Placebo - 1974 - Placebo

Placebo

1974

Placebo

01. N. W.

02. Plotselling

03. Bosso

04. Dag Madam Merci

05. Hop Hop

06. Tanga

07. Stomp

08. S. U. S.

- Marc Moulin / keyboards, synthesizers

- Nick Fissette / trumpet

- Richard Rousselet / trumpet, other horns

- Alex Scorier / saxes, flute

- Frans Van Dijk / trombone

- Johnny Dover / bass clarinet, saxophone, flute

- Francis Weyer / guitars bass

- Nick Kletchkovski / bass

- Freddy Rottier / drums, percussions

- Garcia Morales / drums

- Yvan de Souter / bass

- Philip Catherine / guitar

The third album is rather disappointing in its goal to achieve what the previous album had promised, even if it came out on the "progressive" label Harvest, was probably the album showing that Marc Moulin was getting too restricted in the formula he had set himself.

The lenghty Stomp is a little too repetitive, but still a great moment, but it does have an end-of-era feel, while N W, also rather lenghty is a real reflective moment, the brassy funky Dag Madam is great change of pace, the closing S U S is again delving in Moulin's search for new electronic sounds (here almost a sonar), Plotselling being the main attraction the first side of the vinyl with its lenghty Rhodes lines (a little Ratledge- sounding here) while the winds induce a great added tension even if a drum solo comes in to ruin it a bit. Bosso is a Novo (I know;-) so typical of years to come.

Although Placebo will only disband at the end of 76, this will be their last album, and by giving an attentive ear to it (they do seem a little short of ideas), it seems that they stopped before making one more album, that would've been "l'album de trop". Luckily they did not!! However , before their eventual demise , Marc Moulin had put out a "solo group" effort called SAM SUFFY which is quite astounding, adventurous, eclectic and the perfect expression of what he wanted to do: expand from an octet to a trio: Grandiose!!!

He then will go on for an extensive and then extended career including a political and very satirical press-writing twist, an acid-jazz career, production of Cos and Philip Catherine albums and fronting electro-pop outfit Telex (ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons's preferred band) etc..

Placebo's eponymous third album is glossy, elaborate Benelux Jazz-Rock which could be labelled Library music as well - having themes that could easily accompany a cult 70's detective series. Its seductive rhythms, combined with tasteful arrangements, make this LP difficult to walk away from. The grooves go deeper compared to their earlier works and the solos are intense and unique.