Black Market Music - Placebo

...Being the first release from Black Market Music, 'Taste In Men' is the epitome of the different yet utterly confusing direction that the band were set to take. Managing to get to number 16 in the UK singles chart, from the synthesiser introduction, there was a distinct electric feel to the track which is present throughout the rest of the album. Here, it is rather a more dominant, pulsating element and the tones of the guitar that have usually driven ...
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*Bonus Track* Black Market Blood
If you wait for about eight or so minutes after 'Peeping Tom' has ended, you'll be graced with a hidden track. Placebo have a habit of doing this on their first three offerings, which is quite irritating if you don't know the songs are there. 'Black Market Blood' reminds me of someone I know so it always makes me smirk but it might be because it reminds me a bit of me too. It's essentially a song ... more

Confusion was always going to be the key to the band Placebo's success. With their lead singer in the earlier days seemingly loving the idea of throwing on a frock and too much make up to irritate some of the less open minded people on the planet, such as Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst (bearing in mind the front man in question was indeed a bloke) by the groups third album, it would seem as if a change was needed.

Musically, the first two albums were quite different; the self titled debut was punky, angry and slightly arrogant with a good dose of vulnerability to even it all out. Yet, the follow up of 'Without You I'm Nothing' took the last trait to the extremes; the album lost a lot of its musical angst and concentrated much more on the story of the lyrics, mainly driven by Placebo's realisation that love is as cruel as they'd always expected it to be from the first time they wrote an album and the coming down period after their drug fuelled rages was another difficult element to contend with.

Following nine months in the studio, 'Black Market Music' was released in the October of 2000 with the promise that it would be a lot less about lead singer Brian Molko's own personal shortcomings and more about telling a story through an array of characters, a notion that was to certainly be expanded on from 1998's album. Not being aware of the band back when it was first release, in all of my innocent glory, it wasn't until a couple of years ago when I received this album.

It has to be said that I wasn't instantly captivated by 'Black Market Music'; I'd adored 'Sleeping With Ghosts' - the follow up record to this one - and thought that the dynamic of 'Placebo' was a good starting place. 'Without You I'm Nothing' was an album which I couldn't stop listening to because of the intricate marvelling between the emotions of every track. But this one just didn't suit me.

Why? I don't really know. It was a big change from anything the group had done in their earlier days but on reflection now, it is very much the middle album between their initial, subtly aggressive sound against the less bitter expression of the 2003 release, 'Sleeping With Ghosts'. 'Black Market Music', in itself, tries hard on a number of occasions to cross genre itself; instead of being strictly an alternative record, it tries its hand at dance and hip hop orientated sounds, perhaps not intentionally and those are probably not the right names for it.

But by the looping of different samples, it creates a very different vibe than many fans were perhaps expecting with each of the tracks perhaps evoking these loops and their original sound in many different ways.

Track 1: Taste In Men (4.15 minutes)
Being the first release from Black Market Music, 'Taste In Men' is the epitome of the different yet utterly confusing direction that the band were set to take. Managing to get to number 16 in the UK singles chart, from the synthesiser introduction, there was a distinct electric feel to the track which is present throughout the rest of the album. Here, it is rather a more dominant, pulsating element and the tones of the guitar that have usually driven the biggest majority of Placebo's work are a lot subtler. The drums - provided by former member Steve Hewitt - kick in before the guitar and keep at a solid pace throughout the song, making 'Taste In Men' a funkier opener than the previous albums first offerings.

Marks out of 10: 9 - the story of a bizarre love triangle, which is played out particularly well in the video, is excellent; on the first listen, it may seem a bit too repetitive but it really allows you to focus on the different electronic textures found within the track. I love it and its one of the Placebo tracks that you can actually dance to...as bassist Stefan Olsdal proves very well on stage with his self confessed 'Gay Dancing'*.

Track 2: Days Before You Came (2.33 minutes)
Reverting back to the good ole guitar and their former more aggressive sound, 'Days Before You Came' still maintains an addictive drum beat but the urgency of the guitar is at its peak here. After a fairly subdued, middle pace track like 'Taste In Men', this one very much has a mean streak running through it, and sounds remarkably like something Brian would be guilty of in his autobiographical phase of song writing; indulging and putting his own, selfish desires above anything a love could give, at least days before they arrived to pick up the pieces.

