Placebo are back with the eighth, and most accessible sounding album yet. Their first studio album in eight years’ time, Never Let Me Go was recorded between 2019 and 2021. It was preceded by the tracks Beautiful James, Surrounded By Spies, Try Better Next Time and ‘the fourth and final single’ Happy Birthday In The Sky. ‘Fourth and final single’? Does that mean that The Prodigal, which could grow into Placebo’s Bittersweet Symphony, would not be released commercially? Luckily, it doesn’t. Thanks to some attentive (and influential) music lovers, the record company just decided to make it the album’s fifth single as yet.

The Prodigal opens with a catchy string arrangement, which Placebo did not sample from a classic Rolling Stones track. Let’s just hope representatives of Queen & David Bowie won’t claim the strings halfway the song resemble the grande finale of Under Pressure.

All in all, The Prodigal is a wonderful, radio friendly single. Its orchestral backdrop and beautiful backing vocals give extra depth to the recognizable Placebo sound. As the album’s fifth single, it may seem to be the end of the campaign, but its only just beginning. This week, the band start a headline tour that’ll bring them all over Europe. Make sure not to miss it.

This week, Placebo’s The Prodigal will feature at the top of the Carte Blanche Music blog as our new Wildcard.

Recommended as well:
Beautiful James
Placebo – Life’s What You Make It

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In the Wildcards 2022 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.