Placebo's "Battle for the Sun" Review
The British band Placebo have gotten more ink for the sexuality of its members than its music, which, to judge by their sixth studio album "Battle of the Sun" is completely understandable. This is formulaic rock at its worst, pumped out by dull, uninspired alt-rockers who should have retired the title long ago. It is not that Placebo is offensive; it is that Placebo fails to make any impression at all, aside from leaving a slightly metallic tang in one's mouth.
The title track of the album betrays this lack of vision with the rather unfortunate lyric, "I have nothing left to say." To which any alert listener feels compelled to respond with, "I just wasted my money." Placebo offers no particular musical innovation; the bass and drums chug along in a military-like fashion, executing their purpose without particularly illuminating anything new or of value.
On the positive side, "Bright Lights" offers the listener a comforting blend of late 80's/early 90's Echo and the Bunnymen frenetic guitar wash blended with punkish, upbeat backing vocals that remind one of what Billy Corgan would have sounded like if he had been well-adjusted. Which is and is not a good thing for the listener.
Perhaps the final track, "In a Funk" is the most honest of the bunch. "I don't want to be alone," goes the lyric, and it seems true and almost compelling, until one realizes that instead of sparing us, Placebo has decided to wail about its boring uninsipired state in a highly produced setting.
To begin with the exhaust fumes of grunge and end with the glittery beginning wisps of hyper-ballad pop is not the musical education anyone would envy. One hopes Placebo opens up their ears before it's too late. - 23815
The title track of the album betrays this lack of vision with the rather unfortunate lyric, "I have nothing left to say." To which any alert listener feels compelled to respond with, "I just wasted my money." Placebo offers no particular musical innovation; the bass and drums chug along in a military-like fashion, executing their purpose without particularly illuminating anything new or of value.
On the positive side, "Bright Lights" offers the listener a comforting blend of late 80's/early 90's Echo and the Bunnymen frenetic guitar wash blended with punkish, upbeat backing vocals that remind one of what Billy Corgan would have sounded like if he had been well-adjusted. Which is and is not a good thing for the listener.
Perhaps the final track, "In a Funk" is the most honest of the bunch. "I don't want to be alone," goes the lyric, and it seems true and almost compelling, until one realizes that instead of sparing us, Placebo has decided to wail about its boring uninsipired state in a highly produced setting.
To begin with the exhaust fumes of grunge and end with the glittery beginning wisps of hyper-ballad pop is not the musical education anyone would envy. One hopes Placebo opens up their ears before it's too late. - 23815
About the Author:
New Placebo CD "Battle for the Sun" is, at its title promises, an abstract and somewhat mixed collection of songs, sung with the disaffected nasal whine so common in so-called alt 'indie' guitar bands that it should be referred to by number, as in, disaffected nasal whine #1.
posted by X - Men at
1:16 AM
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