Album: Placebo, Battle for the Sun, (Pias)

It looks like a packet of Panadol, and its 13 easy-to-swallow tablets will provide pain relief for anyone who feared Molko & co had permanently lost the plot.

Rather than over-the-counter capsules, BFTS sounds as though it's fuelled by prescription-only steroids. The lust-crazed "Kitty Litter" kicks off the most alive-sounding Placebo album for almost a decade. After dabbling with electronics, the trio have reverted to what they do best: juddering, abrasive yet anthemic alt-rock with lyrics about sex, drugs and low self-esteem.