Placebo: passionate rocking in the pop world

Every weekend the same scenario is re-enacted all over our green and, sometime, pleasant island - nation’s feverish shift-living. It is a weekend and the ideology is - ‘It is our time, let’s behave like a sex-maniac in a harem, intoxicated on all the pheromones!’ The slaves play while the masters rest, dine in style and, probably, listen to Dido or one of the ‘nu-jazzers’.

Such liberation may be viewed as certain democratisation in drinking circles but it is simply a demonstration of the morality in action, i.e. system broken down. Why is there a general need to expose our Mr and Ms Hydes every five days? Is this the iGen’s expression of rebellion, this urge to get a face-off? Is it a product of none-to-five days of sheer hell that are our jobs we so despise and do only to get enough money for weekends of oblivion?

By the same token, why do all these lambs in lupine’s fur (fake, hopefully) behave like being sheepdogged? Giving public what they want, the entertainment commits crimes against culture on hourly bases, TV in particular: soaps, reality TV, pop-contest, quizzes, chat shows…

There certainly are more questions than answers and Placebo have been one outfit with more curious statements than most. Brian Molko’s androgynous image, flirting with risqué and toying with taboos have been contentious [for some] and kept them fresh with an aura of danger.

Despite such ‘master plan’ Placebo have made some majestic rock music and some magical pop, in eight years. All collected on ‘Once More With Feeling - Singles 1996-2004’, plus a couple of more new tracks. It display all aspects of the trio’s make-up, from euphoria to brooding, lamenting and punsters… And, there is that duet with Molko’s hero, David Bowie - ‘Without You I’m Nothing’.

Placebo have never toed any genre’s line but their own musical path and that’s what makes them valuable at the time when individuality comes with a warning.

One of the rare compilations this year we do recommend.

9/10