Placebo - 'Once More With Feeling: Singles 1996-2004' (Elevator) Released 25/10/04

You can tell Christmas isn’t too far off when the greatest hits/singles collections start hitting the shelves.  ‘Once More With Feeling’ is chronologically track listed, giving a good indication of how Brian Molko’s band has evolved in the last 8 years.  Four singles from each of their albums, plus three previously unreleased tracks make for a reminder of how good this band actually is…

The first few tracks are up-tempo affairs, and are a reminder why the people got so excited by Placebo.  ‘Nancy Boy’ may have been the song to bring them to prominence, but ‘Teenage Angst’ and ’36 Degrees’ featured equally catchy riffs, making them festival anthems.  Two years later their next album featured the hypnotic drumbeat and rhyming couplets of ‘Pure Morning’.  It showcased an ability to produce slower songs - that were equally as enjoyable - while the duet with David Bowie ‘Without You I’m Nothing’ utilised the contrasting vocals of the pair to great effect.  ‘Every Me Every You’ showed they could still rock though.  Despite critical acclaim, 2000’s ‘Black Market Music’ didn’t fair too well commercially.  ‘Taste In Men’ showed leanings toward electronic sounds, but they maintained the heavier sound with songs like ‘Special K’.  Their forth album also didn’t perform too well in sales, which is puzzling if the singles are anything to go by – ‘Special Needs’ is mesmerising, while ‘The Bitter End’ rampages through with a thudding bass line. 

The new tracks are hit and miss.  ‘Protégé Moi’, previously only available in France, sees Molko singing comfortably in French over a hypnotic piano piece and is a great song.  ‘I Do’ starts promisingly, but doesn’t develop how you might hope, and is album filler.  Recent single ‘Twenty Years’ is atmospheric and builds wonderfully, while featuring an endearing vocal performance. 

While the band’s popularity may have decreased in recent years, listening to this album you wonder why.  It has full-on rock anthems and also slower songs that drill into your mind.  Molko is a wonderful song writer, and anyone who hasn’t heard Placebo’s music should get this to see what they’re missing out on.