Battle for the Sun

Battle for the Sun is the sixth studio album by English 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.

Battle for the Sun
Studio album by
Placebo
Released8 June 2009
RecordedAugust–September 2008
StudioMetalworks Studios, Canada
GenreAlternative rock[1]
Length52:15
LabelPIAS
ProducerDavid Bottrill
Placebo chronology
Meds
(2006)		 Battle for the Sun
(2009)		 B-Sides: 1996–2006
(2011)
Singles from Battle for the Sun
  1. "For What It's Worth"
    Released: 20 April 2009
  2. "The Never-Ending Why"
    Released: 14 September 2009
  3. "Ashtray Heart"
    Released: 21 September 2009
  4. "Bright Lights"
    Released: 8 February 2010

Battle for the Sun reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart, and received a generally favourable reaction from critics. Four singles were released from the album: "For What It's Worth", "The Never-Ending Why", "Ashtray Heart" and "Bright Lights".

Production

David Bottrill produced the record, after having previously worked with Tool, Muse, Silverchair, Remy Zero, and dEUS. James Brown, who worked on the band's 2006 album Meds, engineered.[2] It is also the first album with the new drummer, Steve Forrest. Recording took place at Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, Ontario.

On Battle for the Sun, the band utilize new instruments, such as trumpets and saxophones.[3] Molko even experimented with the Springtime (experimental electric guitar made by Yuri Landman).[4]

Content

The material on the album has influences from such bands as PJ Harvey and My Bloody Valentine.[5]

Frontman Brian Molko said on the concept of the album:

We've made a record about choosing life, about choosing to live, about stepping out of the darkness and into the light. Not necessarily turning your back on the darkness because it's there, it's essential; it's a part of who you are, but more about the choice of standing in the sunlight instead.[6]

Molko has also stated that Battle for the Sun is the band's first album with a discernible thematic unity.[7] Molko states that his favourite track from the album is "Speak in Tongues".[8]

Molko was inspired to write bonus track "Unisex" by the movie Cloverfield.[9]

The mastered album features a slight peculiarity on track 9 ("Julien"): the vocals are doubled for a short duration, with a phrase, sung in low volume, preceding itself. Such artifacts can stem from a variety of sources such as production errors, or from encoding within the .mp3 or .mp4 formats, both of which suffer from just such a flaw.

Release

The title track debuted on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show 17 March 2009. After the world première, it became available for free download on the band's official site. At an exclusive secret gig held on 17 March 2009, in London, the band played a number of new songs from the album, including the tracks "Ashtray Heart", "Julien", "Kitty Litter", and "Devil in the Details". They also covered Nik Kershaw's "Wouldn't It Be Good". The album was made available for streaming on the band's official website between 29 May and 31 May 2009.[10]

Battle for the Sun was released on 8 June 2009 as a download, CD, limited edition CD and DVD, LP, and a limited edition box set. It reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart.[11] Its debut in US marked 10,000 copies sold, and worldwide shipments were 500,000 copies worldwide.[12]

In 2009. It was awarded a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 250,000 copies throughout Europe. [13]

The box set features the full album plus two extra studio tracks, a CD to access exclusive live recorded tracks, a DVD of the December 2008 Angkor Wat performance, a DVD of exclusive studio footage and a 32-page photo book featuring exclusive artwork, photos and handwritten lyrics as well as the full album on 2 x Heavy Vinyl LP.[14]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic62/100[15]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Alternative Press[16]
Drowned in Sound[17]
IGN8.9/10[18]
Kerrang![19]
NME[20]
Pitchfork3.4/10[21]
Rock Sound[22]
Rolling Stone[15]
The Times[23]

Battle for the Sun received a generally favourite reaction from critics. Eddie Fleisher of Alternative Press gave the album 4 and a half out of 5 stars, writing that Battle for the Sun "takes the best elements of their sound and focuses it into a cohesive listening experience ... there's no filler to be found". The review also notes how Steve Forrest as drummer gives the band a much-needed kick and how Brian Molko's lyrics are given more clarity. Fleisher also says the album contains two of the best Placebo songs ever, "Happy You're Gone" and "Kings of Medicine".[24]

