You Can Be My Wave

At a pretty crucial time in my life, I discovered Placebo and connected with the band in a pretty deep way. I'm pretty certain it was the first time I heard an alternative rock or punk band openly sing about queer themes so boldly. Their 'let your freak flag fly' attitude was pretty empowering for a fresh-out-of-high-school, closeted, gay man who struggled to come to terms with his identity. While I didn't end up coming out until much later, I can pinpoint this time being the start of my path to feeling comfortable and embracing who I am.

The track that kicked it off for me was Nancy Boy. There are many lines here referencing dressing in drag and cruising for sex and drugs. It is grunge-y, playful, hedonistic, and it was quite a shock when it eventually dawned on me what Brian Molko was saying. A sleeper jam on this record is Hang On to Your IQ. This track is pretty chill and has a bit of a slacker vibe. I really love Molko's guitar parts on this track. The main guitar part is really clean and pretty, but after the chorus there is a section where he plays these really sour chords; creating some good tension before that main guitar part returns. The song Bruise Pristine has a raging chorus. The guitar is climbing up with these power chords, and with each cycle of the chromatic chord progression, the chords become bigger and fuller. It's a really cool idea.

I tuned in a little too late to catch Placebo in their formative years so I'm not quite sure what they're musical impact was like. They're a band that you don't hear much in conversation and they're following these days is probably pretty modest. However, I still hold Placebo's work from the late 90s and early 2000s in very high regard. If you're looking for some great alternative rock that is not afraid or ashamed to divulge intimate pieces that make up who they are, then maybe this is for you.