One record at a time: 359. Pet Shop Boys - Alternative

"Alternative" is a triple album that collects together most of the b-sides and extra tracks issued on Pet Shop Boys singles between 1985 and 1995.

I bought my copy in 2005 for £11 which, for a record that seems to fetch over £200 today, seems a bit ridiculous. Yet in the halcyon days before the modern vinyl resurgence, nobody really wanted records like this and they could be bought quite cheaply. Unfortunately my copy is missing the sticker that originally sealed in the contents, but the discs themselves are immaculate. Given a choice of owning this copy or nothing, I will declare myself content.

The first five songs here seem to be a perfect illustration of the boys finding their feet as producers and songwriters. "A Man Could Get Arrested" is based on a track from the earliest days of their career and was written with Bobby Orlando. The clumsy "Disco Mix" of "That's My Impression" is their first foray into self production and "Paninaro" sees Chris triumphantly demonstrating his innate ability to write a cracking tune. By the time we hear the brilliant "Jack the Lad", "A New Life" and "Do I Have To?" it is clear Neil and Chris have entered their "imperial" phase and found it impossible to make a misstep. 

I remember reading a review of the single "So Hard" back in 1990 where the author bemoaned the fact that the b-side "It Must Be Obvious" was a wonderful song that had effectively been discarded. By including songs such as this on a compilation album it felt like Pet Shop Boys were acknowledging their legitimacy and branding them with the same guarantee of quality carried by the singles they backed. Things do drop off towards the end with "If Love Were All" and "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" dragging the score down a bit, but make no mistake this is a great record. 4/5

One record at a time: 358. Pet Shop Boys - Disco 2

*Sigh* Where do I start with "Disco 2"? You would think a remix album based upon the hugely popular album "Very" would be a winner wouldn't you? But no; "Disco 2" doesn't succeed on any level.

I knew this album was going to be a mess as soon as I bought it. Firstly, as a Pet Shop Boys fan and collector, I realised I already owned all of the music on the record (well it was a CD back then). The second issue I found was that one of the remixes was of a song not originally credited to Pet Shop Boys ("Absolutely Fabulous") and two tracks were associated with the album "Behaviour". Many songs are included more than once with "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" being represented no less than three times. 

The perfect mess is completed by a terrible continuous mix by Danny Rampling that has vinyl surface noise and some songs played at completely the wrong speed. I fully understand that Rampling needed to use traditional beat matching techniques (it was 1994 after all) but the end result sounds almost comical in places.

The remixes of this era are definitely not the highlight of the Pet Shop Boys back catalogue and the decision to include such terrors as the E Smoove mix of "Liberation", Junior Vasquez's take on "Yesterday When I Was Mad" or "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing (DJ Pierre Wild Pitch Mix)" are as alarming as they are puzzling. 1/5

One record at a time: 357. Pet Shop Boys - Relentless

"Relentless" was described by the Pet Shop Boys as a "rhythm" album and was originally released as a limited edition compact disc alongside "Very" in 1993. For many years the only way to hear these songs from vinyl was via one of 500 promo records (the one with the white sleeve that carries the cunning catalogue number DF118) but in 2023 the album was given a formal release to mark its thirtieth anniversary on both CD and yellow vinyl (black sleeve).

The story goes that these songs came about because Chris Lowe had written a series of instrumental tacks that Neil couldn't think of lyrics for. Rather than discard the music, they decided to spend a week in Sarm Studios to work the songs up and release them as an album.

Whilst "Relentless" had aspirations of appealing to the dance floor, the reality is that things don't stray too far from the traditional Pet Shop Boys formula. As much as they love dance music the boys can never shake a predilection for melody and this album retains many pop sensibilities as a result. "One Thing Leads To Another" wouldn't sound out of place on "Very" and the original version of "Forever in Love" was intended to be the b-side of "Go West". Where this record does lean more heavily towards dance music it tends incorporate a Euro-house sound which was popular in the charts, but was never likely to be played at contemporary clubs such as Cream, Fabric or Ministry of Sound. 

The one thing that does distinguish this album from some of its more mainstream pop brethren is the use of samples. Personally I find some of them very annoying with "We Came From Outer Space" almost driving me crazy with repetition. For many years I found it impossible to discern what the female vocalist was saying on "The Man Who Has Everything" and using the "Amen, Brother" break (again) seems a little lazy to twenty first century ears. Yet I loved this record in 1993. Maybe it just hasn't aged well. 3/5

One record at a time: 356. Pet Shop Boys - Very

I didn't pick up the LP of "Very" when it was released in 1993 as I only bought compact discs back then. Fast forward about ten years and the band's official website was selling off some old stock they had lying around so I decided to pick up a copy of "Very" on vinyl to fill the hole in my collection. More recently I acquired the 2018 remastered release which is pressed on 180g vinyl and sounds great.

