Delux edition of Placebo's classic debut
When it was released in 1996 at the height of Britpop, Placebo's debut was something of an oddity. The multi-national trio fronted by openly bisexual and clearly androgynous Brian Molko, author of sexually graphic and obviously ambiguous lyrics were certainly a wake up call for the cheery authors of Britpop. With their glam-rock fuelled brand of indie coupled with Brian's distinctive voice, Placebo became difficult to miss.
I got this album soon after it was released and it's interesting to listen to it now, a decade later. The album doesn't seem dated at all, with the insistent drums and guitar fuelled anxiety of 'Come Home' still seeming as anguished and urgent as ever, as Molko sings of asphyxiation and desperation, with lines like "throw yourself from skin to skin and still it doesn't dull the pain". Another single follows, with 'Teenage Angst', a song I always preferred to the more revered 'Nancy Boy'. Obviously a must for misunderstood teenagers 'Teenage Angst' genuinely captures the feelings of alienation and awkwardness, and is no doubt a song which attracted ill at ease teens everywhere to Placebo.
'Bionic' sees the first change in pace of the album, and is a song propelled by guitar and bass, with somewhat repetitive lyrics about not being good enough, clearly the title is meant to be taken in an ironic sense. Throughout the album the softer songs alternate between the more fierce, which although slightly formulaic works in giving the album the kind of pace often found at live shows, and means the songs avoid blending in with each other. '36 Degrees' is another strong single, which again deals with feelings of being trapped and misunderstood, themes which run throughout this album like a vein. 'Hang On To Your IQ' is a lament to loneliness with the trademark Placebo sexual references such as "I'm a fool whose tool is small, it's so miniscule it's no tool at all" and "two rubbers, two lubes and a silver locket". Followed by the infamous 'Nancy Boy', an ode to casual sex this song is positively dripping with fluids of various kinds, all of them dirty. A snarling romp of a song and one of the highlights of Placebo's career this song still has the ability to shock, despite anticipating lines like "eyeholes in a paper bag, greatest lay I ever had". 'I Know', while solid lyrically is musically similar to 'Hang On To Your IQ' and 'Bionic' and is one of the few weaker moments on a strong album.
'Bruise Pristine' is another strong single, although with an alarmingly similar opening riff to 'Nancy Boy'. One of my only criticisms of Placebo would be that after a while many of their songs seem overly familiar due to their similar structure and pace. 'Lady of the Flowers' is another softer song which has a rather beautiful presence, and would be the perfect end to the album instead of the odd 'Swallow', with its monologue style vocals.
Obviously as this is a tenth anniversary edition the album features several b-sides from this era, the strongest of these is 'Slackerbitch', which remains an absolute classic, with its blunt lyrical choices like "slackerbitch, slag, hag, whore". The demo tracks are also worth a listen and are of a rather higher quality and standard than most material of this type. This collector's edition also features a DVD of treats such as live appearances and TV appearances from the last ten years in addition to the four promotional videos from this album. This collection is a must for fans and if you don't have this album already, this is the perfect reason to indulge in a copy, I'm surprised anyone could manage so long without it.