty good!

 

Yeah, I played those songs in advance, too, and was surprised how much I like them.

I was at the Philly and DC shows 98% for Garbage, but I don't know what I would've done if they'd not co-headlined with another band I like. Tickets were pushing $100, and that would've been pricey to see Garbage play an abbreviated set ahead of a band I don't like.

Happy that both bands play fairly equivalent sets - about 75 minutes each - so fans of both don't get shortchanged.

Oh, opener Deap Vally's pretty good, too!

 

Let your own ears decide.

 

I was at the Atlanta show last night. My girlfriend and I really enjoyed Garbage, great set. It began to storm about halfway through their set, and were taken offstage due to lightning a few songs after that. They came back and finished the rest of the set about 20 minutes later. Neither of us were that impressed with Blondie though, I wondered if they rushed through the set up and didn't get things just right. Too loud, my girlfriend said she saw several times when Debbie Harry took the mic away from her mouth and there wasn't a change in the sound pick up ( I didn't notice, but she's got ears like a bat ). It was starting to rain again about halfway through and we packed it in. Probably more the atmosphere in the long run, a good part of the crowd had evacuated, and thanks to the rain those of us left were drowned rats. The dangers of an outside show...

 

My gf did and loved it. I still have not had a chance to catch Garbage yet unfortunately.

 

I'm sure Debbie Harry actually sang. I think she has some "tape support" for backing vocals, but she's live - I saw her 2 nights in a row from up close and she certainly didn't sound the same both nights...

 

Friend in Toronto said both acts were mildly underwhelming. For Garbage I was a bit surprised, though Blondie can be hit and miss.

 

We agree 100%. She was live there was no doubt about that, and having prerecorded backing vocals is what I kind of figured. There was a lot going against them Sunday night. Storms during Garbage which caused a delay and a rush getting Blondie's set up ready to go, rushing to get the entire set in an open air venue in a neighborhood, with a curfew etc...It just wasn't a great atmosphere at all.

 

Night Drive Loneliness I'm y favorite as well...why would they drop it?

 

The Destroying Angels "exclusive RSD" 7" tracks are up in FLAC form on 7digital and Qobuz in case anyone is interested.

 

I love this album. Listening to it yet again. Last time was just 3 weeks ago.