SONG OF THE WEEK: PLACEBO / "TOO MANY FRIENDS"

 
story / LOGAN BRENDT
So we’re going to take a guess that Placebo‘s elusive frontman Brian Molko is not a fan of Facebook. Judging by the lyrics of their new single “Too Many Friends”, it would definitely appear this way. You know a song is genius when it creates a bizarre first impression, even more so when the video does the same thing. The video, narrated by the brilliantly analytical Bret Easton Ellis, depicts a misunderstanding, or so it seems. Breaking down 3.12 seconds in a matter of slow-motion visuals, there’s even a pop quiz at the end. I always hated pop quizzes, but I do love Placebo—even if it did take me a week and a debate to realize that this was a clever and original way to discuss technology. Who else can get away with 50 point prose about trivial subject matter?