Placebo Release Double-Disc Retrospective ‘A Place for Us to Dream’ Alongside New EP ‘Life’s What You Make It’

Jordan Bailey

Picture yourself in mid-1990’s Britain. There’s a tide of alternative rock groups like Oasis and Blur whose appealing, pop-riddled tunes were popular with fans throughout the kingdom. Then, along comes a group of androgynous musicians whose tastes lie just on the other side of the green grass.

Placebo, made up of singer-multi-instrumentalist Brian Molko and multi-instrumentalist Stefan Olsdal, were welcomed as a refreshing change of pace from the mostly positive messages of the Britpop explosion. Molko’s aggressive love for all things drug and sex related and penchant for catchy hooks meshed perfectly with their gender fluidity and  give-no-fucks attitude. They also produced many hit songs, and now, 20 years later, the band celebrates their history with compilation album “A Place for Us to Dream”.

The album’s 18 tracks include “Bruise Pristine,” “Special K,” “Teenage Angst,” “The Bitter End” and also showcases the band’s newest single “Jesus’ Son,” which begins as a guitar-driven rock ballad but turns into a symphony of string instruments while Molko sings, “I’m OK, just like Jesus’ son.”

Alongside the compilation release is Placebo’s new EP “Life’s What You Make it,” a six-track album of unreleased songs including a cover of Talk Talk’s “Life’s What You Make It” and two live recordings of the band’s hit track “Twenty Years.” It’s safe to say that the band’s overall sound and appeal have changed since their inception in the mid-90’s. The darkness has slowly been replaced with light and the twisted has been overrun by the straight. However, the band’s love for the art hasn’t changed. Evolution is necessary for Placebo, particularly since their main fascination back in the 90’s were drugs and sex, an obviously unsustainable muse.

Placebo’s compilation album “A Place for Us to Dream” and new EP “Life’s What You Make it” are available for download via Apple Music on Oct. 7.