Sleeping with Ghosts

Last updated

Sleeping with Ghosts
Sleeping with ghosts.jpg
Studio album by
Placebo
Released24 March 2003
RecordedLate 2002 – early 2003
Studio The Town House and Sarm West in London, England
Genre
Length46:32
Label
Producer Jim Abbiss
Placebo chronology
Black Market Music
(2000)		Sleeping with Ghosts
(2003)		 Covers
(2003)
Singles from Sleeping with Ghosts
  1. "The Bitter End"
    Released: 10 March 2003
  2. "This Picture"
    Released: 16 June 2003
  3. "Special Needs"
    Released: 15 September 2003
  4. "English Summer Rain"
    Released: 24 February 2004

Sleeping with Ghosts is the fourth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was recorded from late 2002 to early 2003 and released on 1 April 2003 by record labels Virgin and Hut.

Contents

Sleeping with Ghosts reached number 11 in the UK Albums Chart, and received a generally favourable reaction from music critics.

Content

Frontman Brian Molko, who is known to be a fan of the band Sonic Youth, [1] references lyrics from their album Sister on "Plasticine" ("Beauty lies inside the eye of another youthful dream" directly references "Beauty lies in the eyes of another's dream" from Sonic Youth's "Beauty Lies in the Eye").

The album has several songs based on a theme of relationships, such as relationships that end badly ("The Bitter End"), power struggles in relationships ("Special Needs") or the idea that some are meant to be eternal soulmates (the title track). Brian Molko told Kerrang! magazine: "I'm looking back to what's happened in my past emotional decade, trying to understand it. Trying to exorcise the ghosts and the demons of relationships past. It's the old cliché of it being therapeutic but it does work for me in that way." [2]

Another interview has Molko explaining:

The album title's about carrying the ghosts of your relationships with you, to the point where sometimes a smell or a situation or an item of clothing they bought brings a person back. For me it's about the relationship that you have with your memories. They inhabit your dreams sometimes. There can be a lot in the future that's gonna remind you of the ghost of relationships past. So I see the album as a collection of short stories about a handful of relationships. Most of them mine. In a way writing the songs helps me to get a lot of the nasty feelings off my chest and put them in a box, and therefore have a bit more of an objective discourse with those emotions because you've done something positive with them, you've rid yourself of them. [3]

Release

Sleeping with Ghosts was released on 1 April 2003. The CD came with the Copy Control protection system in some regions. It reached number 11 in the UK Albums Chart. [4]

A Special Edition version of the album was released on 22 September 2003 worldwide, featuring a diverse selection of cover versions that the band had recorded in previous years. This was re-released as a download-only album in 2007 under the name Covers . This is their last album released under Hut.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 64/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The A.V. Club favourable [7]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Filter 85% [9]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Pitchfork 6.4/10 [11]
PopMatters mixed [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Uncut 4/10 [14]

Sleeping with Ghosts received "Generally favorable reviews" from critics, and holds an approval rating of 64 out of 100 on Metacritic. [5]

Michael Idov of Pitchfork wrote "No peaks, no gorges, just a steady oscillation between adequate and inspired. Sleeping with Ghosts is a remarkably level collection of guitar pop, simultaneously less glammy and less pungent than Placebo's earlier stuff." [11] Mojo wrote "There's some terrific and accessible stuff here [...] but the result is still an album that retreads old Placebo themes." [10] Q magazine called it "spikily brilliant". [13]

Track listing

All tracks written and performed by Placebo

No.TitleLength
1."Bulletproof Cupid"2:22
2."English Summer Rain"4:01
3."This Picture"3:34
4."Sleeping with Ghosts"4:38
5."The Bitter End"3:10
6."Something Rotten"5:28
7."Plasticine"3:26
8."Special Needs"5:15
9."I'll Be Yours"3:32
10."Second Sight"2:49
11."Protect Me from What I Want"3:15
12."Centrefolds"5:02
Total length:46:32
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Evalia"4:20
14."Drink You Pretty"3:55
European bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Slackerbitch"3:24
14."Eyesight to the Blind"2:58
15."Miss Moneypenny"2:50
16."Then the Clouds Will Open for Me"4:19
17."Waiting for the Son of Man"4:10
18."Leeloo"4:19
19."ION"4:08
Special Edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Protège-Moi"3:13
Special Edition bonus disc: Covers
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Running Up That Hill" (originally by Kate Bush)Kate Bush4:57
2."Where Is My Mind?" (originally by Pixies) Black Francis 3:44
3."Bigmouth Strikes Again" (originally by The Smiths) Johnny Marr, Morrissey 3:54
4."Johnny and Mary" (originally by Robert Palmer)Robert Palmer3:25
5."20th Century Boy" (originally by T. Rex) Marc Bolan 3:40
6."The Ballad of Melody Nelson" (originally by Serge Gainsbourg) Serge Gainsbourg 3:58
7."Holocaust" (originally by Big Star) Alex Chilton 4:27
8."I Feel You" (originally by Depeche Mode) Martin Gore 6:26
9."Daddy Cool" (originally by Boney M.)Frank Farian, George Reyam3:21
10."Jackie" (originally by Sinéad O'Connor)Sinéad O'Connor2:48

