Placebo (UK) – Never Let Me Go (Black Vinyl)

Standard Edition Black Double Vinyl in Gatefold Sleeve.

From Pandemic, Placebo look out on a landscape of intolerance, division, technological oversaturation and impending eco-catastrophe. In doing so, the duo's talent for creating a colossal, heartbreaking piece of music comes through in full force. 'Never Let Me Go' comes to life with unbridled urgency. The first three tracks come across with the energy of a teenage punk combo. But it also has masterfully accomplished pop songs like 'Beautiful James,' a rousing anthem for non-heteronormative relationships from a band that first championed diversity amidst amorphous Britpop culture with 'Nancy Boy' in 1996, long before today's open, combative atmosphere. After the fast-paced triple-song hammer, 'Never Let Me Go' opens with many moods and musical styles. There's a rage in them that, while never polemical, is palpably ignited by the madness and injustices of daily life. Molko may be an idiosyncratic rock star, the likes of which do not often exist today, but like any true artist, he sees himself as a mouthpiece for the feelings of the general public. In the mid-1990s, when non-binary icons were still unthinkable, he spoke for all those who felt alienated from Britpop, channeling glam-goth androgyny, grunge sound and pop understanding into an alternative vision that resonated internationally. With more than 13 million albums sold, including five Top 10 entries on the UK LP chart and five Top 5 placements here at home, Placebo have a voice that can neither be ignored nor silenced. 'Never Let Me Go' is music for the committed and the disappointed, for insomniacs, activists and trolls to ponder in peace. But it also shows an exciting new range of styles and sounds from the band, another 'best album they've ever made' in a long line. Once you hold it in your hand, you won't want to let it go.