Meds

This article is about the album by Placebo. For the abbreviation of the word, see pharmaceutical drug. For other uses, see medication (disambiguation).

Meds
Studio album by Placebo
Released	13 March 2006
Recorded	December 2005–January 2006 RAK, London
Genre	Alternative rock, glam punk, post-punk revival
Length	48:22
Label	Virgin
Producer	Dimitri Tikovoi
Placebo chronology
Once More with Feeling (2004) Meds (2006) Battle for the Sun (2009)
Singles from Meds
"Because I Want You" Released: March 2006 (U.K. only) "Song to Say Goodbye" Released: March 2006 "Infra-Red" Released: 19 June 2006 "Meds" Released: 9 October 2006

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Alternative Press
Mojo
NME
Pitchfork Media	(5.1/10)
PopMatters
Robert Christgau	(mixed)
Rolling Stone
Slant Magazine
Q

Meds is the fifth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo, released in 2006 on Virgin Records. It was released in most countries on 13 March 2006, although it was released three days earlier in Australia (standard and special editions) and New Zealand (standard edition only). Illegal copies had previously been available on the Internet since 17 January 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Background

Placebo had planned to record a more electronic, keyboard-driven sound on Meds; however, producer Dimitri Tikovoi suggested a back-to-basics approach, which Brian Molko recounted in Zero Magazine:

It was our producer's agenda really, which we didn't really know about until we got into the studio. ...We were in a place that was very much about samplers and computers and vintage synthesisers. This recording session really became about playing again. We were in an old-school studio so there were no real tricks to hide behind.

On the theme of the record, Molko says:

I think there's a lot of songs...about the dangers and effects of drinking. ...'Infra-red's about that, when you get very drunk and you've got a bee in your bonnet about something, and this vengeful quality emerges. You start thinking about people who've done you wrong and [want] to set the record straight.

The album was re-released by Virgin Records in the U.S. in January 2007, including an extra three tracks ("Lazarus", "UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU", and "Running Up that Hill"), but omitting "In the Cold Light of Morning" because it contains "dirty words".

This album has been released with the Copy Control protection system in some regions.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Placebo, except where noted. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Meds" (featuring Alison "VV" Mosshart)	2:55
2.	"Infra-Red"	3:15
3.	"Drag"	3:21
4.	"Space Monkey"	3:51
5.	"Follow the Cops Back Home"	4:39
6.	"Post Blue"	3:11
7.	"Because I Want You"	3:22
8.	"Blind"	4:01
9.	"Pierrot the Clown"	4:22
10.	"Broken Promise" (featuring Michael Stipe)	4:10
11.	"One of a Kind"	3:20
12.	"In the Cold Light of Morning"	3:52
13.	"Song to Say Goodbye"	3:36

US re-release
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Meds" (featuring Alison Mosshart)		2:55
2.	"Infra-Red"		3:15
3.	"Drag"		3:21
4.	"Space Monkey"		3:51
5.	"Follow the Cops Back Home"		4:39
6.	"Post Blue (Dave Bascombe Mix)"		3:11
7.	"Because I Want You"		3:22
8.	"Blind"		4:01
9.	"Lazarus"		3:23
10.	"Pierrot the Clown"		4:22
11.	"Broken Promise" (featuring Michael Stipe)
12.	"One of a Kind"		3:20
13.	"Song to Say Goodbye"		3:36
14.	"UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU"		3:30
15.	"Running Up that Hill"	Kate Bush	4:56

"Running Up that Hill" is apparently digitally remastered, but otherwise the same version that was released in 2003 as part of the limited edition Sleeping with Ghosts bonus disc, copies of which can still be found in many stores. "Lazarus" and "UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU" are found on the title track's single.

Live in Chile bonus CD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"This Picture"
2.	"Special Needs"
3.	"Protect Me From What I Want"
4.	"I Do"
5.	"Black-Eyed"
6.	"Pure Morning"
7.	"English Summer Rain"
8.	"Twenty Years"
9.	"Nancy Boy"

The Chilean 2CD edition includes a bonus CD of live tracks recorded at the Centro Cultural Estacion Mapocho Santiago on the 1st and 2nd of April, 2005. "Song to Say Goodbye (Adios Volka Mix)" is credited in the liner notes, however it does not exist on either disc.

Special edition DVD

1. Documentary
2. Lyrics (with full instrumental soundtrack of the album)
3. "Twenty Years" (Live at Wembley 05.11.04)
4. "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" (Placebo and The Cure)
5. Backstage at Live 8 photo galleries
6. "Long Division" (audio)
7. "In the Cold Light of Morning" (demo; audio)
8. "I Do" (demo; audio)
9. "Pierrot the Clown" (demo; audio)

Chart positions

• #1 - France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Mexico, Chile
• #2 - Germany
• #3 - Finland, Portugal
• #4 - Australia, Italy, Argentina
• #5 - World Chart
• #7 - UK, Poland
• #10 - Netherlands, Czech Republic
• #12 - Norway
• #20 - Denmark
• #33 - Sweden
• #95 - Canada
• #180 - U.S. (5,974 units in the first week)

Credits

• Steve Hewitt - drums
• Brian Molko - vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
• Stefan Olsdal - bass, additional guitar, keyboards, additional vocals
• Dave Bascombe - mixing
• Fiona Brice - string arrangements
• James Brown - engineer
• Ian Burdge - cello
• Reiad Chibah - viola
• Alex Cowper - design
• Antony Crossfield - digital imagery
• Raj Das - assistant engineer
• Flood - mixing
• Fiona Griffiths - viola
• Nadav Kander - management
• Emma Owens - viola
• Daniel Porter - assistant engineer
• Helena Rathbone - cello
• Katherine Shave - viola
• Bob Smith - assistant engineer
• Dimitri Tikovoi - producer
• Sara Wilson - cello
• Richard Woodcraft - assistant engineer
• Tim Young - mastering
• Lee Wellington - bass