Others, however, have been less than receptive. NME said that Battle for the Sun was "a desperately transparent copy of originality. For those who still believe in them, Placebo will, at least, remain an efficacious live band at festivals this summer, but only given that the real thing (Suede, Muse, David Bowie, Nirvana et al) isn't currently on offer.".[20] Rolling Stone added that "too many songs ("Devil in the Details") are full of bombast and bland angst, as if these smart guys know better but can't help themselves".[15]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Placebo (Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Forrest), except as noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kitty Litter" 3:47
2."Ashtray Heart"Molko, Steve Ludwin, Jordan Page3:32
3."Battle for the Sun"Molko, Olsdal5:33
4."For What It's Worth" 2:47
5."Devil in the Details" 4:28
6."Bright Lights" 3:23
7."Speak in Tongues" 4:06
8."The Never-Ending Why" 3:23
9."Julien" 4:43
10."Happy You're Gone" 3:50
11."Breathe Underwater" 3:44
12."Come Undone" 4:36
13."Kings of Medicine" 4:15
Total length:52:15
Vinyl bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Unisex"4:04
15."The Movie on Your Eyelids"3:53
iTunes pre-order bonus track
No.TitleLength
14."Wouldn't It Be Good"3:19
iTunes and Japanese bonus track
No.TitleLength
14."In a Funk"4:07
Hong Kong bonus track
No.TitleLength
14."Post Blue (Chinese Whispers Remix)" (featuring Li Ya)5:25
Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Unisex"4:04
15."The Movie on Your Eyelids"3:53
Amazon.com digital bonus tracks[25]
No.TitleLength
14."For What It's Worth (Losers Maximal Techmix)"5:48
15."For What It's Worth (Savours Remix)"6:00
Redux Edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Trigger Happy Hands" 
2."Monster Truck" 
3."Breathe Underwater (Slow)" 
4."Unisex" 
5."Because I Want You (Redux)" 
6."Blind (Redux)" 
7."Drag (Redux)" 
8."Twenty Years (Redux)" 
9."Soulmates (Redux)" 
10."Trigger Happy Hands (Buffalo Daughter remix)" 
Deluxe Edition bonus CD-R
No.TitleLength
1."Ashtray Heart (Live at Romexpo, Romania 2009)" 
2."Battle for the Sun (Live at Turkcell Arena, Turkey 2009)" 
3."Breathe Underwater (Live at Seoul Olympic Hall, South Korea 2009)" 
4."Bright Lights (Live at Leipzig Arena, Germany 2009)" 
5."Come Undone (Live at Summer Sonic Festival, Tokyo 2009)" 
6."Devil in the Details (Live at Stuttgart Schleyerhalle, Germany 2009)" 
7."For What It's Worth (Live at Pukkelpop Festival, Belgium 2009)" 
8."Happy You're Gone (Live at Rockwave Festival, Greece 2009)" 
9."The Never-Ending Why (Live at the Melbourne Soundwave Festival, Australia 2010)" 
10."Speak in Tongues (Live at Paris Zenith, France 2009)" 
Deluxe Edition bonus DVD 1
Live at Angkor Wat
  • "Meds" – 5:23
  • "Because I Want You" – 4:23
  • "Follow the Cops Back Home" – 4:52
  • "Black-Eyed" – 3:14
  • "Post Blue" – 3:55
  • "Blind" – 4:15
  • "Drag" – 3:39
  • "Teenage Angst" – 3:19
  • "Twenty Years" – 4:55
  • Detour documentary
Deluxe Edition bonus DVD 2
  • In the Studio: The Making of Battle for the Sun documentary

Personnel
Placebo
  • Brian Molko – vocals, guitar, Springtime guitar, keyboards, piano
  • Stefan Olsdal – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, piano, organ, backing vocals
  • Steve Forrest – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional personnel
  • Bill Lloyd – keyboards
  • Fiona Brice – string arrangements
  • Peter Cardinalli – brass arrangements
  • Alex Cooksey – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
  • Hazel Fernandes – backing vocals
  • Valerie Etienne – backing vocals
Technical
  • David Bottrill – production
  • James Brown – engineering
  • Wayne Cochrane – engineering assistance (tracking)
  • Kevin Dietz – engineering (recording)
  • Alan Moulder – mixing
  • Darren Lawson – mixing assistance
  • John Davis – mastering
  • Joseph Llanes – sleeve photography
  • Tim Young – Redux Edition remastering

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[54] Gold 15,000*
France — 85,000[55]
Germany (BVMI)[56] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] Silver 60,000^
United States — 10,000[58]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history
Country Date
Japan 3 June 2009
Australia 5 June 2009
Hong Kong
United States 8 June 2009
Canada
United Kingdom
Philippines 7 November 2009[59]
Worldwide (Redux Edition) 27 September 2010
gollark: Hi pjals!
gollark: What downloads? PotatOS Web Edition?
gollark: https://github.com/tsl0922/ttyd
gollark: ttyd.
gollark: The web SSH thingy? There are better versions now.

References
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  4. "Placerbo". Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
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  10. "Battle For The Sun". Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
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