Sometime in the late nineties I found the picture disc shown in the photo at a record shop that was closing down and got it for a bargain price. Despite being featured in the retrospective book "Catalogue", this isn't a legitimate release and like most bootlegs, it doesn't sound all that great. 

The Colombian version with the unique sleeve was an eBay purchase from about 2004 and turned into a major headache when I realised the seller only accepted payment in Colombian pesos via Western Union. Until recently I wasn't really clear on why this version had a different sleeve, but the BBC documentary "Imagine: Then and Now" helped me come up with a theory. 

When looking at the European LP of "Very" Chris says, "We don't like this. It looks like an inner sleeve doesn't it?" To which Neil replies, "You know why? It is an inner sleeve". As the inner of the final LP is the same as the photo used on the Colombian version, I think Neil and Chris simply decided to swap the designs of the inner and outer sleeve. However, the branch of EMI in Colombia either didn't get the memo or they figured they were so remote they could do whatever they wanted.

The music on these records is some of the most commercial the boys have ever released as chart hits like "Go West", "Can You Forgive Her?" and "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" testify. Yet there's no album filler here and this is one of those classic albums that justifies use of the trope "every song could be a single". If you really want me to nit pick I would say that the production on "One and One Make Five" never convinced me, I'm not keen on the song "One in a million" and "Young Offender" sounds very muddled in places. We didn't know it at the time, but this was one of pop music's last great hurrahs before Britpop came along to ruin the party. 4/5

One record at a time: 355. Pet Shop Boys - Discography

"Discography" is a double album of greatest hits released in 1991. Here I have the UK version pressed at EMI in Hayes and one from EMI Uden in the Netherlands. I was content with owning one copy of this album but a second seemed determined to fall into my possession.

About ten years ago I ordered an LP of "Please" over the internet but the seller mistakenly sent me "Discography". I informed them of the error and returned the package as agreed. However, the seller failed to pick up the parcel and it was returned to me by Royal Mail. Having messaged the vendor several times without reply I gave up and kept the record. Whilst "Discography" on vinyl has always been relatively collectable, Popsike.com tells me it sold for around £20 in 2014 so I didn't feel particularly guilty about not being able to return it; even if it does fetch over £50 today.

Understandably this album misses out the original version of "West End Girls" and the early single "One More Chance" which were released when the boys were signed with Bobby Orlando. Also omitted is the first version of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" which was their debut on EMI records but wasn't a hit. Instead we open with the hit version of "West End Girls" and move chronologically through their singles released up to 1991. 

The only other omission from this chronology is the single version of "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?" which was initially created by dance producers Brothers in Rhythm and then overdubbed by Neil and Chris. However, the song was released as a 'double a side' and the boys felt justified in culling it to allow the album to fit on one CD.

Also produced by Brothers In Rhythm were two new tracks titled "DJ Culture" and "Was It Worth It?". The former single was released prior to the album and, despite it not being particularly anthemic or tuneful, I like it very much. "Was It Worth It?" however is a limp effort that just doesn't sound like a Pet Shop Boys song. I can't put my finger on what is wrong with this track but it doesn't succeed for me. The only joy in buying this single was the b-side "Miserablism", but I don't think its release will have moved the needle on "Discography" sales one bit. Still, this is a highly revered collection of singles from when the band were in their imperial phase and is essential if you have any appreciation for the band. 5/5

One record at a time: 354. Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour

When I bought the compact disc of "Behaviour" from the supermarket back in 1990, I was expecting another album full of dance pop tunes in the vein of "Please" and "Actually". What I got was a collection of melancholy songs with shuffle rhythms and plaintive lyrics. Whilst I can't pretend that "Behaviour" was anything other than a disappointment when I first heard it, I have come to love it over the last thirty four years.

At one time Neil Tennant described this album as "mellow" and explained that developments in his personal life coloured its production. Compared to previous efforts "Behaviour" sold poorly and Chris Lowe flippantly commented that, "We should write another good dance album, write Behaviour off as a tax loss". So I know I wasn't alone in my initial disappointment.

Proceedings commence with "Being Boring" which was originally an attempt to write in the style of Stock, Aitken and Waterman. However, the track that emerged from the production process was a brooding autobiography and not a frothy hi-nrg pop song. Whilst "Being Boring" has gone on to become something of a cult classic, it would be revisionist to say it has always been revered. I like the song very much, but its wistful nature and brittle production mean it isn't amongst my favourites. 

There are quite a few tracks in a similar vein with "Nervously", "To Face The Truth", "Jealousy" and "Only The Wind" all eschewing dance rhythms and settling on a doleful style. When I finally got over myself and began to appreciate that not every Pet Shop Boys track needed a dance rhythm to be good, I realised these tracks were actually amazing. The only song I still fail to warm to is "My October Symphony" which I don't skip when listening to the record, but I don't look forward to it much either.

