While
Placebo's self-titled debut contained mostly elements of '90s
alternative (
Smashing Pumpkins, etc.), their second album,
Without You I'm Nothing, is full of '70s
glam rock and
punk references.
Placebo's rhythm section of
Stefan Olsdal (bass) and
Steve Hewitt (drums) is impressively tight, but the band's star attraction is undoubtedly androgynous singer/guitarist
Brian Molko. Whereas the debut was written solely by
Molko, their latest is a bona fide group effort, with
Molko still handling the lyric-writing. The swirling anthemic album opener,
"Pure Morning," is a self-proclaimed "celebration of friendship with women," and should be a guaranteed hit single, while the racing
"Brick Shithouse" merges '90s
electro-
rock with
Sonic Youth punk guitars.
"You Don't Care About Us" shows that
Molko can easily re-create
J Mascis' late-'80s guitar tones, and
"Scared of Girls" contains gender-bending vocals from
Molko and a tribal-
rock accompaniment. With massive success already underway back home in England,
Without You I'm Nothing deserves to break through everywhere else. ~ Greg Prato
