PLACEBO SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS ALBUM HUT, VIRGIN RELEASE: MARCH 24, 2003 REVIEW: APRIL 1, 2003

At first "Sleeping with Ghosts" makes me jump up and down inside. "Wow, Molko and co have made an album even I can like" I quietly shout. Being a fan of both Bowie and Suede one would have thought electro dandyrockers Placebo was my cup of tea, but they aren't. Sure, I liked "Nancy Boy" and a couple of tracks from "Black Market Music" but a Placebohead, I have never been.
My view will change now, I thought, and began to listen to "Sleeping with Ghosts" again and again. And, well, partly it did. Placebo has made a partially much straighter and more focused album than before, which rocks at times and is low key electronic at times. First single "See You at the Bitter End" is outstanding, as is "Second Sight" and down tuned and monotone "English Summer Rain". Were all songs on "Sleeping with Ghosts" this great I would throw my Suede albums out the window. But they aren't. As a matter of fact, a few of the songs on "Sleeping with Ghosts" are too unfocused to be called real songs. They are more like soundscapes, if you interpret the word in a non-ambient way. No discernible or good melody, no catchy chorus and no hooks.
Too bad. If Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Stewe Hewitt really went all the way, they could make a masterpiece. As it is now, "Sleeping with Ghosts" are just another one of those records that you won't buy because you only like the hits.

KALLE MALMSTEDT