One of few dance rhythms are heard on "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?" which is a sort of new jack swing pastiche that doesn't succeed lyrically or musically. Pet Shop Boys have never recorded anything like this before or since and to be frank, it sticks out like a turd in a fruit bowl. The lead single "So Hard" is a fantastic song but it's TR-909 beats and throbbing sequencer lines completely misled me on the content of the final album. I have always loved the song "The End of the World" which remains a hidden gem and is neglected by the band and overlooked by fans.

Eventually I sold my original CD (to my brother's geography teacher weirdly enough) in anticipation of buying the two CD Japanese version in a plush velvet box, but I didn't consider buying an LP until about ten years ago. I don't own anything special here just two copies of the original UK release and two copies of the 2018 remastered version. I am torn on how to score this album as it has much I enjoy, but I still feel a sting of disappointment all these years later and the scars of "Seriously" and "My October Symphony" mean I can't give it full marks. 4/5

One record at a time: 353. Pet Shop Boys - Introspective

Having created perfect electronic pop records for their first two albums, Pet Shop Boys decided to change tack for "Introspective". 

In 1988 house music was beginning to make its presence felt and its influence seemed to pour directly into the veins of Neil and Chris. This album starts with an operatic soprano singing the word "House" and finishes up with a cover version of Sterling Void's "It's Alright" (which was originally produced by house royalty Marshall Jefferson). Legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles throws in a piano house remix of a former b-side "I Want a Dog" and the hit single "Always on my mind" segues into a new piece titled "In My House". 

There was even a limited edition of the album that was pressed onto three 12" singles and a promotional version containing "club mixes" distributed to DJs in the USA. Short of recording in Chicago and releasing the album in Trax records this album couldn't get much more house. 

Yet this isn't true house. This is a stylised, pop version of house that was easily digested by housewives watching TV in Milton Keynes or teenagers listening to Radio 1 in Manchester. "Left To My Own Devices" is one of my favourite songs as it is a perfect blend of melody, bouncy bassline and clever lyrics all topped off by the most flamboyant orchestral arrangement you're likely to hear on a pop record. 

Elsewhere there's a it of Latin flair courtesy of "Domino Dancing" and the reworked "I'm Not Scared" is simply perfect. Personally I regard "Always On My Mind/In M House" as superior to the single version and the remix of "I Want A Dog" has true house credentials. The only real weakness here is the afore mentioned cover of "It's Alright" which is overly long and a bit limp. Otherwise this is a perfect hybrid of pop and house that demands attention thirty five years after it was released. 5/5

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. For those who are curious, the different versions I own are: x2 Original UK, x2 Limited edition 3x12", x2 2018 remastered, x1 Original European pressed in Germany, x1 USA promo "club mixes"  and x1 Original Japanese.

Interestingly the 3x12" was pretty worthless about twenty years ago and I picked up a couple of copies quite cheaply. Today they sell for around £30-40 and if they are in excellent condition and complete with their belly band they can fetch a good deal more. As you might expect the Japanese version is a great pressing and has little extras such as an obi strip and lyric insert that aren't present with any of the others. The USA promo carries some unique remixes and is a numbered edition, but the 2018 remastered version on 180g vinyl can be sourced easily and is a great sounding record.

One record at a time: 352. Pet Shop Boys - Actually

"Actually" was released in 1987 and is one of the Pet Shop Boys finest albums. Today I will be listening to the remastered heavyweight vinyl from 2018 (of which I own two copies). I also have two of the original UK release, the American version that includes a 12" single of "Always On My Mind", a clear limited edition version released in Asia, the Japanese release and a curious Hungarian LP that uses the artwork of the original inner sleeve as the cover.

The opening track is an extended version of the song "One More Chance" (the original shorter mix can be found on the second CD of the "Further Listening" version of the album). A different version of this song had been released as a single some three years before when the band were signed with Bobby Orlando. However, this new version is much more accomplished and carries a production sheen Trevor Horn would have been proud of. The fact that the song was recorded at Sarm West studios and is produced by Julian Mendelsohn (who mixed "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood) suggests this was exactly the sound Neil and Chris were looking for. 

The hit single "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" comes next and Dusty Springfield's distinctive vocals add a touch of class to proceedings. I have always marvelled at the distinctive intro to "Shopping" and the bassline that goes on to play throughout the song. I suspect they created the sound using a number of different synthesizers and then sampled it into the Fairlight so it could be sequenced using Page R. It certainly sounds like a Fairlight sample but I have no evidence to back up my theory. Another single "Rent" comes next with its thinly veiled double entendre and electro styled blips. Lots of people like to dismiss "Hit Music" as album filler but I have always enjoyed it and regard it as the perfect way to end side one.

In my youth I found "It Couldn't Happen Here" immensely disappointing but I have grown to enjoy it over the years. "It's a Sin" was another smash hit single that remains entertaining, but it has lost some of its thrill factor due to overfamiliarity. However, "I Want to Wake Up" is probably my favourite track on the album and I never tire of hearing it.