Marks out of 10: 9 - one of the things that really sticks out about this track is although the tune should be taking centre stage, the lyrics do an excellent job of fighting back against it so that this one comes across as memorable on more than one level, both lyrically and musically, something which certain tracks by Placebo have failed to do.

Track 3: Special K (3.52 minutes)
Not referring to the cereal here but the drug ketamine, the intro is a bit too similar to 'Days Before You Came' as the guitars sneak in early with their slightly irritated state. This seems to be a lot quicker at the chorus but it actually keeps on the same level throughout. It is mainly that way because of how the music breaks into an almost acoustic guitar sound at various points throughout. Keeping to a very similar line lyrically to others, in addiction whether it's through guilty pleasures of relationships, 'Special K' fizzles out the same way the former track does, which is a bit of a disappointment.

Marks out of 10: 8 - as a single itself, I think that it's a stronger contender in some ways, particularly musically, but it was never going to reach anywhere near the same heights as 'Taste In Men' did in the charts because of the countless drug references. Somehow, me thinks some of this MUST be autobiographical, at least somewhere down the line; if you've ever listened of read any interviews with Brian, you'll know how many different drugs he claimed to have dabbled in...

Track 4: Spite & Malice (3.37 minutes)
The drums break us into the track once again, although they sound very tinny as if they are trying to be hushed. However, then a voice chimes in and it isn't Brian's, and that cackle, it can only be one person - Justin Warfield! Ok, I have no idea who the heck this guy is either. One thing I do know is that he's not exactly Eminem when it comes to being a rapper. Anyway, highlighting the positives, he was brought in off the streets to add a different dynamic to the song; there was apparently something missing from this track and 'Spite & Malice' only narrowly made the cut on the album. Written about the May Day Massacres, I did like the way in which the lyrics used card references to put across their point of rioting. Some may think it sounds a bit silly but it does actually create quite a destructive ambiance, combined with the tune itself.

Marks out of 10: 9 - the hip hop elements in here away from the rapping makes the track seem spontaneous and more intriguing than it may have done without the serious sessions of cross looping. A song that could be very much taken or left by many fans but I think it's creative and certainly a good listen if ever there was one on this album.

Track 5: Passive Aggressive (5.24 minutes)
In the first of a few more downcast moments on the album, track five could have been plucked straight off 'Without You I'm Nothing'. Alas, actually, there is a degree of intelligence by Placebo in recognising the album's overall appeal of being a slightly electronic, guitar seminar of a beast is needed in almost all of the tracks and it would be foolish to drop the proverbial ball as early on as 'Passive Aggressive'. It flutters between a low guitar strum similar to that of 'Bionic', a first album number, to a fit of rock rage that never quite fractures the sound barrier to upkeep this rank of doubt and melancholy.

Marks out of 10: 9 - it is very much a case of marmite with this one; you'll love it or hate it. I'm in the first camp and think that it's a killer track because of the fact that it lasts a lot longer than anything on here; it allows the listener to dwell on the impact of the words and to almost enjoy the sadness evoked in them.

Track 6: Black-Eyed (3.48 minutes)
Although it sounds different from the other intros of each track on this album, the band certainly enjoy kicking things off with guitars. It's natural, with them being a rock band and stuff but if you really want to pick it apart, than it can be a little tedious. 'Black-Eyed' - as used on the soundtrack for German film Engle & Joe - is basically about a child whose family were torn apart through the parents no longer wanting to be together. Brian insists that it is not about his childhood, in spite of the fact that his American Father and Scottish Mother divorced when he was very young. How odd it is that there is a song about the subject?

Marks out of 10: 8 - it's even odder that there are references to the lead singers said promiscuity and self absorbed tendencies. Away from that, 'Black-Eyed' isn't that startling; other bands will write stuff very similar but Placebo's little quirks of making the lyrics incomplete at the bridge before the first chorus makes it a little bit special, even if it is quite a generic sound overall.

Track 7: Blue America (3.31 minutes)
The initial guitar hook plays itself lowly and works well in establishing the more sinister tone of the song in general. 'Blue America' has to have some bearing of personal experiences; no one can write about their Mum in a song and not expect it to mean something! The character in this story is discussing their need for assistance by referring to self help books and novels, including 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', which if you know the subject of the book, allows a slant that is thoroughly expressed in a thorough disliking of culture and aspects of the past. No speed was ever picked up during this one, which comes as a bit of a shock after many that aren't as delicate musically.

