It is still difficult to understand why the third album of Placebo is called “Black Market Music”, although it can easily be called “Music of the Yellow Press”. This work is done for those who wanted to see something concrete, definite, to fill the lines of the critical press with painful tweets, to grind up mentions of the group and Molko in particular. It is also mainstream provocative – the intrusive passion that musicians threw in the face of critics, and the glowing neon sign of the lyrics in the booklet look like drawing attention.
From late 1999 to mid-2000, the band spent nine months recording the album in the studio, which was the longest period the band ever spent creating an album at that time. The album, which was dedicated to music publicist Scott Piering, who died of illness earlier that year, was released on October 9, 2000. Rob Ellis, famous for his work with PJ Harvey, made string arrangements for several songs, while Molko, Olds, and Hewitt returned to their traditional roles. Molko recorded all vocals and lead guitars, Oldsal was responsible for bass and additional layers of guitar sound while Hewitt was at the drums.
Music videos numbered four, following the release of the album: ‘Taste In Men, released on July 17, 2000, ‘Slave to the Wage’ on September 25, 2000, ‘Special K’ on February 26, 2001, and, finally, ‘Black-eyed’ on October 8, 2001. The most famous of them became the Special K video, not least thanks to the unusual visuals. Moreover, after the album came out, it became the fans’ favorite song from the controversial release.
Placebo wrote arrogant, relatively straightforward, but sometimes intricate-sounding hits, with which they diligently shoot from the entire beginning of the disc: “Taste In Men”, “Days Before You Came”, “Special K”. Self-confident, having brought their music to the temporary perfection of form, they are already playing with the components, replacing the usual rap vocals with a read on “Spite & Malice” – it did not turn out too well, but it was at least worth a try. The lyrics, leaving out understatement, and incomprehensibility, shine with ostentatious manifests of minorities and even songs dedicated to mother and friend, looking too harsh dedications, full of ambiguities. The impression of a subconscious ‘you wanted – you listen’ does not leave, or ‘that’s all for you – just leave me alone.
Placebo’s music became not heavier, but harder, and youthful emotional instability was replaced by pressure. Molko’s voice, although still easily recognizable, sounds more mature and less sincere, adding a specific layer to the record, which some may not like. The dirty guitar sound has been complemented by introducing dynamic melodies into the latest, which are now intercepted from guitars by various electronics, keys, and various samples.
I think that the rhythm section is the main side that stands out in this record, working intensively for success in half of the catchy songs. In particular, “Black-eyed” catches on, not with a poor vocal line or massive keyboard effects, namely with the bass and rhythm of the drums. The pronounced layering is emphasized in the pop-punk thing “Slave To The Wage”, equipped with an additional synth drawl, reinforced by a second guitar line. Overall, however, this record feels like a step backward, attempting to provoke, rather than develop ideas from previous works. Building muscles on the newfound success, the quality of “Without You I’m Nothing” with a manifesto of their worldview, did not lead to noticeable progress. “Black Market Music” is a statement on the positions already won, in some way successful, in another giving up the position, but still annoyingly clinging with frank androgyny, and a good level of guitar drive.
References
Placebo. (2000). Black Market Music [Album]. Hut
Greenhalgh, H. (2001).Special K [Video]. YouTube.