One record at a time: 379. Pet Shop Boys - The Collection

This bootleg is quite an oddity. From what I can make out it was supposedly pressed in France circa 1988 and is a compilation that includes a twenty minute megamix as one of its 'highlights'. There are only seven tracks included and the assertion that the phonographic copyright in the recordings is owned by "ALLHITS LTD." seems more than a little doubtful. At least the artwork is a good effort.

I'm really not a fan of listening to mega mixes and they only make sense as a tool for lazy DJs. The effort by "Italian Sound Inc." included here is pretty terrible as the added elements are either out of tune or intensely irritating. Another annoyance is the fact that many of the songs play the wrong speed. As a result of beat matching the Shep Pettibone remix of "What Have I done to deserve this?" sounds slow and laboured and the samples added to "In The Night" drive me to distraction. The constantly repeating thunder claps and orchestra hits that are all over "It's a Sin" provide the icing on the cake.

The other tracks included are "Heart", "Always on my mind", "It's a sin" and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" For whatever reason we are treated to the the album version of  "Suburbia" and "West End Girls" fades out rather unceremoniously after about three minutes. This record is quite a bizarre experience. 2/5