Meds (album)

Meds (album)
Name	Meds
Type	studio
Artist	Placebo
Released	14 March 2006
Recorded	2005
Studio	RAK Studios, London; Townhouse Studios, London
Genre	Alternative rock, post-punk revival
Length	44:28
Label	Virgin, Astralwerks
Producer	Dimitri Tikovoi, Placebo
Prev title	Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996–2004
Prev year	2004
Next title	Battle for the Sun
Next year	2009

Meds (album) is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Placebo, released in March 2006. The record was produced by Dimitri Tikovoi alongside the band and recorded in London, marking a sonic shift that foregrounded stripped-back arrangements, collaborations, and lyrical themes of dependency and alienation. The album spawned singles that charted across Europe and received mixed to positive reviews from critics, influencing Placebo's trajectory into the late 2000s.

Background and recording

Following the compilation Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996–2004, Placebo returned to studio work amid tours with acts such as Depeche Mode and festival appearances including Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival. Band members Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, and drummer Steve Hewitt decamped to RAK Studios and Townhouse Studios, working with producer Dimitri Tikovoi and engineers who had credits with artists like Killing Joke and Massive Attack. The sessions emphasized live tracking and minimal overdubs, informed by influences from Joy Division, The Cure, and Sonic Youth; the band invited guest vocalists including Sia, Michael Stipe, and Patti Smith-adjacent collaborators to add texture. Conflicts over direction mirrored tensions present during contemporaneous projects by Radiohead and Interpol, prompting Placebo to aim for clarity and directness.

Composition and lyrics

Meds presents a palette of alternative rock and post-punk revival aesthetics with leaner production than Placebo's prior album Sleeping with Ghosts. Songs explore themes of pharmaceutical dependence, romantic estrangement, and urban isolation, echoing narratives found in works by Nick Cave and Talking Heads. Tracks employ chiming guitars, tremolo-laden basslines, and cut-through vocal takes reminiscent of Siouxsie Sioux influences; lyrical nods reference interpersonal conflict and media saturation akin to motifs in albums by PJ Harvey and Polly Jean Harvey. The title track — a duet — juxtaposes Molko's delivery with a guest voice to dramatize dependency, while other cuts alternate between aggressive riffs and brittle balladry inspired by the dynamics used by The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana.

Release and promotion

Released on Virgin Records in Europe and Astralwerks in North America, the album was announced with lead singles and accompanying music videos premiered on channels including MTV and MuchMusic. Placebo supported the release with headline tours across United Kingdom, Europe, and dates in North America, playing festivals such as Bonnaroo and Oxegen. Promotional appearances included sessions for BBC Radio 1 and interviews with music press outlets like NME and Rolling Stone, as well as televised performances on shows resembling Later... with Jools Holland. Special editions were issued featuring bonus tracks, remixes, and B-sides, mirroring marketing strategies used by contemporaries Muse and Coldplay.

Reception and commercial performance

Critical reception was varied: several reviewers praised the songwriting and production economy while others critiqued perceived emotional monotony, paralleling contemporary discourse around albums by Blur and Oasis. Publications such as NME and Q offered favorable notices, while outlets like Pitchfork provided more ambivalent appraisals. Commercially, Meds entered the albums charts in multiple territories, reaching high positions on the UK Albums Chart and securing Platinum or Gold certifications in markets including France, Germany, and Australia. Singles placed on national singles charts and received airplay on Alternative radio formats, contributing to steady touring revenue and sustaining Placebo's international profile into the late 2000s.

Track listing

(All songs written by Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal, except where noted) 1. "Meds" (featuring a guest vocalist) – 3:22 2. "Infra-Red" – 4:02 3. "Drag" – 3:13 4. "Because I Want You" – 3:51 5. "Song to Say Goodbye" – 3:28 6. "Post Blue" – 4:25 7. "One of a Kind" – 3:40 8. "Pierrot the Clown" – 3:45 9. "Broken Promise" – 4:11 10. "Bitter End" – 3:01 11. "In the Cold Light of Morning" – 6:30

(Various regional editions include bonus tracks and remixes similar to releases by The Prodigy and Nine Inch Nails.)

Personnel

- Brian Molko – vocals, guitar (credits comparable to frontmen such as Brett Anderson and Thom Yorke) - Stefan Olsdal – bass, guitar, backing vocals (parallels with multi-instrumentalists like John Squire) - Steve Hewitt – drums, percussion (drum approach akin to players in The Cure touring lineups) - Dimitri Tikovoi – production, programming - Guest vocalists: notable contributions by artists associated with Sia (singer), Michael Stipe-era collaborations, and figures from the Patti Smith milieu - Additional engineers and mixers with credits on albums by U2 and Deftones

Artwork and packaging

The album's visual identity employed stark photography and typographic design in the tradition of sleeve art for records by Factory Records-era bands, invoking aesthetics similar to covers by Joy Division and minimalist releases from Mute Records. Packaging variations included jewel-case and digipak editions with alternate artwork, lyric inserts, and credits; special editions bundled promotional materials echoing collector releases from Sony BMG and independent imprints.

Category:2006 albums Category:Placebo albums Category:Virgin Records albums