Garbage Broadcast Darkness On Hope's Prospect with New Single 'There's No Future In Optimism'

“A strange turn of events, an unfortunate mess.” – Shirley Manson, Garbage 2025.

Although these eight words found in the thought-provoking final pre-chorus for Garbage’s newest single ‘There's No Future In Optimism’ are to a certain degree, inspired by the George Floyd murder and the resulting worldwide protests in response to this horrific event. This statement’s relevance has hauntingly become more valid many years later in the world we exist in now.

As the emphatic vocalist and lyricist for the alternative rock trailblazers Shirley Manson describes:

“…the lyrics are an action against that (song) title. Because if we allow our fatalism or our negativity to really take over, we will crumble. It’s about a city, in my case, Los Angeles, but it could be anywhere where bad stuff is happening. After the George Floyd murder, which is one of few things in my life that I wish I’d never seen:  I was changed entirely by seeing the footage of that cop kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. In Los Angeles there were huge protests and a lot of upheaval after that. Above our house in Hollywood, there were helicopters all day long, for days on end. It was really precarious, chaotic and terrifying.”

“Precarious, chaotic and terrifying”, are three more words which are eerily befitting to many horrendous and petrifying events that humanity has faced in recent times. Catastrophic wars on the verge of graduating to World War III status are still well and truly active and historically devastating. The outbreak of illnesses that are becoming harder to contain are rampant; natural disasters causing decimation of catastrophic magnitudes provoked by human impact are astonishingly more prevalent. Arguably the most frightening aspect of all of this, are the supposed “leaders” who are ignoring proper resolution, but instead focussing on division between people and nations, profiteering and growing the disparity of socio-economic levels to record highs, disregarding the environment and its decimation for the sake of, for example, a plastic straw.

“A strange turn of events, an unfortunate mess.”

‍‘There's No Future In Optimism’ explores some new sonic territories for Shirley and multi-instrumentalists Duke Erikson and Steve Marker, as well as percussionist and famed producer Butch Vig – better known as Wisconsin’s Garbage. The single presents as a remarkable coalescence of latter day Yeah Yeah Yeahs with London’s Savages overseen in production by William Orbit; unquestionably though, the track is incredibly identifiable as Garbage.

The cinematic aura is extremely alluring, moving between electronica and angular guitar work in a slow ascension that mystically pulsates, but with a marvellous minimalist approach. Ms. Manson’s repetitive message of hope amongst the chaos that has overtaken our existence is impassioned and infectious:

“Future, Future
Love, Love Future.”

With the all important and simple act of “love” this world may have an optimistic future yet. Garbage’s new album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light will be released on May 30^th via BMG. The full-length was recorded at Red Razor Sounds in Los Angeles, Butch Vig’s studio Grunge Is Dead, and Shirley Manson’s bedroom. The LP was produced by the band and longtime engineer Billy Bush.

"This record is about what it means to be alive, and about what it means to face your imminent destruction. It’s hopeful. It’s very tender towards what it means to be a human being. Our flaws and our failures are still beautiful, even though we’re taught that they’re not. This is a tender, thrilling record about the fragility of life." Be “ready for love” because ‘The World Is Not Enough’.

Words by Will Oakeshott @teenwolfwill

‍Let All That We Imagine Be The Light is out May 30^th. Pre-order/save here

View the stunning film clip shot and directed by Benji Kirkman (FastX, Gorillaz) below.