Placebo are still around. And I’m sure that many under 25 think they are a ripoff of Death Cab for Cutie, or at least they will after listening to Battle for the Sun. Yes, the sound that made Better Than Ezra famous is now the one that makes Death Cab for Cutie famous, but that’s not fair to Placebo. They’ve muddled along making music that real music fans want to hear all along.
“For What It’s Worth” puts it all together like none other on the album, and it gets the job done in less than three minutes.
“Bright Lights” is a good song, but it brings to mind another mid-1990s throwback: Juliana Hatfield. Without reservation, the song sings, several times, “a heart that hurts is a heart that works.” This is one of Hatfield’s signature lyrics, even if from the troubled single, “Universal Heartbeat.” It truly gives me pause because that’s a strange coincidence at best.
Most of the songs run together, which is fine for Placebo fans, because maybe you’re too old to want to be surprised. Friday is Meatloaf Night, and that’s what makes life fun for you. “Speak in Tongues” does stand out a bit as well. There is emotion in the vocals unrivaled in the other tracks, and it brings to mind Echo and the Bunnymen. Now there’s something really old.
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