I think its safe to say that Placebo has taken over as the best of 2006 so far. It may lose that spot since we are only 4 months in but I doubt it will fall out of the top 5. Their new cd "Meds" is amazing, the 1st track "Meds" features VV from the Kills on guitar. This song starts out simple then builds into a great singalong featuring Alison from the Kills on backups. This giant cresendo builds into a wall of sound with muffled vocals and razor sharp guitar licks. The song crashes and Infra-Red picks up back in familiar Placebo territory. Brian Molko vocally stalks you "I'm coming up on Infra-Red, there is no runng that can hide you, cuz I can see in the dark. I'm coming up on Infra-Red, forget your running, I will find you, cuz I can see you".

Track 3 "Drag" starts out with classic Placebo guitar and melody but stays upbeat and doesn't turn into the slow desolate songs they are notorious for. Track 4 "Space Monkey" is a dark brooding number reminicent of "Without You I'm Nothing". Track 5 "Follow the Cops Home" is a piano ballad, good but not great. Track 6 "Post Blue" is one of my favorite tracks, its dark but clean and has a bit of electronic overtones. Track 8 "Blind" is a slow dirge of a song, probably the weakest on the cd. Track 10 "Broken Promises" features Michael Stipe on vocals. It starts off with a piano and Michael singing, then guitars and Brian join in. Both trade vocals and share backup duties another great one. Track 11 "One Of A Kind" sounds like it came from Black Market Music. Any Placebo fan who lost faith in them would come back with this one. On Track 13 "Song To Say Goodbye" Placebo closes the cd with a heavy piano driven song leaving you wanting more.

Every Placebo cd has its place, all are great in their own ways but I would say that their 4th cd Sleeping With Ghosts has to be their weakest. I saw them on the Black Market Music tour and hope they come around again. Its hard to pinpoint what makes Placebo so great, the sex, drugs, love, lost and despair of their music continues on each album but doesn't grow old. Maybe its Brian's world that he brings you into, its a dark, seedy and digusting place but part of you wonders what it would be like to be there.