So another covers album then? A strange band are Placebo, they managed to cross tastes and appeal to goths, indie types and a rock audience to great success. This album was originally a bonus disc to the 'Sleeping With Ghosts' album with the exception of a couple of the tracks on this release.

'Covers' hasn't been endorsed by the band and is an album that the record company decided to release to cash in on their popularity. Shameful promotion from the company but not unexpected as they try to max out the kill count on the back of the band's fame. But is it any good? Loads of cover albums lack imagination and just sound, well half-arsed if I say so, but Placebo seem to think outside the box and have recorded some songs that might well raise a few eyebrows here and there - yes, there are the obvious choices of T Rex and even the Smiths, but Kate Bush and Boney M?

 
We get off to a brooding start with a haunting version of 'Running Up That Hill' followed by an XFM rendition of Pixies classic 'Where Ts My Mind' which pretty much stays faithful to the original. 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' is up next and not many bands take on Smiths songs, maybe because the original band had such a unique sound, but Brian Molko pulls it off here and makes it his own. Maybe not the best Smiths song but instantly recognisable all the same. 'The Ballad Of Melody Nelson' sees Placebo depart into Serge Gainsbourg's lyrics and go off on some synth-driven left of centre departure, again making it work for themselves. Next up is probably my favourite track on offer and the, not such a surprise, cover of Depeche Mode's 'I Feel You' and its great guitar hook. Penultimatly we have the inclusion of 'Daddy Cool' - yeah the Boney M track. An odd inclusion but again fitting for the release and oddly good to hear such a dance floor filler with a fuzzy distorted lead guitar break - nice...I think!?!? The album finishes as we started with a cover of a female artists track and the haunting 'Jackie.' 

 
Placebo appear pull it off. But where other bands go for the obvious covers maybe Placebo have done the obvious and gone for the unpredictable....if you know what I mean. But as good as it is and unmistakable as Molko's voice sounds, I'm not sure how long the shelf life of this might be. It was originally released as a bonus disc to a great album and that's where it possibly should have stayed as I can't see it drawing many new fans into the Placebo family, but if you like the band and have all the records then it completes the set just for the Boney M and Kate Bush tracks.

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