Placebo - Meds

When a band announces a return to their rock roots, one invariably assumes they don't mean this literally - the best we should hope for is a new slant on their classic sound. The title track from their latest album is destined to disappoint those anticipating a new direction from the Placebo camp. With an intro lifted almost note-perfect from 1998's Every You Every Me and lyrics citing a common Molko topic (addiction in this case), this is a single for the staunch Placebo fan only. Alison Mosshart, aka VV of the Kills, lends her gritty vocals to the chorus, adding a slight sinister edge to an otherwise insipid tune. [Suzanne Mitchell]