Charts and certifications

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria) [43] Gold15,000*
Belgium (BEA) [44] Gold25,000*
Germany (BVMI) [45] Platinum200,000^
France (SNEP) [46] 2× Platinum600,000*
Greece (IFPI Greece) [24] Gold10,000^
Portugal (AFP) [47] Silver10,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [48] Gold20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [49] Gold100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [50]
reissue 		Silver60,000‡
United States—61,000 [51]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI) [52] Platinum1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Placebo
Additional personnel
Technical personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Nirvana</i> (Nirvana album) 2002 greatest hits album by Nirvana

Nirvana is a greatest hits album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on October 29, 2002. It was the third Nirvana album released following the death of lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain in 1994.

<i>The Ghost of Tom Joad</i> 1995 studio album by Bruce Springsteen

The Ghost of Tom Joad is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on November 21, 1995, by Columbia Records. His second primarily acoustic album after Nebraska (1982), The Ghost of Tom Joad reached the top ten in two countries, and the top twenty in five more, including No. 11 in the United States. It was his first studio album to fail to reach the top ten in the US in over two decades. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

<i>100th Window</i> 2003 studio album by Massive Attack

100th Window is the fourth studio album by English electronic music group Massive Attack, released on 10 February 2003 by Virgin Records. The album was mainly produced by lead member Robert Del Naja, as the group's producer Andrew Vowles departed shortly after the release of their previous album Mezzanine (1998), and Grant Marshall opted out of the production of the album. 100th Window features vocals from regular guest Horace Andy, as well as newcomers Sinéad O'Connor and Damon Albarn. Stylistically, it is the first album by the group to make no use of existing samples, and contains none of the hip hop or jazz fusion styles that the group were initially known for.

<i>In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003</i> 2003 compilation album by R.E.M.

In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 is the second official compilation album released by R.E.M. Issued in 2003, it includes tracks from their Warner Bros. Records era, from 1988's Green to 2001's Reveal, as well as two new recordings and two songs from movie soundtracks. The album was the tenth-best-selling album of 2003 in the UK, and the 50th-best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.

<i>Astronaut</i> (Duran Duran album) 2004 studio album by Duran Duran

Astronaut is the eleventh studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 28 September 2004 by Epic Records. It was Duran Duran's first studio album since Pop Trash (2000), and the first full album since Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983) to be recorded by the most famous five-member lineup of the band.

<i>Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996–2004</i> Greatest hits album by Placebo

Once More with Feeling: Singles 1996–2004 is a greatest hits album by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was released on 30 November 2004 by record label Hut to celebrate the band's tenth anniversary. It features their singles from 1996 to 2004 as well as three new songs: "I Do", "Twenty Years", and "Protège-Moi", the last two of which were released as singles. The album is also available in DVD format, titled Once More with Feeling: Videos 1996–2004, featuring all of the band's music videos.

<i>Placebo</i> (Placebo album) 1996 studio album by Placebo

Placebo is the debut studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was released on 17 June 1996 by record label Virgin. It is the only album recorded with drummer Robert Schultzberg before his departure from the group.

<i>Peace</i> (Eurythmics album) 1999 studio album by Eurythmics

Peace is the eighth and final studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics, released on 19 October 1999 by RCA Records. It was the band's first album of new material in 10 years, following 1989's We Too Are One.

<i>Paper Monsters</i> 2003 studio album by Dave Gahan

Paper Monsters is the debut solo studio album by English singer Dave Gahan. It was released on 2 June 2003 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and the following day in North America by Reprise Records.

<i>Exciter</i> (Depeche Mode album) 2001 studio album by Depeche Mode

Exciter is the tenth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 14 May 2001 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and a day later in the United States by Reprise Records. The album was produced by Mark Bell, and was supported by the Exciter Tour, one of the band's most successful tours.

<i>Black Market Music</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Placebo

Black Market Music is the third studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. The album took nine months to record, from late-1999 to mid-2000; the longest that the band had ever spent recording an album until 2022's Never Let Me Go. It was released on 9 October 2000 by record label Hut.

<i>Post Orgasmic Chill</i> 1999 studio album by Skunk Anansie

Post Orgasmic Chill is the third studio album by British rock band Skunk Anansie, first released in 1999. Two album covers exist: the European version with the band lounging in an oceanside apartment, and the American version with the band standing on the Atlantic City boardwalk. It was a complete departure from their previous two albums, which had elements of punk rock and alternative rock, towards a new harder sound with elements of hard rock and alternative metal. It took eleven years for the group to release their next album, Wonderlustre.