The single version of "Heart" is often referred to as having been remixed, but the reality is that it is the album version that was a remix. For some reason the boys decided the original version they made with producer Andy Richards wasn't to their taste and they asked Julian Mendelsohn to remix it for the album. In typical Pet Shop Boys fashion they then reversed their preference and released the discarded original as the single the following year. Whilst both mixes are good, I don't like the fact that Mendelsohn completely removed J.J Bell's excellent guitar and the disco syn drums of the original. All the fun of the single mix is lost and the rather plain album version lacks a spark for me. The final track "King's Cross" is suitably subdued and is regarded by many fans as a classic. 5/5

One record at a time: 351. Pet Shop Boys - Disco

"Disco" was the first album I owned on compact disc. I saved hard for my first CD player back in 1988 and once I had bought it, I didn't have much money left over to buy a disc. Happily, this album was sold at a 'special price' meaning my shiny new Sony CDP-M35 had something to play when I got it home. 

In addition to that old CD, I now own three copies of the album on vinyl. There are a two of the standard UK release in my collection, along with the German version with a sticker on the sleeve. All copies carry the same music and artwork and all are in very good condition. 

I have always loved this album as not only is the source material brilliant, but the mixes themselves are sublime. The opening track "In The Night" will be familiar to many as it was used as the theme tune for a TV programme here in the UK. The song itself was the b-side to the first release of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" and this remix was created by Arthur Baker. As none of the mix titles are included on the sleeve their actual name can be hard to discern, but consensus seems to be that that this is the "Extended Mix". Most of the source material is retained and there are embellishments and creative edits that carry an early eighties New York electro vibe.

The epic nine minute version of "Suburbia" titled "The Full Horror" comes next. As amazing as this track is, I have to admit, the Emulator sourced dog barks are over used and do begin to grate just a little bit. There are fantastic versions of "Opportunities" (a unique edit of the Version Latina mix) and "Paninaro" (an extended mix by the boys themselves) that are enough to cast almost all contemporary remix albums into the shade, but the outstanding pieces here are the Shep Pettibone remixes of "Love Comes Quickly" and "West End Girls".

The "Love Comes Quickly" mix is subtle and adds enough unique touches to lift this song to the next level. This mix builds atmosphere perfectly and the additional synth refrain on the intro is worth the entrance fee alone. To my mind, this is the best version of "Love Comes Quickly" created. Similarly, Shep's take on "West End Girls" is truly a thing of genius. The additional electric piano and percussion on the intro sets up a unique take on the song that has never been bettered. The version on "Disco" differs from the remix 12" of the original single as it fuses the intro of the "West End Dub" onto the "Mastermix" to create a unique edit. The best remix album there is. 5/5

One record at a time: 350. Pet Shop Boys - Please

At long last we reach the Pet Shop Boys section of my collection. I have a hefty selection of studio albums, remix albums, compilations, bootlegs and live recordings to work through over the coming months. As you can see from the picture, I also tend to have multiple copies of each album.

"Please" was Pet Shop Boys debut LP released in 1986 and here we have two copies of the original UK pressing (one to play, one as archive), two copies of the 2018 remastered version (one to play, one archive), the original USA pressing and a copy from Japan. I haven't yet bought one of the European versions with an enlarged photo on the sleeve as the last one I saw for sale was £80. Yes, I am a collector, but I am a frugal one.

I remember being amazed the first time I heard this album from a Maxell UR90 cassette back in the eighties as the boys go straight for the jugular with an electro infused masterpiece called "Two Divided by Zero". There's something magical about this song with its various bleeps, robot voices (sourced from a Sharp ELSI MATE EL-620 calculator) and tales of escape - I hadn't ever really heard anything like it before and I still think it sounds glorious almost forty years later.

Hot on the heels of the electrifying opener is the classic single "West End Girls". This remains an iconic moment of eighties pop and was recently voted the ultimate Pet Shop Boys track in an online poll for a national radio station. Next up is the equally iconic "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" which thunders along with samples of falling scaffolding, pounding basslines and mechanical beats pouring from the Fairlight CMI. The plethora of singles continues with "Love Comes Quickly" which is undoubtedly a beautiful song, but it lacked that killer edge that would have made it a bigger hit.

When I was at school your preference for the album version or the radically different single mix of "Suburbia" was a matter of contention. The intelligentsia preferred the no-frills album cut and the trendy pop crowd favoured the reworked Julian Mendelsohn mix. Personally I have fond memories of hearing the single mix on a cassette of "Now That's What I Call Music! 8" but the version featured here definitely has its merits. 

