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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
Years in the making, Placebo have done their part: Refined, relevant, and raucous, Never Let Me Go is a gift fulfilling both the promise of escape and resurrection—a perfect accompaniment to this strange new season of the pandemic and humanity itself.
4mo
86
Never Let Me Go does an incredible job of handling the band’s bread and butter sound with the other aforementioned ideas, and creates a very engaging environment as a result.
4mo
80
The British veterans' first album in almost a decade isn't quite the ‘Metal Machine Music’ they suggest, but it is their best since 2006’s ‘Meds’.
4mo
80
Another outstanding album from one of the most consistent and prolific bands of a generation.
2mo
80
Never Let Me Go feels like an astute observation of our current post-pandemic social climate, as if the current global narrative has finally caught up to that of Placebo's internal monologue.
4mo
80
With futuristic riffs and pounding drums, Placebo remain a glorious band to yell along to, even after all these years.
4mo
80
A record of bloody-nosed nostalgia, of earworm riffs, of thick layers of grunge and jazzy breaks that swell up just when you think you’ve pinned the sound down.
4mo
80
With a rich subject matter to choose from ‘Never Let Me Go’ is a lot to get your teeth into and an album that demands your attention.
5mo
80
Despite the overwhelming emotions, Never Let Me Go is an exercise in control and expert execution that finds Placebo on another level of songwriting and point of view, a welcome surprise at this stage in their careers.
4mo
80
Never Let Me Go expands on the disassociation Molko encapsulated for so many misunderstood Nineties teens, applying it now to the entire human species.
4mo
80
Performed with panache and expertise, Never Let Me Go is a collection of patient tempos, irresistible grooves and ... the kind of thoughtful and carefully chosen instrumentation that is at times little short of sublime.
4mo
80
After years of reflection, this is a steady steep back towards the future.
4mo
80
They’ve always done their own thing, and Never Let Me Go is no exception. It’s the sound of a band finding new life well over a quarter of a century into their career, and that’s exactly what makes them special.
4mo
80
Never Let Me Go finds their brooding cyber rock gently tweaked and polished – a little more synth, a touch more buzz and clatter – yet sounding as timely and relevant to future rock trends as at any point since Nancy Boy.
5mo
80
Never Let Me Go rocks and rages yet is melodic and thoughtful, all at the same time.
5mo
80
Never Let Me Go, Placebo’s first album in almost a decade, is the most textured, nuanced, and subtle of their 25-year career. It’s also the most emotionally powerful.
5mo
70
Written after a gruelling greatest hits tour, Never Let Me Go sees Placebo making music purely for themselves, with some captivating results.
4mo
70
A record that continually kicks against the pricks, ‘Never Let Me Go’ proves that Placebo remain – infuriatingly for some – a group who are impossible to write off.
4mo
65
This won’t be anyone’s favourite Placebo album, but Never Let Me Go is a good solid effort from a band with a considerably lengthy career behind them that hasn’t dropped a record in nearly a decade.
4mo
40
Don’t call it a comeback: Placebo’s first new album in a decade, Never Let Me Go, shows their finest years are still behind them.
4mo
40
Placebo continue to find new ways of making sleazy, eyeliner-caked punky rants sound the most visceral thrills around.
4mo
It’s as if the sounds of Never Let Me Go are being mixed up in the lab and you’re right there for the experiment with test tubes and circuitry in the background clicking away Forever Chemicals is twisted as it clatters and clangs and seems to attempt to process it’s very own chemistry and even perhaps, condition:
(EDIT: THANKS FOR THE 750 FOLLOWERS 🙏)
🎶 My imagination doesn't know where to go
So it goes to sleep instead 🎶
🎶 Now my memory shapes forgot their own ... read more
I feel like this is a grower. But either way, it is best Placebo has had to offer in a minute. It is a very mature album for a band that has ben around as long as they have. The record also has a good flow from track to track and they are able to adapt their sound to still sound fresh. This album does have some questionable moments such as the cliche lyrics on Try Better Next Time or the unnecessary strings on The Prodigal. However, this album also contains some of the groups strongest tracks ... read more
Long awaited record. Nine years of silence it is not a small thing. The obvious question was, how this “two piece” pandemic Placebo incarnation is going to sound?.
Of course we had a hint of it with the singles which were very promising indeed.
Sonically the album kind of reminds the Sleeping with Ghosts and Meds era, which at least for me is a very nice thing. Beautiful James chorus is undeniably linked to that period. Not groundbreaking for sure, but very good news for a band ... read more
Very solid album. Lots of interesting lyricism and instrumentation, with strong stand-out moments in the form of the opener 'Forever Chemicals', which brilliantly combines clunking and clattering sounds with guitars, all the way to the softer moments towards the end, where the lyrics and Brian Molko's vocals really stand out. Even though we get a few tracks that go on for a little too long or try to be overly ambitious, the vast majority of Never Let Me Go is enjoyable and captivating.
Best ... read more
Nothing new, but for many years Placebo has remained at its level, does not get tired, recording good records.
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Track List
| 1 | Forever Chemicals 5:09 | 76 |
| 2 | Beautiful James 4:08 | 79 |
| 3 | Hugz 3:51 | 73 |
| 4 | Happy Birthday In The Sky 5:09 | 79 |
| 5 | The Prodigal 4:46 | 72 |
| 6 | Surrounded By Spies 5:14 | 75 |
| 7 | Try Better Next Time 3:07 | 73 |
| 8 | Sad White Reggae 3:25 | 70 |
| 9 | Twin Demons 3:58 | 77 |
| 10 | Chemtrails 4:31 | 76 |
| 11 | This Is What You Wanted 4:11 | 68 |
| 12 | Went Missing 5:05 | 71 |
| 13 | Fix Yourself 5:01 | 67 |
Total Length: 57 minutes
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5mo
The critics reviews are starting to come through and clearly, this is going to be Placebo's most acclaimed album. I am rarely so excited for an album, as I am for this. It genuinely has a return to form factor.
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Added on: November 4, 2021