I was pretty disappointed in this album. I liked their first two so much, but I had a hard time finding anything that stuck out on this one. Die-hard fans of the band will probably find something they like, but other than that, skip this one.

It's a great album, with a mixture of pop, rock, alternative, 60's, etc. Very diferent from version 2.0 (the best for me), but this one is vey very cool

Hated it when I first heard it (guess I wanted more 2.0) but soon loved it!

It's the greatest album ever by the greatest band ever!

"Beautiful" is easily Garbage's best album, displaying diversity and imagination that were unheard of on their first two albums. Whereas "Version" and their debut albums focused on maintaining the same sound throughout, "Beautiful" successfully takes risks and ends up being the most worthwhile and gripping Garbage album to date.

A wonderful album and a huge step for the band. Shirley is immaculate. Before one may rate or review this album they must take a look at Shirley and the band and realize what and who they are. Garbage has always turned over flashy tunes that have no intention in "fitting in" to the fads of the day. When it was "in" to be pretty, Shirley spit venom. Now here we are in 2001/2002 where Hip-Hop and penny-a-dozen bands like Nickleback are riding the charts. What's a girl like Shirley to do? While I know that being the manic depressive grundge loving fans that we are, we starve for another album full of Shirley spitting out violent in-your-face lyrics, let's be realistic. How long can Shirley ride that horse alone, before she begins to sound like Britney Spears' evil sister? Shirley has taken her struggle for self-acceptance (not industry-acceptance, but self), and while being aware of where the music industry is today, has turned it into a piece of art. This is just another display of this band's immaculate ability to reinvent and resuprise the world with daring and in-your-face music that offers no apologies and has no regrets. This is just another step in this band's growth. I guess to appreciate this album you have to know who Shirley and the boys really are, and what they are about. If you don't get that, then you won't get this album.… Expand

love it!

This ius the best garbage album ever made. It is the whole reason why i got into the band. It is electronica-rock at it's best. This band really knows how to deliver good talented music worth buying no matter what genre they cover!

An absolute mess. It has its moments (ie Cup of Coffee, Parade, Drive You Home, Like a Rose...) but overall: their worst album to date.

Perfectly eclectic sophisticated album.

I think this is a fantastic album. The electric outfit suits them well. I think it's my favorite album, but the only problem is that it seems a little phony. This is not the core, gritty Garbage. But I really love it. I love Shut Your Mouth, Cup Of Coffee, Drive You home, Cherry Lips, and Nobody Loves You. I think that if they released a mainly-slow-song record (ie: Cup of Coffee, Can't Cry These Tears Anymore) it would be nearly perfect, since their slower-paced numbers ironically tend to work to better.… Expand

KEWL!

I wish I could stop listening to it, but seem physically unable to remove it from my cd player.

Despite some of the critics ratings, this album shows growth and shows that the band isn't afraid to go different routes with their music. Wasn't sure what to think the first time I heard it, but have grown to love it just as much as the others. I'm glad at least Rolling Stone remembers the fact that this band is still great and that BG is one of the top albums of the year.

This type of pop/electronica music hasn't aged well at all. Even when I bought it brand new two years ago, it sounded like it was released sometime in the mid-nineties. So why don't I like it, specifically? It's so slick that any trace of emotion is polished out of existence. Sure, this isn't a punk band, and other groups have been hugely successful sounding "emotionless", but I feel nothing listening to this album. There's no personality--Garbage could be any number of electronica groups playing on dance music stations. Even the stabs at faux-Bowie androgyny don't work: the gender-bender tracks sound so similar to the others that Shirley could really be singing about anything. If you're looking for a strong-willed female electronica singer, try Post or Homogenic by Bjork instead. They're already over five years old (particularly Post), but they still sound more fresh, emotionally-charged, and better-written than this.… Expand

beautifulgarbage is the type of artistic endeavor that succeeds admirably. It sees Garbage completely revel in the pop sound, and because there is meaning behind it, it blows regular pop artists out of the water. Shirley Manson's lyrics become vulnerable and wrenching in some ("Nobody Loves You"; "Cup of Coffee"; Drive You Home") and remain as fierce as they ever were in others ("Shut Your Mouth"; "Silence is Golden") Some might not be able to appreciate it, but beautifulgarbage makes pop listenable. And I'm sorry, but Garbage can never be interchangable, each song on here sounds distinct from the others; I'm not exactly sure how you could confuse "Androgyny" for "Cherry Lips".… Expand

Beautiful indeed.