Placebo
Sleeping with Ghosts (2003)

Review by: Elliott Bledsoe
Date: 10/1/03

Ever slept with your head packed in ice? Well if not, no worries because the latest album from Placebo, Sleeping with Ghosts, is nothing like that!

The CD begins with "Bulletproof Cupid," a lusty instrumental track that does more than just sound amazing. Cupid works to set the rich, guitar heavy, beat happy sound that will infect the listener throughout the rest of the album - and what a sound it is!

"English Summer Rain" takes up from there adding the unique, boyish and ever-brilliant voice of sexy Brian Molko to the mix. Complete with funky electronic sounds, "English Summer Rain" was a top choice for track 2, following in the footsteps of Black Market Music’s track 2, "Days Before You Came."

But what next? Following is the latest single, "This Picture," which not only has a sexy cover illustration of black angel wings tattooed across a very bare pair of shoulder blades, but also a heap on wicked b-sides for us Placebo-junkie kids to enjoy! "The Picture" opens in a way that sounds similar to the way he sings on "Spite & Malice" from Black Market Music.

The title track, "Sleeping With Ghosts" reminds me of 1998's Without You I’m Nothing. It is like liquid morphine - the music and the lyrics flow together almost to a point of euphoria that slides it nicely into the first single, "The Bitter End," which seems to have become the unofficial anthem to the new generation Placebo fans.

Not only is "The Bitter End" a kick ass track worthy of the title of first single, but its b-sides (on the seconds version of the single to be released) has the trippy track, "Evalia" and even trippier and absolutely fantastic, "Drink You Pretty" both of which are worth having in your grasp.

There is no chance that this album fades off towards the end. "Something Rotten" may slow the tone a little bit but "Plasticine" (one of my personal favourites) picks it back up with a wicked lyric base that meshes well with the instrumentals.

" Special Needs" and "I'll Be Yours" are low-key also, but both have a remarkable sound and Molko sounds fabulous to the point where I was going to wet myself!

But if you are worried that the album goes mushy after that don't panic because "Second Sight" is an awesome track that has almost a techno sound to it that really shakes it up the album again!

The closers, "Protect Me From What I Want" and "Centerfolds" are more mellow and more psychologically emotional like "Special Needs" and "I'll Be Yours" but I don't think I would go so far as saying it is for the psychiatrist's couch. These tracks (and the whole album really) hint at a more complex theme behinds the music which makes the album touching as well as damn good to listen too.