Garbage – ‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light’ album review: Thriving through the dark
THE SKINNY: For their new record, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, Garbage refer to a quote by Tennessee Williams: “The world is violent and mercurial. It will have its way with you.” This is the general thought process throughout the record, with Shirley Manson waving her fist at everything that’s ever set her flame alight, from misogyny to transphobia, and everything in between. There’s something else there, though, much like the light that catches your eye in the dead of night, the whisper that tricks your ear in the silence. A hopeful moment to suspend the noise, if only for a minute.
There’s so much packed into Let All That We Imagine that it would be easy to feel overwhelmed, but with every late-night walk into the abyss comes another feeling that’s not as easy to put your finger on, much less explain away with the shoddy, disjointed way of words. But that’s also the beauty of it. We know there’s hope scorching through the lines of almost every track on this record, but it comes in different flashes, like the freeing realisation that you don’t have to do anything to be anything but yourself.
And while society has and probably always will try to teach us the opposite, it’s our retaliation that counts for something, like a puppy in training that wants nothing more than to run over to the park over the road and start stealing food from others’ benches. In these scenarios (of which there are many), the benches are all the moments we’ve ever felt lost or disregarded, and it’s finally time to steal back the pieces of ourselves that always made more sense put back together.
It’s hard being optimistic, and it comes from existing in the dark. But then there’s the light, and Garbage coast this line with such finesse and charm that it becomes impossible not to look within and ask ourselves whether we’ve given up or if we’ve just entered the beginning of our own personal fight. While we try to figure it out, though, we’ve always got fist-pumping anthems and words of wisdom to push us along.
For fans of: The rage against the machine.
A concluding comment from a punk fan: “The lease of life we all need at this point.”
Let All That We Imagine Be the Light track by track:
Release: May 30th | Producer: Billy Bush | Label: Infectious Music
‘There’s No Future In Optimism’: A title perfect for our trying times, ‘There’s No Future’ feels like a driving charge towards relief, whether that’s justice for all of society’s shortcomings or peace and protection from all the noise. With a core that feels unabashedly punk, this opener demands attention and gets it. [3.5/5]
‘Chinese Fire Horse’: Continuing the same edge, ‘Chinese Fire Horse’ tackles the troublesome nature of the ageing woman, and how, in art, society seeks to tear them down and tell them they’re too washed up to carry on. The notes tingle in their own unease, satisfying the eager anarchists in all of us. [4.5/]
‘Hold’: Inspired by feeling at odds with yourself, especially when it comes to practicing positivity, ‘Hold’ feels like a sonic spiral between two points: the first, when we’re sure we’ll make it in one piece, and the second, when all of that goes out of the window in a messy scurry. [3.5/5]
‘Have We Met (The Void)’: Strange things are around us at all times, but sometimes, the unknown and the darkness can create some of our best flourishes. ‘The Void’ stems from this eye-opening moment that, sometimes, we can feel more alive in darkness than anything else. The song itself borders on creepy, but that’s the main crux of its appeal. [4/5]
‘Sisyphus’: Tapping into the unsettled soul in all of us, ‘Sisyphus’ brings together two sides to the story: the softness, and the need for greater strength. Both of these blend together beautifully, tinged with a much-welcomed sense of hope and, of course, optimism. [4.5/5]
‘Radical’: By nature, ‘Radical’ feels like another venture into darkness, like giving up is always just around the corner. Beneath the surface, however, that familiar hope comes up in waves, once again blending both sides of the spectrum with utter ease. [3.5/5]
‘Love To Give’: A song focused more heavily on the concept of love, ‘Love To Give’ feels like a bigger picture moment, when the arrangements and melody aren’t trying to hold on to anything particular, but which feels even more freeing as we go along for the ride. [3.5/5]
‘Get Out Of My Face’: Taking on all those pesky people who seek to wear others down, ‘Get Out Of My Face’ is a dignified finger wag at those lacking enough thought and charm to every truly get it, and this comes through in the confident driving beat and lyrics about personal empowerment. [3.5/5]
‘R U Happy Now’: Another critical lens holding an interrogation light up to hypocrisy, ‘R U Happy Now’ explodes with satisfying grace, like entry music to marching into the battlefield in slow motion. [3.5/5]
‘The Day That I Met God’: Although abstract in nature, ‘The Day That I Met God’ feels grounded in realism with gritty fervour, with varying twists and turns that make it a more obvious standout track. [4/5]
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