''B3EP'' (often referred to as simply ''B3'') is an EP by

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band

Placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general ...

, released on 15 October 2012 through record label

Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...

History

In 2010, band members

Brian Molko Brian Molko (born 10 December 1972) is a Belgian-born Scottish-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of the band Placebo. He is known in particular for his distinctive nasal, high-pitche ...

and

Stefan Olsdal Bo Stefan Alexander Olsdal (born 31 March 1974) is a Swedish-Luxembourgish bassist/guitarist of the alternative rock band Placebo, he is part of the electronic band Digital 21 + Stefan Olsdal and launched the electronic/dance remix at Hotel Perso ...

began to publicly state that they were working on material for another studio album. On 23 November 2011, the band announced via their

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page and official website that they would return to the studio in 2012 to record their seventh studio album. Placebo confirmed in late May 2012 that they expect to release some tracks by the end of year, and that they have been assisted by Adam Noble (

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...

dEUS ''Deus'' (, ) is the Latin word for "god" or "deity". Latin ''deus'' and ''dīvus'' ("divine") are in turn descended from Proto-Indo-European *'' deiwos'', "celestial" or "shining", from the same root as '' *Dyēus'', the reconstructed chief g ...

) on a new album which will be released by the Northern Hemisphere summer in 2013. In August 2012, Molko revealed on Italy's

Rai Radio 2 Rai Radio 2 (''radio due'') is an Italian radio channel operated by the state-owned public-broadcasting organization RAI and specializing in talk programmes and popular music from Italy and China. History The origins of the channel can be tr ...

that a new single entitled "B3" would be released in September and a new album is expected to be released in March 2013. On 14 September 2012, the band announced that they would release a five-track EP titled ''B3'' on 12 October.

Release

''B3EP'' was released on 15 October through record label

, three days later than predicted. It reached no. 65 in the UK album charts. A music video was released for the title track on 17 October.

Critical reception

The only professional review came from

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...

. Reviewer Katherine Flynn, after criticising the band's previous album, 2009's ''

Battle for the Sun ''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 ...

'', which she wrote "didn't feel as urgent, or as true, as anything that had come before n Placebo's canon, saw ''B3'' as a " eturnto their loud, largely minor-key hijinks" and writing that the EP "kicks", citing the ending track "Time Is Money" as a highlight.

Track listing

Personnel

; Placebo *

– uncredited performance,

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

on tracks 2 and 4 *

– uncredited performance, production on tracks 2 and 4 * Steve Forrest – uncredited performance, production on tracks 2 and 4 ; Additional personnel *

Fiona Brice Fiona Brice is an English composer, orchestral arranger and violinist. Brice writes orchestral arrangements for various artists and has toured and recorded with several major pop and rock acts, including Placebo, Kanye West, Sugababes, Boy Geo ...

– string arrangements on track 3 ; Technical *

David Bottrill David Bottrill is a Canadian record producer. He has won three Grammys. Formerly, he owned Rattlebox Studios in Toronto, Ontario with producer Brian Moncarz. Moneen, Basia Lyjak, and The Getaway Plan are among the artists to have recorded at th ...

– production on tracks 3 and 5 * Adam Noble – production on track 1, mixing on tracks 1 and 2 *

Alan Moulder Alan Moulder (born 11 June 1959) is an English record producer, mixing engineer, and audio engineer. Early life Moulder was born on 11 June 1959 in Boston, Lincolnshire. He was educated at Boston Grammar School. He had an interest in music from ...

– mixing on tracks 3 and 5 * Neil Comber – mixing on track 4 * Tim Young – mastering * Helena Berg – cover design, sleeve photography * Anthony Crook – sleeve design

References

{{Authority control Placebo (band) EPs 2012 EPs Albums produced by David Bottrill