Marks out of 10: 7 - referred to as 'a bag of shit' by one of my Placebo hating buddies, she is probably right. However, it's with that gesture that the characters voice of being pretentious whilst wallowing in self doubt needs to be established in an almost comforting way. If you don't realise it, you'll hate this one and even if you can bear 'Blue America', it is still pretty dreary and uncharismatic.

Track 8: Slave To The Wage (4.06 minutes)
Lifting up a bit - at least musically - 'Slave To The Wage' got Placebo to a respectable number 19 in the UK charts upon its release. This is one of the songs where I know it is based around the bands own thoughts about the dreaded 'nine to five' jobs, particularly after watching their 'Care In The Community' documentary in which Brian claims to never having a proper job other than shredding paper in an office, which is shown in the music video. Using similar breakdown features from 'Passive Aggressive' whilst keeping a more electronic base to it, this one was recorded on the morning of the death of music publicist Scott Piering, who lost his battle to Cancer in January 2000. This whole album is dedicated to his memory and this track seems ironic but oddly fitting in light of those circumstances.

Marks out of 10: 7 - it's never been one of my favourite tracks; to me it's a bit boring and doesn't say anything that perhaps their other tracks don't endorse but in a different kind of way. A pleasant listen but certainly not one of the greatest songs on 'Black Market Music'.

Track 9: Commercial For Levi (2.20 minutes)
Having a much mellower but lazier sound than the rest of the album, 'Commercial For Levi' is purely directed at the lead singer himself; Levi - the groups technician - saved Brian once, when he was yet again horrendously drunk, from walking out in front of a car! I bet you were thinking that Placebo were going to sing the praises of the jeans? I did wonder before a first listen but that wasn't to be. Shame. This track is almost what I would classify as a lullaby; the music doesn't get that heavy - and even introduces a few naff sounding triangle tingles - but the lyrics are explicit in discussing the singer's drug habits and immature, cocky approach to life. Ouch!

Marks out of 10: 7 - not being a particularly challenging track to listen to, this one suffers as a result of it. If it is meant to be a stern message, it plays itself down to such a degree where you have to believe that they are laughing at the notion of death by stupidity in the face. An average track and again nothing too groundbreaking.

Track 10: Haemoglobin (3.46 minutes)
Starting off in a bubbly but pulse like way in which builds into distorted vocals and revisiting the bursting of guitars and drums, 'Haemoglobin' was originally going to be the title of the album until it was decided that Americans would be unable to say it correctly and pronounce it as 'homoglobin'! Written about the slave trade, and the struggling of finding a place in the world, it's a rightfully angry track and stays true to what Placebo consider being one of their main premises: standing up against Racism. It really seeks to be different to anything else they have written before, at least lyrically, whilst still being in keeping to some of the synthesiser trends on the album. For the most part, it succeeds and I think that the mixture of underplayed and over the top vocals on this tracks works really well.

Marks out of 10: 8.5 - as it never truly concludes, the song leaves its mark on the album in quite a substantial way. It's one of the most atmospheric and really generates an intense, confused but unfathomable beat that makes it alluring to listen to again. However, it could have been amplified somewhat if they'd been less sparing with the electronics in certain areas and kicked up the anger a notch.

Track 11: Narcoleptic (4.22 minutes)
Slowing the pace right down to a very lazy level, the title to this song is fitting for the slovenly mood of 'Narcoleptic'. It is certainly the most forgettable of all the tracks on 'Black Market Music'; too repetitive and trying too hard to create the mood of its title. It's very much the dirge; it never goes anywhere and keeps plodding on for much longer than it should have done. That was the effect that the band were trying to create but it's just a bit indulgent and not at all interesting to listen to.

Marks out of 10: 5 - filler of the most boring kind. The vocals didn't have any passion to them, and there were certainly key lyrics within the song that should have had a different vibe about them. For example, when talking about the possibility of dying, 'you'd better keep it in check or you'll end up a wreck and you'll never wake up', you'd expect a sterner tone, as anticipated on 'Commercial For Levi'. A passable listen yet one I often skip and certainly not an essential listen; it leaves absolutely no mark on the album other than being branded as the 'slow, monotonous song'.

