The definition of "placebo" is a substance containing no medication and prescribed to reinforce a patient's expectation to get well or something of no intrinsic remedial value that is used to appease or reassure another. Placebo is also the name of one of Britain's most popular rock bands. The rockers from across the pond have just released their fifth album, the aptly titled Meds.
Placebo's rock with a twist of glam -- like musical chameleon David Bowie -- draws fans in multitudes. With Meds, the band returns to its roots after having ventured into more danceable and electronic songs. The band combines the fundamentals of their early work with the modern feeling of their newer hit album, Sleeping With Ghosts.
Placebo has the amazing effect of creating each song with equal unflinching intensity and emotion. Meds resembles a soundtrack to an epic journey in that each song elicits strong sentiments and depths of emotion while evoking the memory of something familiar.
Behind the rock sound are raw and real lyrics. Songs like "Because I Want You" echo two of the resounding themes of the album, loss and longing, through lyrics like "Fall into you, is all I seem to do / When I hit the bottle / 'Cause I'm afraid to be alone / Tear us in two, is all it seems to do / As the anger fades / This house is no longer a home."
As if the lyrics themselves did not convey the exposed emotion of the band, Placebo offers wholly unique vocals. Lead singer Brian Molko has an uncommon resonance. The vocals, just like the instrumentals, have a sound contrasting to most rock produced today. Neither classically melodic nor screamingly harsh, Placebo instead creates jarring vocals and potent instrumentals. In Meds, Placebo strengthens their already superb credits with two guest duets. Allison Mosshart from The Kills joins the group on the title track "Meds" and R.E.M. front-man Michael Stipe supports on the eerie and roaring "Broken Promise."
On their Web site, the band loosely describes Meds as stories of fragile spirits going off their medication and trying to deal with the world. The album certainly has the startling passion and conflicting despondency of someone in that state. This driving motive is, however, not a limiting one. The songs have the universal appeal of expressing the innermost thoughts and wants of human beings. Surely, not everyone has gone through what the band talks about on this album, but I think people can relate to them anyway. Placebo exercises their amazing ability to portray a vast array of the human experience without being overbearing and pompous in Meds. Lyrics like "You are one of God's mistakes / You crying, tragic waste of skin / I'm well aware of how it aches / And you still won't let me in" exemplify the twisted yet compelling content of the album.
Meds signifies the return of one of Britain's most prominent rock acts. Placebo's ability to evoke emotion and the edgy soulfulness of the music make for an amazing album. There is nothing artificial about the effect of this CD on listeners. Though dark in ways, the passion of Meds leaves a feeling of relief and ends a cathartic journey into self.
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