On the flip side there is a superfluous reprise of "Opportunities" before we launch into a series of less well known album tracks that tackle more adult themes. "Tonight is Forever" talks of enduring love, Neil points to the folly of "Violence" and "I Want a Lover" is unashamedly carnal. The final track "Why Don't We Live Together?" always baffled me in my youth as there doesn't seem to be any hidden meaning or ambiguity. Right from the start of the Pet Shop Boys career I seemed to have attuned myself to the veiled cynicism and subversive nature of Neil's lyrics; anything sincere left me wondering if I had missed the joke. This album really is the perfect melting pot of razor sharp lyrics, catchy tunes and state of the art eighties production. 5/5

Pet Shop Brilliance

This week marks the release of "Nonetheless", the 15th studio album by Pet Shop Boys. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about this record as some of Neil and Chris's more recent albums haven't been good. I find "Hotspot" really quite grating and "Super" sounded like it was thrown together with little care or attention. The last album I really enjoyed was probably "Electric" but this didn't seem to stop me pre-ordering "Nonetheless" in about seven different formats (not all of them have arrived yet)

We have already heard the singles "Loneliness" and "Dancing Star" and I would rate them as middling (I found "Loneliness" particularly disappointing). However, the other tracks on this record are so good it almost makes me think the boys chose the worst songs to be singles in some perverse act of sabotage.  

Songs that had the potential to sound cheesy ("The Secret of Happiness") sound amazing in the hands of James Ford. The first time I heard "Feel" and "Bullet for Narcissus" I was delighted as there are some great melodies woven around traditional octave basslines and Kraftwerk inspired beats. If you don't understand the genre you might miss the point of "The Schlager hit parade" and some might find elements of "Why am I dancing?" a little repetitive, but there are no horrors on the scale of "Wedding In Berlin" or "Hold On" here.

Make no mistake this is a great album and I consider it their best effort since "Yes" in 2009. In fact I'll go one step further and say I haven't enjoyed a PSB album as thoroughly since "Very". Personally I am delighted they have moved away from Stuart Price and enrolled the brilliant James Ford to produce - everything sounds fresh yet familiar and the production compliments the compositions perfectly.

Predictably the least likely single on the album, "A New Bohemia" is slated to be released next - but it does have one of my favourite lyrics, "My life is a mess, like an unmade bed".

1. Loneliness 3/10                        6. A new Bohemia 7/10

2. Feel 8/10                                   7. The Schalger hit parade 7/10

3. What am I dancing? 7/10          8. The Secret of happiness 6/10  

4. New London boy 7/10               9. Bullet for narcissus 7/10

5. Dancing Star 5/10                      10. Love is the law 6/10

West End Mystery

What do these six images of the Collector's Edition of "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys have in common? If you can't spot the problem, don't worry as it probably takes quite specialist and nerdy knowledge to discern what is going on.

The answer is that for all of these records, the 'wrap around' sleeve has been applied incorrectly. This single wasn't issued like this, but the owners haven't been able to work out how to put them back in the sleeve properly. If you search for images of "Pet Shop Boys West End Girls 10 inch" almost every picture looks like this. I'm not sure why it is so difficult to fold the sleeve correctly, but almost everyone seems to get it wrong. Apart from causing me some mild annoyance, this isn't an issue as how people chose to store their records is no concern of mine.

However, if you advertise your record for sale as "mint", "still sealed" or "never opened" using images like these - I know you're lying. This is quite a collectible record for Pet Shop Boys enthusiasts and people will pay anywhere between £25 and £75 for a copy in good condition. So if you're looking to buy this record and the sleeve doesn't look like image to the right, then it is not "mint" and has definitely been opened.

I bought my copy of this 10" twenty tears ago from a well known online retailer (I still have the receipt and cringe at the £85 price tag - but hey, the postage was only £1.85). Even though mine was sold as mint and shows no signs of wear whatsoever, it was nineteen years old when it came into my possession and I have no way of knowing what truly happened during those years. In fact, when I look closely at the photo I just took, I can see the catalogue number is upside-down, which suggests the sticker has been re-applied the wrong way round. So my copy might not be mint either, but at least I don't have a strip of the inner photo showing through the front - which is more than 99% of people selling them can say.

One record at a time: 102. Electronic - Electronic

If you were to ask me, "What is your favourite album?" the answer would sometimes be Electronic's eponymously titled debut. 

I have two copies of the vinyl: an original pressing from 1991 and the 2015 180g version. Whilst both sound good, I prefer the original. This preference is not only due to the quality of the audio but also because the original presents the album in the way the artist intended. All subsequent pressings of the LP include "Getting Away With It" and this track was most definitely not on the album when it was released. Adding non-album singles retrospectively might give the public the hits they crave, but it also bastardises the album a little for me.

"Idiot Country" is a great opening track and one that I have always appreciated. One reason I admire this song so much is that it manages to use the "Jamisen" preset from a Roland D-110 and make it sound good: this is no small achievement. There's no dip in quality as the pounding TR-909 kicks combine perfectly with Johnny's guitar in "Reality". In my youth I didn't appreciate "Tighten Up" as its featured so much guitar that it sounded a bit "indie" to me, but in the intervening thirty years I have grown to like it. 

