What is a “Battle for the Sun,” and why would anyone imagine that it would make for a particularly great musical concept? Placebo, a UK band formed in 1994, took their name not from the placeholder that pretends to be a drug but rather from the root Latin, meaning “to please.” Which should be a red flag to anyone that this band possesses very little in the way of concrete opinions. The notion behind artistry is to realize one’s unique vision in a world of sameness; Placebo, unfortunately, fail to deliver.
The title track of the album betrays this lack of vision with the rather unfortunate lyric, “I have nothing left to say.” To which any alert listener feels compelled to respond with, “I just wasted my money.” Placebo offers no particular musical innovation; the bass and drums chug along in a military-like fashion, executing their purpose without particularly illuminating anything new or of value.
The guitars are amped up to sound less like instruments and more like the tuneless wallow of grunge from which the band’s musical style emerged. Not that there was anything wrong with the original grunge. At least that music had passion. Aside from the tuenful blast of “Bright Lights,” which will get your feet tapping, even though it fails to fire any synapses or heart strings, the majority of “Battle of the Sun” is recycled and lukewarm.
Perhaps the final track, “In a Funk” is the most honest of the bunch. “I don’t want to be alone,” goes the lyric, and it seems true and almost compelling, until one realizes that instead of sparing us, Placebo has decided to wail about its boring uninsipired state in a highly produced setting.
To begin with the exhaust fumes of grunge and end with the glittery beginning wisps of hyper-ballad pop is not the musical education anyone would envy. One hopes Placebo opens up their ears before it’s too late.