Garbage - "Absolute Garbage"

Rating - 83%

Many times a greatest-hits album can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. They can at times totally misfire (Nirvana's collection), or leave you wanting that one track not present (Smashing Pumpkin's "Rocket"). Luckily, the new "Best-Of" disc from 90s rock darlings Garbage is more hits than miss, and throughout the collection's 18 tracks, you also see the band's evolution.

Garbage was never as popular as they were after the success of their self-titled debut album, and all the highlights from that album are in this set. "Queer," "Only Happy When it Rains, "Stupid Girl"... everything you would want to hear. And that trend continues for the rest of their albums, the highlights are selected fairly wisely, from not just US singles, but also more popular songs overseas.

Listening to this collection, you become aware of the new sound they brought fourth on their third album, 2001's "beautifulgarbage." A style that is similar to some of Madonna's music, and that Gwen Stefani has been running with since her debut album in 2005. It's never more showcased than on tracks like "Shut Your Mouth" and "Cherry Lips," both included here.

The band also didn't forget to include their terrific soundtrack inclusions as both "#1 Crush," from Romeo and Juliet, and "The World is Not Enough," from the Jame's Bond series, are selected.

If you wanted to nitpick over the track list, one could wonder why "Androgyny" is no where to be found, or why the amped-up "Bad Boyfriend," off of 2005's very good release "Bleed Like Me," isn't included. But in all honesty, only the most hardcore fan would even recognize the slights.

"Absolute Garbage" just shows you there was yet another great band from the Golden Age of rock that was the 90s. If you have never given the band a shot, now is your chance to give them a real listen. You probably won't be disappointed.

Must Listens:
- Bleed Like Me
- The World is Not Enough
- Special
- Only Happy When It Rains
- Queer