Battle for the Sun

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Battle for the Sun
Battlecover.jpg
Studio album by Placebo
Released 8 June 2009 (see release history)
Recorded August–September 2008
Studio Metalworks Studios, Canada
Genre Alternative rock[1]
Length 52:15
Label PIAS
Producer David Bottrill
Placebo chronology
Meds
(2006)Meds2006		 Battle for the Sun
(2009)		 B-Sides: 1996–2006
(2011)B-Sides: 1996–20062011
Singles from Battle for the Sun
  1. "For What It's Worth"
    Released: 1 June 2009
  2. "The Never-Ending Why"
    Released: 14 September 2009
  3. "Ashtray Heart"
    Released: 21 September 2009
  4. "Bright Lights"
    Released: 8 February 2010
Cover of the 2010 Redux Edition

Battle for the Sun is the sixth studio album by English alternative rock band Placebo. It was recorded in 2008 and released in 2009 by record label PIAS.

Production and recording

David Bottrill produced the record, after having previously worked with Tool, Muse, Silverchair, Remy Zero, and dEUS. James Brown, who worked on the band's 2006 album Meds, engineered.[2] It is also the first album with the new drummer, Steve Forrest. Recording took place at Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, Ontario.

On Battle for the Sun, the band utilize new instruments, such as trumpets and saxophones.[3] Molko even experimented with the Springtime (experimental electric guitar made by Yuri Landman).[4] The material has influences from such bands as PJ Harvey and My Bloody Valentine.[5] Frontman Brian Molko said on the concept of the album:

We've made a record about choosing life, about choosing to live, about stepping out of the darkness and into the light. Not necessarily turning your back on the darkness because it's there, it's essential; it's a part of who you are, but more about the choice of standing in the sunlight instead.[6]

Molko has also stated that Battle for the Sun is the band's first album with a discernible thematic unity.[7] Molko states that his favourite track from the album is "Speak in Tongues".[8]

Molko was inspired to write bonus track "Unisex" by the movie Cloverfield.[9]

The mastered album features a slight peculiarity on track 9 ("Julien"): the vocals are doubled for a short duration, with a phrase, sung in low volume, preceding itself. Such artifacts can stem from a variety of sources such as production errors, or from encoding within the .mp3 or .mp4 formats, both of which suffer from just such a flaw.

Release

The album was released as a download, CD, limited edition CD and DVD, LP, and a limited edition box set.

The box set features the full album plus two extra studio tracks, a CD to access exclusive live recorded tracks, a DVD of the December 2008 Angkor Wat performance, a DVD of exclusive studio footage and a 32 page photo book featuring exclusive artwork, photos and handwritten lyrics as well as the full album on 2 x Heavy Vinyl LP.[10]

The title track debuted on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show 17 March 2009. After the world première, it became available for free download on the band's official site.

At an exclusive secret gig held on 17 March 2009, in London, the band played a number of new songs from the album, including the tracks "Ashtray Heart", "Julien", "Kitty Litter", and "Devil in the Details". They also covered Nik Kershaw's "Wouldn't It Be Good".

The album was made available for streaming on the band's official website between 29 May and 31 May 2009.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[1]
Alternative Press 4.5/5 stars[12]
Drowned in Sound 4/10 stars[13]
IGN (8.9/10)[14]
Kerrang! 4/5 stars[15]
NME 6/10 stars[16]
Pitchfork Media (3.4/10)[17]
Rock Sound 8/10 stars[18]
Rolling Stone 2.5/5 stars[19]
The Times 3/5 stars[20]

Eddie Fleisher of Alternative Press gave the album 4 and a half out of 5 stars. He wrote that Battle for the Sun "takes the best elements of their sound and focuses it into a cohesive listening experience ... there's no filler to be found". The review also notes how Steve Forrest as drummer gives the band a much-needed kick and how Brian Molko's lyrics are given more clarity. Fleisher also says the album contains two of the best Placebo songs ever, "Happy You're Gone" and "Kings of Medicine".[21] Metacritic gave the album a score of 62/100 based on 17 professional reviews indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19] Others however, have been less than receptive. NME said that Battle for the Sun was "a desperately transparent copy of originality. For those who still believe in them, Placebo will, at least, remain an efficacious live band at festivals this summer, but only given that the real thing (Suede, Muse, David Bowie, Nirvana et al) isn't currently on offer.".[16] Rolling Stone added that "too many songs ("Devil in the Details") are full of bombast and bland angst, as if these smart guys know better but can't help themselves".[19]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Placebo (Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Forrest), except as noted. 

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Kitty Litter"     3:47
2. "Ashtray Heart"   Molko, Steve Ludwin, Jordan Page 3:32
3. "Battle for the Sun"   Molko, Olsdal 5:33
4. "For What It's Worth"     2:47
5. "Devil in the Details"     4:28
6. "Bright Lights"     3:23
7. "Speak in Tongues"     4:06
8. "The Never-Ending Why"     3:23
9. "Julien"     4:43
10. "Happy You're Gone"     3:50
11. "Breathe Underwater"     3:44
12. "Come Undone"     4:36
13. "Kings of Medicine"     4:15
Total length:
 52:15
Deluxe Edition bonus DVD 1
Live at Angkor Wat
  • "Meds" – 5:23
  • "Because I Want You" – 4:23
  • "Follow the Cops Back Home" – 4:52
  • "Black-Eyed" – 3:14
  • "Post Blue" – 3:55
  • "Blind" – 4:15
  • "Drag" – 3:39
  • "Teenage Angst" – 3:19
  • "Twenty Years" – 4:55
  • Detour documentary
Deluxe Edition bonus DVD 2
  • In the Studio: The Making of Battle for the Sun documentary

Personnel

Placebo
  • Brian Molko – vocals, guitar, Springtime guitar, keyboards, piano
  • Stefan Olsdal – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, piano, organ, backing vocals
  • Steve Forrest – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional personnel
  • Bill Lloyd – keyboards
  • Fiona Brice – string arrangements
  • Peter Cardinalli – brass arrangements
  • Alex Cooksey – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
  • Hazel Fernandes – backing vocals
  • Valerie Etienne – backing vocals
Technical

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position		 Certification
Australian Albums Chart (ARIA) 8
Austrian Albums Chart 1
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) 1[23] Gold
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) 1[24] Gold[25]
Dutch Albums Chart 5[26]
European Albums Chart 1
Finnish Album Chart 2[27]
French Albums Chart 1[28]
German Albums Chart 1 Gold[29]
Irish Albums Chart (IRMA) 22
Italian Albums Chart 5[30] Gold
New Zealand Albums Chart 14
Polish Albums Chart 14[31]
Portuguese Albums Chart 4[32]
Spanish Albums Chart 5[33]
Swedish Albums Chart 9[34]
Swiss Albums Chart 1
Taiwan Albums Chart 1
UK Albums Chart 8 Silver[35]
US Billboard 200 51
US Billboard Independent Albums 8
Year-end charts
Chart (2009) Rank
German Albums Chart[36] 45
Swiss Albums Chart[37] 47

Release history

Country Date
Japan 3 June 2009
Australia 5 June 2009
Hong Kong
United States 8 June 2009
Canada
United Kingdom
Philippines 7 November 2009[38]
Worldwide (Redux Edition) 27 September 2010

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Battle for the Sun at AllMusic. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Alternative Press July 2009
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  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Placebo's new album Battle for the Sun out now! Universal Records (Philippines) blogsite.

External links

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