Placebo is an aptly named band for the music the English trio has created in the past 16 years. At first it comes across as a soothing balm for what ails alternative rock — Brian Molko’s nasal-toned delivery sounds fresh and snide, a winning combination. But midway through every Placebo album this sense of ingenuity wears off, and what remains is rather ordinary indie rock backed by a voice that suddenly borders on the annoying.
It certainly doesn’t make you feel any better.
Maybe it’s an issue of editing, lord knows it’s tough finding 10 to 12 songs to make a dent in the public’s collective conscious. It’s this that makes B3, a five-song LP offering from the band, an imaginative choice for Molko and company. It’s been three years since the band’s disappointing Battle for the Sun, and instead of ramping up in grand manner, the band went smaller and tighter.
The stealth works.
Throw out the cover of Minxus’ “I Know You Want To Stop” (why there’s a cover here is anyone’s guess, someone in the band must have it hard for forgotten bands of the mid-90s), and you’re left with four varied pieces. “B3” opens the LP and captures aPlacebo from a decade ago, a fuzzy synth gives way to a powerful Molko vocal performance amidst sterling guitar play. Yes, it’s a bit of a Muse rip off, but the band is having fun here, so you have to let it go.
“The Extra” takes it down a notch or five – it has nice touches but feels unfinished. The backing piano wanders, strings drift in and out, and Molko’s lyrics are unenthusiastic. Not the best of efforts.
This is evident by the LP’s final two tracks, a pair of promising efforts which expose the troubles with the two previous tracks. “I.K.W.Y.L.” (which stands for I Know Where You Live, which has me wondering – why not just call the song I Know Where You Live?) showcases drummer Steve Forrest’s hook-making ability, making this the album’s liveliest track. Molko does sound out of his element, though, as he knows he has to accede to the grinding beat but isn’t quite sure how.
“Time Is Money” ends B3 with a flourish – a slow burn (perhaps too slow at more than seven minutes) which works to a frenzy a song’s end. It’s the most genuine of the lot, showing a profound musical path the band might be headed in.
Whether or not Placebo can fully find the path is a question worth asking – after all the band waited three years to release four new songs and at this rate won’t have a full album for another decade. But then again that could be the point – Placebo’s own cure is not quantity but quality.
Or not. And that’s the problem with Placebo — you really never know what you’re getting until it’s too late.