Whilst Pet Shop Boys collaboration "The Patience of a Saint" isn't as successful as "Getting Away With It", it still remains an impressive track. I'm not a massive fan of the weak Roland CR-78 drum samples or the pad sound Chris uses for the chords but there is a great melody. Side One finishes with the majestic "Gangster". Personally I find it unfathomable that some people regard this track as the low point. How can you resist a line like, "I don't need a doctor telling me I'm full of juice"? Yes, some of the orchestra hits sound a bit dated but the TR-909 beat is amazing and I love almost every second of the backing track.

Side two opens with the short instrumental "Soviet" featuring Roland JD-800 piano, strings and not much else. "Get The Message" features amazing guitar work which is underpinned by a driving double bass. The catchy chorus meant this was always an obvious choice for single release. "Try All You Want" sees the TR-909 brought front and centre and we are treated to something that could have been included on "Technique Part II". Whilst the dance beats continue, "Some Distant Memory" is a little more wistful and even features an oboe 'solo'. The final track is the immaculate single "Feel Every Beat" which is the perfect combination of melody, groove and vocals. A rave piano is given a good workout as Bernard doffs his cap to the emerging house sound. An immense album. 5/5

No hot spot in Hotspot

Before I start this review, I feel the need to say how pleased I am that Neil and Chris continue to release new music. I am genuinely exited by the prospect of a new album and haven't reached the jaded and cynical state that some find themselves when confronted with a Pet Shop Boys album in 2020.

So where does this new year find the boys? Well, my fist impression was, terrible title and terrible artwork but the music is so, so. It's neither the toe curling dirge of "Release" nor the zenith of "Introspective" or "Behaviour"; its a perfectly inoffensive vanilla album.

Ironically there is no hot spot in the track list; it's consistently middling in both production and songwriting quality. "Willow-the-wisp" is that brooding four on the floor track that Neil and Chris do so well and sets the album up brilliantly. They then follow up with "You are the one" which sounds like the bastard child of "Winner" and "The Only One". Placing a track like this at number two completely robs the album of the promise of the introduction and clears the metaphorical dance floor. "Happy People" tries vainly to revive the dance vibes but TR-909 snares in 2020? Really?

"I don't wanna" is one of those octave bassline 80's tracks that wafts in and out without making much impression. "Hoping for a miracle" sounds like a Diane Warren cast off - but one the boys actually wrote this time rather than paying a small fortune for it. The singles "Dreamland" and "Monkey Business" are confident and well executed. I can image Chris smiling wryly at the thought of "Monkey Business" (check out the video if you can). "Only In The Dark" sounds like it was made from the same recipe book that The Human League used to use  - and that isn't a bad thing.

What is bad is "Burning the Heather". When it comes on I break out into cold sweats thinking its 2002 and "Release" is coming back to get me. Then we reach the most contentious moment on the album, the coup de grâce: "Wedding In Berlin". Personally, I quite like it. Some of the descriptions I read before I heard it made me worried. Very worried. Dance beats with cheesy lyrics, all topped off with blasts of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March"? But in my opinion the quality of the groove means that it just about succeeds. 

But to be honest, a lot of these tracks are only just getting over the quality threshold. What makes some song choices seem even more bizarre is that "An Open Mind" and "Decide" were thrown away as extra tracks on singles (I can't say b-sides anymore). I would argue that "An Open Mind" is better than ANYTHING on the album and other recent tracks such as "No Boundaries" would have been preferable to "Hoping for a miracle". But instead of bitching, I am just going to be thankful that Neil and Chris are still releasing music of such terrific quality "An Open Mind" and I won't quibble if I receive it via an album or an extra track on a single. 6/10

Me, double sleeves and Domino Dancing: a troubled relationship

I am a collector of Pet Shop Boys records. I am not in the 'A league' of people who spend thousands on one item (the most I have ever spent was £500 on the Electricity box set), but I have found some rarities over the years. At the last count I owned around 700 items across a variety of formats with a focus on UK releases and the more unique or interesting imports. However, one single release seems harder for me to find than most. Step forward "Domino Dancing" and its 'double sleeve' variants.

Back in the 80's, record companies and artists tried various marketing techniques to boost the chart position of their records. Between 1987 and 1989 Pet Shop Boys and their label Parlophone elected to issue their 7" and 12" singles with a variety of sleeves: exactly the same record, just a different cover. Lets not be coy, this was a cynical attempt to lure people into buying the same record twice.

For a period, these sleeves took the form of double and single types - the standard "R" catalogue number denoted the single sleeve version and the "RS" catalogue number was used to identify the double sleeve.

I never seemed to have much trouble acquiring the "RS" versions of singles such as "Left To My Own Devices" (in fact I never saw the single sleeve 12" on sale in 1988), "It's a Sin" or "Always On My Mind", but the "Domino Dancing" double sleeves continue to give me trouble to this very day.

It all started in around 2003 when I took the plunge and joined eBay. I began stepping up my attempts to fill holes in my Pet Shop Boys collection and soon won a copy of the "RS" version of the "Domino Dancing" 12". How pleased I was! Until I missed the delivery and the parcel was returned to the mail centre. A few days later I rolled up at said mail centre to be told the parcel was 'lost': "The postman remembers bringing it into the office but we can't find it." It wasn't just the fact that they had lost my parcel that caused me to become annoyed, it was the total indifference of the Royal Mail staff that really got to me. They couldn't give a toss about me or my stupid parcel. F**k you Royal Mail.

