Empty

Album: Strange Little Birds (2016)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single from Garbage's sixth studio album, Strange Little Birds. "'Empty' is just exactly what it says it is. A song about emptiness," said vocalist Shirley Manson.
  • Strange Little Birds is a record with a cohesive mood of darkness. "There aren't really any upbeat pop songs," said drummer Butch Vig. "Even 'Empty,' which has a big, anthemic guitar sound, has pretty dark lyrics."

    "I love dark and dismal," Manson added. "I'm aching for some dark and dismal. Because I feel like the musical landscape of late has been incredibly happy and shiny and poppy. Everybody's fronting all the time, dancing as fast as they can, smiling as hard as they can, working on their brand. Nobody ever says, 'Actually, I'm lost and I don't have a f--king clue what I'm doing with the rest of my life and I'm frightened.'"
  • Samuel Bayer, who did the Garbage videos for "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl," returned to direct "Empty."

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