Product Description

An interesting combination of a Swede, a Swiss and an American, meeting in Luxembourg and sounding very British, in a post-punk sort of way. The group were signed for a reputed large advance, partly owing to the marketable, androgynous Brian Molko. However, the quality of their songwriting was demonstrated on their excellent debut. "Nancy Boy", a surprisinghit single, is in fact one of the lesser tracks on the album. There is much more depth to be found in "Bionic", "Come Home" and "I Know", the latter complete with didgeridoo. After such a sparkling debut the cynical jury is already out.

Track Listing

1. Come Home
2. Teenage Angst
3. Bionic
4. 36 Degrees
5. Hang On To Your IQ
6. Nancy Boy
7. I Know
8. Bruise Pristine
9. Lady Of The Flowers
10. Swallow

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12883 in Music
• Released on: 2000-01-31
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Brian Molko, everyone's favourite ladyboy, certainly made his mark withPlacebo's most notorious single: "Nancy Boy", a tale of gay sex and eye-holes in paper bags launched a dozen Student Union Bar spoofs("Bacon sandwich up my bum / Watching Newsnight just for fun") and propelled Placebo into the Top 10 and tabloid infamy with a single deft stroke. As David Bowie's protégées--he personally invited them to support him on his European tour and plugged them everywhere he went--it's no surprise to find Placebo metallic and shiny with his double-jointed glam riffery. Married to the heavy metal and Cure records Placebo obviously adore, it makes for an unexpectedly compelling sound: the sheer sleazy energy of the aforementioned "Nancy Boy" made its simple buzzy mantra horribly addictive, while "Bruise Pristine" hardly ruins the party.--Caitlin Moran

Customer Reviews

Placebo's Grunge Album?
Or their 'punk album', maybe. The guitars are much louder in the mix compared to the vocals which gives a very different feeling when compared to Placebo's later albums. The sound generally is a lot rawer. Molko sounds a bit whiney at times but he shows his sense of humour on the excellent 'Nancy Boy', which actually feels a little out of place on this record.

It's not a long album but still sometimes feels a little bloated with excessive repetition of hooks and riffs and the like. However in a way this is what gives the album its unique feel - a kind of everlasting, numbing melancholy. That sounds a bit strange but that's the feeling I get from a lot of the songs.

Considering it's a first album, it's a fine effort and worth a listen if you're a fan.

Seedy, Sexy tales as told by Mr. Molko!
'Alcoholic kind of mood, lose my clothes, lose my lube, crusin' for a piece of fun, lookin out for number one' These are the very first lyrics you are treated to on the track Nancy Boy, even as a teenager of today, living in a hard to shock enviroment, the first time I heard this, I think my jaw was located somewhere near my knees, and also, was that a women?!?!NO, it just sounds like one!!!!It's the consistency to shock and the ability to carve their own path out in music, that sees them still here in 2006,but,lets just look at whats's on offer here in Placebo's first album!
I'll tell you what,seedy, dark, tormenting tracks, dripping with glamour that provide infectious sounds from the very first listen!This is my 2nd favourite Placebo album after their 2006 offering 'Meds', the songs here may lack the newly developed song-writing skills of recent albums, but ,every single track is oozing with quality and imagination and an ability to explore new areas of music,something that they still do today!Seriously, this album packs a weighty punch, one that will always stay with you, i will now just quickly review each song!

Come Home- As good as opener as any band could hope for,a real sense of urgency is apparent!9/10

Teenage Angst-A very addictive guitar riff combined with all the angst you expect from the title!8/10

Bionic-Simplistic lyrics, very shocking, and a wonderful sound!9/10

36 Degrees-Another infectious track, with a killer sound!9/10

Hang On To Your IQ-The first 'beautiful' track, but with the usual Placebo twist!8/10

Nancy Boy-This is the most seedy song in the world possibly,even the riffs sound filthy, but, massively entertaining!however the single version sounded better recorded10/10

I Know-Sounds very tragic in sound and by lyrics, a great track!8/10

Bruise Pristine-Ahhhhhh, killer sound AGAIN, let it grow on you then.........POW!9/10

Lady Of The Flowers-A lovely song that should be the definition of beautiful in the oxford dictionary!10/10

Swallow-Ok this is odd and isn't as dirty as the title may let you think, there is no singing as such, but a dodgy,hard to hear conversation,but the 'Hidden Track' is fantastic!7/10!

Just go and buy it, please!

eyes and nose placebo dark princes of pop
placebo two years after the spokesperson of a grunge generation has been dead along comes another spokesperson too fill the empty hole that was missing in poular music
placebo with there clean production pop rock with there make-up laid songs about sexually and other glorious subjects held the crown high with there debut album it's in my opipion there best and thrilling and rewarding that they have ever made
yeah the production is a bit clean for my liking but the quality of the songs are amazing simple lyrics and heavy guitars and bassy breezy drums and thundering bass it's all you'll ever need from a debut album this is the best debut album to come out of the nineties
"long live the princes of dark pop placebo"