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Battle For The Sun
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Battle For The Sun Image
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 66 Ratings

  • Summary: The sixth album for the London-based rock trio was produced by Dave Bottrill and is the band's first album with new drummer, Steve Forrest (original drummer Steve Hewitt parted company in 2007).

Top Track

Battle For The Sun
I, I, I will battle for the sun, sun, sun And I, I, I won't stop until I'm done, done, done You, you, you are getting in the way, way, way And I, I,... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. Alternative Press
    90
    Battle For The Sun takes the best elements of thier sound and focuses it into a cohesive listening experience--there's no filler to be found. [Jul 2009, p.130]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Delusions of Adequacy
    80
    [The album’s final track is] a satisfying conclusion to the band’s best album since 2000’s Black Market Music.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    The band has made records more appealingly outré than this one. Raise the freak flag higher, dudes!
  4. Observer Music Monthly
    60
    A heavier take on their gothic moan-rock.
  5. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    It’s true that in parts Battle For The Sun, Placebo’s [sixth] studio album, will give the open-minded/easily-fooled aspartame butterflies in the stomach, methadone iris dilation and nicotine-patch heart tremors.
  6. Spin
    50
    Lacking lyrics as memorable as 2006's "Meds," Battle for the Sun is heavier but duller, with the gap between Molko's spindly melodies and the fatter, newly Americanized riffs widening.
  7. Pitchfork
    34
    They've jettisoned just about anything that ever made them perversely enjoyable.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Charlyrockstar
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    The last great placebo album, with a new drummer, & new sound full of greatest song, is the 4th. best album of the band, change style music,The last great placebo album, with a new drummer, & new sound full of greatest song, is the 4th. best album of the band, change style music, change drummer, change evrything, wouldn't be the same in the next years. the last great album of Placebo… Collapse
  2. Dana
    Jun 29, 2009
    10
    Didn't like it at first, but now I'm totally addicted to it. Best Placebo album, doubtless.
  4. BrunoRoss
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    Fantastic!
  5. AnneL
    Nov 8, 2009
    10
    What a pleasure! Love most of the songs. Drums still powerful and lyrics showing a new stage / maturity in Brian's life. Had been What a pleasure! Love most of the songs. Drums still powerful and lyrics showing a new stage / maturity in Brian's life. Had been disappointed with their albums after Black Market Music. This one makes them top of my list again. Gripping music. Fabulous sounds. Love letting them take over me!… Expand
  6. ChuckS.
    Jun 10, 2009
    9
    This certainly isn't WYIN, but my guess is Molko and Co had to grow after the huge commercial success of Meds and SWG, and if that This certainly isn't WYIN, but my guess is Molko and Co had to grow after the huge commercial success of Meds and SWG, and if that growth means simpler and somehow duller lyrics, more synths, strings and even horns (For What It's Worth) then so be it, the guys still sound great (thanks in part to Bottril), have great melodies and punching riffs, and have a kick a** new drummer (sorry Hewitt). Two thumbs up!… Expand
  7. Nikos52
    Sep 16, 2011
    9
    It is outstanding how they can still release such a great album. The style has changed a little bit, maybe it's more focused on the vocalsIt is outstanding how they can still release such a great album. The style has changed a little bit, maybe it's more focused on the vocals than before, but i really didn't mind that. It's still Placebo, but they're doing something a bit different and it's good. There's a lot of energy here and you can't really start naming tracks without listing the whole album. It's a wonderful work, worthy of buying… Expand
  8. DavidH
    Dec 13, 2009
    7
    Didn't like it at all at first, but it has started to grow on me. It was much much better at a live show.it has 3 songs which stand out Didn't like it at all at first, but it has started to grow on me. It was much much better at a live show.it has 3 songs which stand out which can make an album these days because more people tend download singles from itunes etc than albums. i can understand why a lot of hardened fans such as myself wont like it but at least they are trying to sound more rounded. I think this will go down better in the U.S.A than past albums. overall a good effort but just not good enough for Placebo, I feel slightly disappointed.… Expand

See all 17 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Most Discussed Album of 2009

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