Track 12: Peeping Tom (5.12 minutes)
Brining in a piano for their final track on the album, Placebo have kept what I consider to be one of the best tracks till last. 'Peeping Tom' as the name suggests is about voyeurism but instead of looking at it as a sometimes disgusting act, it twists it round and instead depicts a drunken, lonely anti hero that works well against the backdrop of the sullen piano whilst the other instruments trying a make it seem a little more optimistic. Although you could listen to it and say that the lyrics are a bit too repetitive, the way they are built up into the final fade out works better than 'Narcoleptic' could ever hope to.

Marks out of 10: 9.5 - this song has a misunderstood kind of charm to it. Brian's vocals work incredible well; he isn't naturally a powerful singer, instead having a slightly whiney quality to his voice, but the way he wavers on this one is magical. It tells the story exceptionally well, more so than any other songs on this album.

*Bonus Track* Black Market Blood
If you wait for about eight or so minutes after 'Peeping Tom' has ended, you'll be graced with a hidden track. Placebo have a habit of doing this on their first three offerings, which is quite irritating if you don't know the songs are there. 'Black Market Blood' reminds me of someone I know so it always makes me smirk but it might be because it reminds me a bit of me too. It's essentially a song about a girl who is too much of a cynic at heart and is driving herself mad over it. Anyway, with a string orchestra in the background, it's one of the most adventurous tracks that the band have ever done and has an amazing ambience to it that fits in well against the lyrics and the fluttering of instruments, many of which the band have never used before

Marks out of 10: 9.5 - this one should have replaced 'Narcoleptic' on the main portion of the CD; mystical with a great underlying vibe to it, 'Black Market Blood' is unusually haunting, very different to anything the band have ever attempted before but a forgotten masterpiece that is every bit enthralling after several listens.

ARTWORK AND PRESENTATION
Including lyrics and some rather odd imagery, the band themselves have said that they never liked the artwork on this album. It's quite clear as to why their sentiments are geared that way. The bulk of the background artwork is of machinery which, even metaphorically, doesn't fit in with any of the songs on this album, other than the notion of creating characters. The band have said in the past how they also aspire not to grace their own album covers in the first place, at the expense of avoiding appearing 'boy bandish' but you'll never see this albums cover nominated for any artistic awards as it's just a bit dull and lifeless.

OVERALL
The thing that stands out to me about 'Black Market Music' is the fact that it is a very different album to anything the band has ever attempted before. Although it is first and foremost a rock album, using the guitars and drums to the hilt, it also starts the process of evolution within the band in their chipping in of different textures and sounds to create something that has influences from the bands own musical tastes. This is particularly noticeable with the drummers liking of some forms of hip hop, which is certainly at its most noticeable in 'Spite & Malice'.

The boring moments of the album, and there are only a couple, do stop 'Black Market Music' from being Placebos most dominating album to date; you'll listen to it, like it, listen to it again and then uncover it a few months down the line when you have one of the truly great tracks like the aforementioned and 'Passive Aggressive' in your head.

The fact that the album took nine months to record is a bit worrying when you consider numbers such as 'Commercial For Levi' and 'Narcoleptic' that have such obvious flaws in the way in which their overall meanings are delivered. None the less, you can ignore these faults when considering 'Peeping Tom' and 'Black Market Blood'; if there was ever a musical based upon the bands work which ok is highly unlikely, both tracks you can imagine having a very film noir element to them; dark, mysterious and psychologically challenging. They are certainly two of Molko's best attempts at song writing as for once in his life, Brian steps outside of the box and examine things in tremendous detail, away from his own drug and relationship nightmares.

'Black Market Music' is one to own if you like cross genre rock or are indeed a solid Placebo fan. If not, you could quite happily love it or find it too over the top yet narcotic in places.

QUICK STATS
Year: 2000
Disks: One
Label: Virgin/Hut/Elevator
Length: 45.44 minutes
Warning: Comes with a parent advisory sticker - only really a noticeable feature in 'Spite And Malice'.
Best buy: £5.45 at dvd.co.uk - free UK delivery.

*To watch Stefan in action, visit: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jL58X_iOgMI 

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