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Entertainment Weekly

Humongous hooks. [15 Apr 2005, p.77]

E! Online

By getting real, Garbage has produced quite a find.

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Alternative Press

There are no real surprises on Bleed, but as a return to the steady Garbage ferocity of old, it's first rate. [May 2005, p.134]

Rolling Stone

The first two-thirds of Bleed Like Me is easily the best sustained run of studio Garbage since the opening half of their 1995 debut.

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Blender

They sound like just another rock band. The thing is, they're a fine rock band. [May 2005, p.119]

Slant Magazine

If Version 2.0 was techno-pop perfection posing as rock, Bleed Like Me is its noisy, long-haired cousin playing metal riffs in the garage.

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All Music Guide

It's an enjoyable record, but it's hard to escape the nagging feeling that Garbage has painted itself into a corner: they haven't found a way to expand their sound, to make it richer or mature -- they can only deliver more of the same.

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Dot Music

They’ve returned to the clamorous, powerchord-packed rock of their debut, with the inevitable result that it sounds fixed firmly by the formaldehyde of fashion in mid-90s post-grunge.

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Mojo

They come across as a self-contained, insular studio band, with tunes aching to break free of the driving wall of guitars. [May 2005, p.96]

The Guardian

While Manson's changeling vocals are always worth listening to, Garbage's songs often aren't.

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Drowned In Sound

There very well may be a human heart beating at the centre of 'Bleed Like Me', but thanks to the walls of effects and static, it's sometimes impossible to hear it.

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Pitchfork

The album is full of big rock guitars anchored to big rock effects, but it somehow never manages either to sound big enough or to rock hard enough.

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PopMatters

An album of contrived power-pop songs that chart the lows and lows of yet another failing relationship.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Garbage's latest approaches a kind of shimmering technical perfection, but remains strangely, stubbornly uninvolving.

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Playlouder

While 'Bleed Like Me' is easily better than 'Beautiful Garbage', it's still not worth buying. It's recognisably Garbage, but it's unarguably garbage too.

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Uncut

Much of it signifies nothing. [May 2005, p.96]

Splendid

The absence of memorable hooks and catchy choruses is obvious.

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Q Magazine

As bland as paint. [May 2005, p.110]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 111 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
It's perfect despite the critics. It's like a good wine. Perhaps it's too fine a wine for some people's taste.

Sean D. gave it a10:
Brilliant, a wonderful change from the also sheer bliss that was beautifulgarbage. A splendid mix of their past efforts placed into one album, with the raw intensity of mid 90's rock.

Chris S gave it a10:
Every single song on this CD is good from start to finish.

mike h gave it a6:
It sounds dated and when it rocks it sounds more awkward than rocking. The other three albums are more worth it; this was made more for touring's sake.

Jon A gave it a0:
just flat out sucks!!, nothing more needs to be said

Fiona gave it a10:
This is the best record of the year hands down. They've evolved so much as a band, first the electro rock of 'Garbage', the techno rock of 'Version 2.0', the pop of 'BeautifulGarbage', and now the guitar rock of 'Bleed Like Me'. Shirley Manson's lyrics have never been political, but 'Metal Heart' and 'Sex is not the Enemy' prove she's just as good at channeling frustration as Maynard James Keenan and Chris Cornell, while the rest are easily relatable and impactful. It's amazing that anyone could criticize this album; the music is so hook laden you'd be hard pressed to find one song that doesn't present a hint of the perfect radio single, and Manson's vocals are so well delivered that you believe every word she says. And every word is worth listening to if you take the time to see what they mean.

Roman S gave it a7:
OMG, I've been waiting for this album for soooo long, just like all Garbage fans... And what was released sounds like hastily-made record. Sad sad sad...

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Bleed Like Me

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