Placebo
Sleeping with Ghosts
Play Sleeping with Ghosts
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AMG Review of Sleeping with Ghosts
MacKenzie Wilson
All Music GuideSince the band's 1996 self-titled debut, Placebo has penchant for delivering spiky, stylishly slick pop songs, in particular "Nancy Boy" and "Pure Morning." Brian Molko's femme-like vocals and androgynous appearance is matched with Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt's solid glam-inspired instrumentation, giving Placebo a spot of its own in the typically cheeky Brit-pop scene. Fourth album Sleeping with Ghosts works with the band's post-grunge/experimental desire to keep things campy and emotionally intact; however, Placebo's a bit reserved this time around. While Without You I'm Nothing boasted a glam rock edge and Black Market Music captured more of a punk-glam polish, Sleeping With Ghosts crawls with mopish, gnarled allads. "Bulletproof Cupid" is a vibrant album opener with classic guitar snarling, but the album's intensity quickly drops when "English Summer Rain"'s flimsy electronic bits lose step with Molko's dismal interpretation of nature. The electric riffs of "The Bitter End" stick with Placebo's frenzied ock style, and "Plasticine" and "Second Sight" are equally cool dark pop, but stand in contrast to the bigger standouts of "Taste in Men" from Black Market Music and "Every You Every Me" from Without You I'm Nothing. Placebo has an undeniable swagger, and any attempt to tame its overconfident character simply doesn't work. The whiny, synth-driven "Protect Me from What I Want" is a perfect example; Molko's sharp wit is much too literal in criticizing social conformity, typically mocking and self-deprecating as in the song "Special Needs." Sleeping with Ghosts doesn't venture out lyrically or sonically, but that's not to say it's a bad album. The members of Placebo, now in their early thirties, move beyond the spit and scowl of their previous albums, and new fans will find Sleeping with Ghosts to be a good record. Old fans, though, might think the band wimped out while growing up.
Please Indulge Me for a Moment
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I'm sitting in musical bliss right now. I got home tonight to find my mailbox loaded with swag. Sure, there was the new edition of Uncut. There was also an envelope containing a pair of tickets to see Andrew Bird. If it had ended there, I would have been happy. No bills; just some tix and reading material. The unexpected item was the white airmail envelope from France. It's not every day...
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In Need of Luck
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Okay. So I'm not exactly always on top of things. However, after seeing two of my trusted Moggers come up with Placebo songs I'd never heard of, I began to become a bit suspicious. I'm not here to proclaim that I am Placebo's number one fan. I just kind of figured that I knew a bit about the band; this would include being able to recite their discography. Well, a bit of research quickly in...
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New Placebo album - due 2009 (?)
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Everybody's favourite purveyors of alternative rock in a David Bowie-meets-Sonic Youth kind of way are coming back soon - Placebo have been working on their sixth and-as-yet-untitled studio album with producer David Bottrill (Tool, Silverchair, dEUS) and engineer James Brown (who also worked on Placebo's fifth album Meds) at a studio in Toronto, Canada. This will be the first Placebo album since t
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Please Indulge Me for a Moment
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Artist:
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Album:
I'm sitting in musical bliss right now. I got home tonight to find my mailbox loaded with swag. Sure, there was the new edition of Uncut. There was also an envelope containing a pair of tickets to see Andrew Bird. If it had ended there, I would have been happy. No bills; just some tix and reading material. The unexpected item was the white airmail envelope from France. It's not every day...
More >
In Need of Luck
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Artist:
-
Album:
Okay. So I'm not exactly always on top of things. However, after seeing two of my trusted Moggers come up with Placebo songs I'd never heard of, I began to become a bit suspicious. I'm not here to proclaim that I am Placebo's number one fan. I just kind of figured that I knew a bit about the band; this would include being able to recite their discography. Well, a bit of research quickly in...
More >
 "Sleeping with Ghosts")
