Placebo- Sleeping with Ghosts

Released in 2003, Sleeping With Ghosts is Placebo's fourth album. It continues their post-grunge style (the common description of "alternative rock" is just lazy!), with some upbeat stadium rock thrown in at times.

This is not a review of the whole album- only the parts I enjoy. Unfortunately, I often find the vocals whiney, which is a deal-breaker for me. This is just a personal preference, not a fault of the band, so I won't bore you with my own whining about the whiney vocals!

The recording quality is mediocre. While it lends character to the more experimental songs, it robs the upbeat stadium rock songs of some of their intensity. The instruments often sound hollow and the overuse of stereo imaging (ie the snare being located in the left speaker and the hi-hat in the right) means it feels disjointed. And did anyone actually master this album?? The sound is so inconsistent between songs, for example there's very little bass on The Bitter End but then Plasticine blows your head off with it! On a positive note, The Bitter End does sound very good and the layering in it works really well.

The stadium-rock opener Bulletproof Cupid kicks things off with a bang. It is quite simple yet wonderfully catchy and brimming with energy.

English Summer Rain is a bit whiney (sorry!), but I find it works ok as an interlude.

This Picture is a brilliant example of Placebo at its best. The vocals are wonderfully illustrative and poetic, perfectly supported by the band hammering out feelgood stadium rock.

Second Sight is another in this style, however lacks the inspiration of This Picture. However, The Bitter End absolutely nails it, making for my all-time favourite Placebo song. Similar to the band The Killers, it has the feel of a club song, with it's great use of repetition and samples. Supported by a great guitar riff, thumping rock beat and excellent guitar riff, it makes for an outstanding song. The ending is a particular highlight, I love how it builds up to 110% intensity.

At a gentler level, Special Needs and Protect Me From What I Want are nice ballads, with the piano part being a great addition to these songs.

Favourite songs

Bulletproof Cupid, This Picture, The Bitter End, Special Needs, Protect Me From What I Want

Worthwhile?

It's probably true that I don't properly understand Placebo enough to properly appreciate this album. Yet the handful of songs that I do enjoy are enough to just scrape this album across the line for me.