Undeterred I tried to buy another "RS" 12" over the proceeding months and finally won a copy that the Royal Mail managed not to damage or lose. The trouble with this copy was the fabled 'double sleeve' had a variety of non-peelable stickers firmly attached to it. At some point someone had clearly attempted to remove the stickers causing irreparable damage. I proceeded pulled off some more of the stickers and did even more damage. Great. It was only many years later (at the third time of asking) that I managed to acquire a very good condition "RS" 12".

I was happy with my collection until one day, whilst idly flicking through my 7" singles, I realised the "RS" version of "Domino Dancing" was missing. I say 'missing', but in truth I'm not sure I ever owned one. I can't keep track of every single item and I seem to have just assumed I owned it. In an attempt to rectify this situation I immediately logged onto Discogs and ordered a copy. I sat back and waited for my shiny "RS" sleeved beauty to arrive.

Then I got a message from the seller: "Errr I advertised it but I can't find it. Sorry." and he promptly cancelled the order. I have never had this happen on Discogs before or since and was left totally bemused. What is it with me and disappearing "Domino Dancing" records??!! Am I cursed? Am I destined to NEVER complete my "RS" collection? These records aren't expensive, they're not even that rare, but I seem to have a particular problem getting my hands on them. So I am still looking for my one last "RS" sleeve - but the fun is in the chase.

2023 UPDATE - I actually managed to track down a copy of the RS 7" in 2020 and consider my collection complete. However, I have noticed that there are now two different pressings of this single...

Split agenda

"Agenda" is the new Pet Shop Boys EP and it seems to have created something of a 'Marmite divide' in Pet Shop Boys fans. For my part, I have stalled on issuing my verdict as I have been so perplexed by the whole thing.

The 4 tracks were issued across 4 days via YouTube as 'lyric videos'. The first time I heard the initial offering "Give Stupidity a Chance" I was bitterly disappointed. To my ears, this track was just "Winner" rejigged into a faintly satirical jibe at Donald Trump. I hated it.

The second track to be released was "On Social Media" and this represented a slight improvement. I enjoyed the more electronic and dance orientated sound here. Whilst some of the lyrics were quite clever, the track still only felt like b-side filler grade when compared to the heights we know the boys are capable of.

By the third day I wasn't holding out much hope. Even the title "What Are We Going To Do About The Rich?" made me roll my eyes. A whole EP full of barbed, satirical, left leaning lyrics from a pair of multi millionaires wasn't really doing it for me. Yes, Neil and Chris have back catalogue littered with political commentary and witty observations; but a whole EP full of it was not for me. Happily the music on this track wasn't a complete loss and there were some fine moments of aural stimulation.

Most listeners seem to regard the final track "The Forgotten Child" as the standout cut here, but I was a little bored by it. Thankfully this song isn't a social polemic, but by the time I had waded through the preceding material I had little time for it. A victim of being tarred with the same brush.

Then I began to read with astonishment that some people were actually enjoying this crap. The aural disintegration of my favourite band was happening right before my ears and all I could see were like minded people dancing round the funeral pyre. What was going on?

The answer came when I ditched YouTube and downloaded the digital files. Suddenly, I found these songs transformed from grubby little caterpillars into beautiful butterflies (or at least exotic moths). Ditching the f***ing awful visuals and giving the music my full attention had a transformative effect.

So for any Pet Shop Boys fan struggling to come to terms with "Agenda" try LISTENING to it. Give it your full attention and then make your judgement. Don't base your opinion on some crappy 192kbps stream that is accompanied by terrible visuals that keep shoving the lyrics in your face. Consume this music as you did when you made your judgements about "Please", "Introspective" or whatever releases you love by the boys. I'm sure that if we were all to give these tracks a level playing field they will stand up.

Camp nonsense?

It's easy to dismiss the new Pet Shop Boys album "Super" as camp disco nonsense. So let's do that.

The first single "The Pop Kids" has cringe worthy lyrics set to a backing track that is cheesier than a mouse's packed lunch. It's awful; but somehow it gets under your skin. "Happiness" is a cross between Dolly Parton and Front 242 and is as bad as this description sounds. Then suddenly you find yourself tapping your foot and slapping your thigh. Yeeeehaaww.

"Groovy" and "Pazzo" are repetitive, superficial disco poundings that leave little impression. Until you find yourself absent mindedly humming them in the car.

The rest of the album is less pleasing. "Undertow" isn't nearly as good as some people would have you believe and "The Dictator Decides" is just boring. "Say it to me" would have been the perfect single in 1995; but it's 2016. "Burn" features the time-worn lyrical sentiment: "We're gonna burn this disco down before the morning comes". Yaaawn.