<i>Meds</i> (album) 2006 studio album by Placebo

Meds is the fifth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was recorded from late 2005 to early 2006 and released on 13 March 2006 by record label Virgin in most countries, although it was released three days earlier in Australia and New Zealand. Illegal copies had previously been available on the Internet since 17 January 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pure Morning</span> 1998 single by Placebo

"Pure Morning" is a song by British alternative rock band Placebo, released as the lead single from their second album, Without You I'm Nothing (1998), in August 1998. Along with "Nancy Boy", it is Placebo's highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. It was their highest charting single in the United States, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Elsewhere, the song reached the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Ireland and New Zealand. In October 2017, the song was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<i>Without You Im Nothing</i> (Placebo album) 1998 studio album by Placebo

Without You I'm Nothing is the second studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. Recorded in mid-to-late 1998, it was released on 12 October 1998 by record labels Hut and Virgin Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Placebo discography</span>

The discography of Placebo, an English alternative rock band, consists of eight studio albums, three compilation albums, six extended plays, and 33 singles. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1996 and peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart. A single from the album, "Nancy Boy", peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart. Placebo's next studio album, 1998's Without You I'm Nothing, peaked at number seven in both the UK and France. The singles "Pure Morning" and "You Don't Care About Us" both reached the top five on the UK Singles Chart. Those were Placebo's last singles to make the top five in the UK.

<i>Battle for the Sun</i> 2009 studio album by Placebo

Battle for the Sun is the sixth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was recorded in Canada in 2008 and released on 8 June 2009 by record label PIAS. It is their first album with new drummer Steve Forrest, following the departure of Steve Hewitt in 2007.

<i>Here and Now</i> (Nickelback album) 2011 studio album by Nickelback

Here and Now is the seventh studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback, and is their last to be released on Roadrunner Records. The album was released on November 21, 2011. It is the follow-up to their multi-platinum selling Dark Horse in 2008. On September 26, the band officially released two singles, "When We Stand Together" and "Bottoms Up". Both songs were made available for download on September 27, 2011. The first track of the record, "This Means War", was released on November 10, 2011 as the third single. The album's cover features Vancouver's Gastown Steam Clock. The clock is set at 11:21, the date the album was released.

<i>Loud Like Love</i> 2013 studio album by Placebo

Loud Like Love is the seventh studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo, recorded between 2012 and 2013 and released on 16 September 2013.

<i>Never Let Me Go</i> (Placebo album) 2022 studio album by Placebo

Never Let Me Go is the eighth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo, recorded between 2019 and 2021 and released on 25 March 2022. The album was made available for pre-order on 9 November 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "The Boy Can't Help It". Guitarist . August 1997. Archived from the original on 8 May 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Natural Born Chillers". Kerrang! . March 2003. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Placebo – Guest Program Rage". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 August 2003. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Placebo | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "Critic Reviews for Sleeping with Ghosts – Metacritic". Metacritic . Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  6. ↑ MacKenzie, Wilson. "Sleeping with Ghosts – Placebo | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Murray, Noel (15 April 2003). "Sleeping with Ghosts | Music | MusicalWork Review | The A.V. Club". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Jason (May 2003). "Placebo Sleeping with Ghosts". Blender : 123. Archived from the original on 17 April 2004.
  9. ↑ "[Sleeping with Ghosts review]". Filter (5): 123.
  10. 1 2 "[Sleeping with Ghosts review]". Mojo : 110. April 2003.
  11. 1 2 Idov, Michael (20 April 2003). "Placebo: Sleeping with Ghosts". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 24 September 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ↑ Antrobus, David (14 May 2003). "Placebo: Sleeping with Ghosts | PopMatters". PopMatters . Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  13. 1 2 "[Sleeping with Ghosts review]". Q : 111. April 2003.
  14. ↑ "[Sleeping with Ghosts review]". Uncut : 90. May 2003.
  15. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  19. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  21. ↑ "Placebo: Sleeping With Ghosts" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  22. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  23. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  24. 1 2 "Ελληνικό Chart – Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ" (in Greek). IFPI Greece.
  25. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Placebo". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  26. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "Charts.nz – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  28. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  29. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  30. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  31. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  32. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  33. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  34. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  35. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 2003". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  36. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2003". Ultratop. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  37. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2003". Ultratop. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  38. ↑ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2003" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  39. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  40. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2003". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  41. ↑ "2003 UK Albums Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  42. ↑ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2004" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  43. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  44. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2003". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  45. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Placebo; 'Sleeping with Ghosts')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  46. ↑ "French album certifications – Placebo – Sleeping with Ghost" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  47. ↑ "Top Oficial da Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa – Top 30 Artistas – Semana 15 de 2003" (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
  48. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Sleeping with Ghosts')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  49. ↑ "British album certifications – Placebo – Sleeping with Ghosts". British Phonographic Industry.
  50. ↑ "British album certifications – Placebo – Sleeping with Ghosts". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  51. ↑ Legrand, Emmauel (15 April 2006). "Placebo gets rockier". Billboard. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  52. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2004". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.