Euro power pop, neo glam, alternative, whatever you call them, one thing's for sure - you cannot categorize this band. It surprises me that some of the most uptight people with the most random of choices in music have Placebo riding high in the mucho respect realm. Although MEDS doesn't really disappoint, it sure doesn't make you want to clap your hands and say yeah. Nor does is compare to this reviewer's desert island Placebo pick, Black Market Music, their third album from back in 2001. In fact MEDS is a weak sugar pill compared to any of their old albums. It's lame and a little music-snobby to make such a statement, but it does happen to be true. Maybe they're trying different things (running out of ideas) or "maturing" as a band, (fighting like cats and dogs), but whatever the fuck it is, if you've been following the band for a while it becomes very clear that MEDS isn't their best work. Brian Molko's overbearing word repetition sometimes bugs me out, and on this album there is a lot of it. Listen to "Post Blue" to hear what I'm talking about. "It's in the water baby" is a workable line the first few times, but stagnates with repetition.

I suppose 5 albums over the course of 10 years isn't too shabby, but considering the three year wait, the amount of filler on MEDS bums a fan out. Maybe I'm being over-analytical here, but I was like a guy with blue balls on prom night when I popped this shit in and as I mentioned, MEDS is nothing to bust a nut over. Still, as these things seem to always work, the album opened up and hugged me. Jesus that sounded gay. Speaking of which, Michael Stipe's vocal contribution is definitely one of the more notable features of MEDS, although you have to blast the fuck out of "Broken Promise" to hear it. His vocals are so low in the mix you'd never know it was him unless you scoured the liner notes. I personally can't stand that guy, but if you're a fan I wouldn't buy this album just to hear him sing, because you'll only be disappointed.

The title track opener is short and weak and should've been reworked. The same goes for "Infra-red" with it's ridiculously forced line "someone call the ambulance, there's gonna be an accide-hent." The album does however slowly pick up a little steam into darker, well produced and more nebulous tunes like "Space Monkey," with its piano crescendos and melodic chorus that brings to mind "Sleeping With Ghosts" off the 2003 record of the same name.

Saying a band is "good at what they do" is as futile as saying retards are good at what they do…being retarded (shrug shoulders now). This is a fucking amazing band and to say they suck just wouldn't be fair. I'll just say they had some shit goin' on there for a while, but not even a spoonful of sugar is gonna help you swallow these MEDS.