Today
is the ANNIVERSARY of Placebo's seventh studio album “Loud like
love”, it was released seven years ago on September 13th
2013.
According
to Brian the record “Loud like love” is a concept album. It's a
collection of ten short stories that are built around the theme love,
and the songs approach the topic from ten different angles. You can
see them as stand-alone songs, but you can also see it as only one
love story told from the beginning to its end.
It starts so hopeful with the first song “Loud like love” (Can you imagine a love that is so proud? It never has to question why or how. Breathe, breathe. Believe, believe.) and ends with desperation and pain in “Bosco” (I ask you for another second chance but then I drink it all away […] I do you harm because I can. I've such duplicity at my command so I keep on lying to your face). The tracks inbetween show all nuances from falling in love to the point when all feelings have gone and everything is lost and in vain.
It's interesting to know that “Loud like love” and “Bosco”, the first and the last song of this cycle, were written at the same time. “They became sort of the bookends for the album and the story”, Stefan told a journalist in an interview with Hanger in September 2013. About the rest of the album I want to share another statement by him from that conversation: “I relate to certain songs because of my own relationships and problems that I’ve had but I also see certain songs and I go “Jesus! Brian, have you been to that place? That’s a f*ckng dark place.” And he’s like “yeah haven’t you?” No, not that dark.”
It starts so hopeful with the first song “Loud like love” (Can you imagine a love that is so proud? It never has to question why or how. Breathe, breathe. Believe, believe.) and ends with desperation and pain in “Bosco” (I ask you for another second chance but then I drink it all away […] I do you harm because I can. I've such duplicity at my command so I keep on lying to your face). The tracks inbetween show all nuances from falling in love to the point when all feelings have gone and everything is lost and in vain.
It's interesting to know that “Loud like love” and “Bosco”, the first and the last song of this cycle, were written at the same time. “They became sort of the bookends for the album and the story”, Stefan told a journalist in an interview with Hanger in September 2013. About the rest of the album I want to share another statement by him from that conversation: “I relate to certain songs because of my own relationships and problems that I’ve had but I also see certain songs and I go “Jesus! Brian, have you been to that place? That’s a f*ckng dark place.” And he’s like “yeah haven’t you?” No, not that dark.”
“Loud like love” was recorded at RAK Studios in
London and produced by Adam Noble. It reached no. 13 in the UK Albums
Chart.
Three singles were released from the album: “Too many friends”, “Loud like love” and “A million little pieces”.
The album consists of ten songs, about half of them were originally written for a solo project that Brian wanted to do at that time.
”The record is called 'Loud like love' but it doesn’t have ten love songs on it: this is Placebo World so of course we’re going to explore the more dark recesses of emotion – obsession, jealousy, alienation, heartbreak, abandon – and even the absence of love and the effect that has on a human being”, he explained the album in an interview with The Music in September 2013.
In another interview Brian said that he sees “Loud like love” as a collection of ten short stories with a unifying theme that approaches the subject from ten different angles (Hunger, August 2013). Brian and Stefan both stated several times that they were very proud of the album and that they think it is their most honest and vulnerable release to date.
Three singles were released from the album: “Too many friends”, “Loud like love” and “A million little pieces”.
The album consists of ten songs, about half of them were originally written for a solo project that Brian wanted to do at that time.
”The record is called 'Loud like love' but it doesn’t have ten love songs on it: this is Placebo World so of course we’re going to explore the more dark recesses of emotion – obsession, jealousy, alienation, heartbreak, abandon – and even the absence of love and the effect that has on a human being”, he explained the album in an interview with The Music in September 2013.
In another interview Brian said that he sees “Loud like love” as a collection of ten short stories with a unifying theme that approaches the subject from ten different angles (Hunger, August 2013). Brian and Stefan both stated several times that they were very proud of the album and that they think it is their most honest and vulnerable release to date.
♫ LISTEN TO "LOUD
LIKE LOVE ♫
01.
Loud like love
03. Too many friends
04. Hold on to me
05. Rob the bank
07. Exit wounds
08. Purify
09. Begin the end
10. Bosco
The Chinese version of the album swaps out “Rob the bank”
with Pity party (of one)”. Pity party (of one).
The “Loud like love” limited edition includes a DVD with eight live versions of the songs.
The “Loud like love” limited edition includes a DVD with eight live versions of the songs.
“It explores how love can be violent, brutal and disorientating, and how the absence of it can lead people to behave in quite extreme ways. It also deals with jealousy, obsession, heartbreak and how addiction can tear relationships apart. So, it’s an album about people and the way that they interact with each other – or fail to.“
(Brian, Hunger, August 8th 2013)
”I’m really, really proud of how bare this record in terms of what it’s expressing
(Brian, Vanyaland, October 18th 2013)
”There are a lot of emotions and colour in this record. It’s both emotional and exciting at the same time.”
(Stefan, The Straits Times, August 20th 2013)
”When you think of the first song “Loud like love” being perhaps the first initial euphoric rushes of infatuation, and innocent discovery and youthful abandon, to “Scene of the Crime” being the first moment of transgression, to all the way through to the second-to-last song, which is “Begin The End,” which is the point in a relationship when you realize that you’re still in it, but you’ve passed the tipping point, that you know it’s over even though it’s not physically over yet. And then to “Bosco” which is kind of an apology and a search for redemption. I find that really interesting too, that it could be 10 songs about ten different relationships — and also the whole album could be seen as one, at different stages.”
(Brian, Vanyaland, October 18th 2013)
"'Loud like love' is very eclectic and textured and layered. I think it's more varied and more adventurous. We took a lot more risks with this record. In terms of the emotions in the lyrics I think it's our most honest and vulnerable album to date.'' (Brian, Bangkok Post, August 18th 2013)
”Equally, the title track ‘Loud like love’, was written at the same time as ‘Bosco’, and they became sort of the bookends for the album. ‘Loud Like love’ talks about the origins of love. I think that’s a very interesting concept because it’s an emotion we can’t touch but it’s so real and different for everyone. I relate to certain songs because of my own relationships and problems that I’ve had but I also see certain songs and I go “Jesus! Brian, have you been to that place? That’s a f*ckng dark place.” And he’s like “yeah haven’t you? ”No, not that dark.”
(Stefan, Hanger, September 4th 2013)
Photo credits: Covers of album and singles/edit by me, Joseph Llanes (3)
Post by Silke
