Why Did It Take Me So Long To Get Into This Band??!! (Without You Im Nothing - Placebo)

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Product:	Without You Im Nothing - Placebo
Date:	05/05/02 (72 review reads)
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Placebo are quickly becoming my favourite band.
In the past 2 months they've grown, in my mind, from being a band with a ladyboy singer who I'd just about heard some stuff, to the Best Band Britain (if we came claim them to be our own).

Theres that distinctive asspect to the Placebo sound. Brians beautiful voice, the lyrics clearly displaying the bands love for Class A Drugs and sex - with which ever sex, and then of course theres the actual music: original, catchy and never boring.

I must admit, the first Placebo album I bought was Black Market Music, so Im a bit of a 'new fan'. I picked up Black Market Music for what must have been about £4 in a dodgy music store in Germany - 1 listen convinced me that I had to hear more from this band.

And so this brings me to about a week ago, in my local HMV in Aylesbury and more specifically to the clear out section (How annoying! It appears my entire CD Collection is now valued at £4.99 per CD), where what did I find, but 'Without You Im Nothing' with a £5.99 price sticker on it - within 30 seconds I was the proud owner of this stunning album.

OK. So. Best to start with a brief run down of the tracks first I think:

1. PURE MORNING
Running Time: 4.14
Star Rating: ****
One of the two songs Id heard before buying this album - its a song about mourning, but couldn't be further from a dirge. Repeated drum beat which remains throughout, and bass line, with dare I even call it 'light' guitar tune over the top. The lack of change in drum beat, gives the effect of one long verse, lacking a chorus - brilliant start to an album.

'A Friend in needs a friend indeed, A friend who bleeds is better, My friend confessed she passed the test, And we will never severe.' - Pure Morning.

2. BRICK SHITHOUSE
Running Time: 3.18
Star Rating: ***

Took me a few listens this one. Faster, and more violent th
an 'Pure Morning', violent riff. Short Verse, Short Chorus. One of the harder moments on the album.

'Now your lover went and put me in the ground, I'll be watching when hes around...' - Brick Shithouse.

3. YOU DONT CARE ABOUT US
Running Time: 3.58
Star Rating: ****

Another of the singles to be released to this album (Pure Morning was the first). This is again light, with a verse and a chorus - and a very catchy one it is to. 'You dont care about us' states Brian Molko. Powerful, but lighter than Brick Shithouse. An album highlight.

'You're too complicated, We should seperate it, You're just confiscating, You're exasperating, This Degeneration, Mental Masturbation, Think I'll leave it all behind, Save this bleeding heart of mine.' - You Dont Care About Us.

4. ASK FOR ANSWERS
Running Time: 5.19
Star Rating: ***

The first slow, down, almost gloomy song - this sort of song can often be boring and filler songs, but this is definately an acception. Brilliant, slow, relaxing, chill out song - first one on the album.

'These bonds are shackle free, Wrapped in lust and lunacy, Tiny touch of jealousy, These bonds are shackle free.' - Ask For Answers.

5. WITHOUT YOU IM NOTHING
Running Time: 4.08
Star Quality: *****

Title track to the album, one of the singles and in my opinion a Five Star track. Builds up to the peak, of 'Withyou Im Nothing'. Depressing, quite a slow powerful song, maybe written about somebody who died (its what Ive got from the lyrics?). Best song so far.

'Im unclean a libertine, and every time you vent your spleen, I seem to lose the power of speech, your slipping slowly from my reach...Without You Im Nothing' - Without You Im Nothing.

6. ALLERGIC (TO THOUGHT OF MOTHER EARTH)
Running Time: 3.49
Star Quality: ****

Well I suppose after '
Without You Im Nothing' you need something to perk you up - and with the lyrics cast aside and only the music focused on this des just the job. Very very catchy, especially the sort of chorus, if youve heard the song you'll know what I mean (Dont let me down...) you know that bit.

'Any means in your horizon, Heaven in a tourniquet, The afterlife to keep your eyes on bitter pills you take today..' - Allergic.

7. THE CRAWL
Running Time: 2.59
Star Rating: ***

Slow, short and and simple- the slowest song on the album, could have been written by a suicidal. By no means boring or a filler.

'Youre smile would make me sneezee, When we were siamese, Dont go and lose your face, At some strangers place, And dont forget to breathe. - The Crawl.

8. EVERY YOU AND EVERY ME
Running Time: 3.33
Star Rating: *****

Well let be start by stating that this is the best song on the album. Fantastic. No chorus, but catchy, fairly fast, brilliant lyrics - the best Placebo song yet? Maybe, but its up there with Special K, Nancy Boy and Slave To the Wage. Used on Cruel Intentions (the beginning bet) - when and if you buy this CD skip to number 8 first - Brilliant, could be 10 out of 5.

'Sucker love is heaven sent, you pucker up our passions spent, my hearts a tart, your bodies rent, my bodies broken, yours is bent.' - Every you and Every Me.

9. MY SWEET PRINCE
Running Time: 5.45
Star Rating: ***

Dark, brooding, slow, relies on a drum beat (especially in the chorus), and the lyrics: well its about someone whos preparing to kill themself I think. Not my favourite track, on the album, if youre feeling depressed probably best you avoid this one. The albums darkest moment.

'Never thought you'd go break the chain' - My Sweet Prince.

10. SUMMERS GONE
Running Time: 3.05
Star Rating: ****

Once again, off the back of a sl
ow dark depressing song, we get a lighter airier song witch focuses mainly on the light guitar tune rather than the depressing blunt drum beat. But then again the lyrics arent exactly happy and merry, a good song.

'Sing for your lover, Like blood from a stone, And sing for your love, Whos waiting at home, If you sing when you're high and you're dry as a bone, Then you must realise that youre never alone'. - Summers Gone.

11. SCARED OF GIRLS
Running Time: 3.01
Star Rating: ***

Uses a similiarly violent guitar riff to that of Brick Shithouse: violent, fast, upbeat - energetic song.

'An introverted kind of soul, The Earth did open, swallow whole, Her next of kin, Who lived in sin, Was asking god to let her in.' - Scared of Girls.

12. BURGER QUEEN
Running Time: 22.39 (!)
Star Rating: ***

Last song on the album, soft, gentle closing to an album thats been, light, violent, dark and moody and then gentle. Fades out...

'Slightly bemused by the total rejection, came to this world by caesarean section, dreams of a place with a better selection, dreams of a face that is pure perfection.' - Burger Queen.

Oh, and the reason its so long, is that it contains a hidden track 'Evil Dildo' which is basically a strong riff, with an answering machine voice over the top in the middle section - nothing special.

So as you can see, the album takes us to a variety of places - the light up beat 'You Dont Care About Us', the violent riff of 'Brick Shithouse' the down depressing yet powerful 'Without You Im Nothing', the dark suicidal 'My Sweet Prince' and the light fading out ballad of 'Burger Queen'.

The five key tracks on the album I think are:
- Every you and Every Me
- Pure Morning
- You Dont Care About Us
- Allergic
- Without You Im Nothing

It is a brilliant album, and t
heres so many reasons why Placebo are such a great band.

Brian Molko has the most strange and yet brilliant voice in todays music business and he writes the most beautiful songs - lyrics he writes are only matched by those of Daniel Johns (Silverchair).

If this album worth buying - definately, especially if you can find it for half the usual price in a clearout sale somewhere...cant believe it took me this long to get into this band!

Thanks! Rhys.

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