If you've heard "Happiness" and "The Pop Kids" you've probably heard the worst of the album and are safe to stray into the rest of it. If you are completely uninitiated to the sound of "Super" then be warned: this camp disco cheese is not for the faint hearted.

So whilst I don't like the album, there is no denying some of the tracks will begin to endear themselves. I guess my gripe is that there's just no beauty. It's all make up, 'suck it in' knickers and high heels. Peel back the layers and there is nothing there.

P.S. Beware of the vinyl pressings. They are supposed to be white vinyl but a large number seems to have black smears across them and even more annoyingly the audio distorts.

Record Store Day - a winner (if you're an eBay seller)

Opinion on Record Store Day seems to be changing. What started as a noble enterprise intended to lure people back into independent record stores, has been taken over by members of the public trying to make a quick buck.

Record store day releases tend to be unique vinyl pressings that can only be acquired by physically visiting a record store. Shops are also banned from listing stock on the Internet for the following week thus adding to the exclusivity. As a consequence of these rules, people queue outside shops from the early hours of the morning. But some of these people are exploiting the rarity of the releases and are buying multiple copies solely with the intention of selling them on the Internet.

One example of this phenomenon is the Pet Shop Boys limited edition 12" of "Fluorescent" which was a UK record store day exclusive for 2014. This 12" carries 2 exclusive mixes of the title track and is limited to 1000 copies - it cost around £7. Before the day had ended, copies of the 12" were listed on eBay at ridiculous prices. There are currently over 40 listing for this record, all of which are selling for massively inflated prices (they seem to fetch anywhere between £40-90 currently).

I chose not to queue outside a record store and was content to take my chances later in the day. I did queue in 2010 to purchase the last Pet Shop Boys Record Store Day exclusive "Love Life". However the record wasn't particularly good and was soon available quite cheaply on the Internet (you can still buy it now for around £20). Thus I decided queueing wasn't worthwhile and stayed in bed.

Unfortunately my gamble didn't pay off. The single was sold out by the time I ventured to the shops. Looking at eBay I am convinced the reason I missed out was because people bought multiple copies of the single with the sole intention of selling them for a hefty profit. Releases are supposed to be limited to one per customer, but all you have to do is visit multiple shops or have a friend tag along (or both) and you can buy multiple copies of a release quite easily.

However, I am very lucky and live in a city with many independent record stores. I tracked down a retailer with copies of the single in stock and after an anxious wait over the bank holiday weekend, I visited them at 9am sharp Tuesday morning (I was not the only person with this idea). The eBay profiteers didn't beat me.

But many fellow Pet Shop Boys fans have missed out as they either don't live in the UK or couldn't make it to a store. For them, the only hope seems to be degrading themselves on Twitter or paying the prices asked on eBay. 

 

Yes, we live in a free world and there are no rules against buying multiple copies of a record and selling them. But I don't believe that is why Neil and Chris created this 12" and I believe it goes against the ethos of Record Store Day as a whole. The only remedy for this situation would be if Neil and Chris's management team were to announce that there was unsold stock and make them available on their website.

Yet, I fear that there is no excess stock lying around. The store I visited had received a box of singles with damaged covers. They were only bent or creased slightly, but the store had asked the distributor for replacements only to be told there were none.

So Record Store Day has become a cash cow for eBay and its users as well as independent record stores. Personally I would love to see what happened if there was a USA or Japan only Record Store Day Pet Shop Boys release. Seeing revenge being exacted upon these mercenary eBay sellers would be quite satisfying.

Pet Shop Boys - Electric Box

It's that time of year again when I pay through the nose for a massively over priced Pet Shop Boys box set. "The Electric Box" is a limited edition of 350 signed copies that sold for an eye watering £500 each. Not only was it extortionately expensive, it was also 2 months later than promised (seemingly routine for Vinyl Factory releases) and massively disappointing. So lets see what £500 gets you...

The box was delayed for an additional 2 days thanks to DHL, but it was at least intact

Inside was a second box with the warning "PLEASE OPEN WITH EXTREME CARE" Gulp...

Once inside, a pair of white cotton gloves and instructions on how to assemble your box set are seen

Under this there is a folded piece of paper with the credits, an envelope with 5 PVC sleeves and the vinyl records

Then there is the gaudy perspex box which is almost identical to the one from the "Yes" box set but is transparent and has grooves inside to hold the records in place.

 

The coloured12" singles are shipped in 'transport' sleeves and are intended to be placed in the transparent PVC sleeves and then slotted into the box (hence the cotton gloves). One of the records is single sided and is signed and numbered on the label.

However, you wont be seeing my box assembled anytime soon. The PVC sleeves are not actually big enough to hold the records comfortably. To get the records into them involves a great deal of praying and squeezing. The vinyl makes horrible noises as the edges are dragged against the PVC to the extent that I thought "This cost £500; I'm not risking breaking it" and gave up on the first 12". For a product so delayed, one would think they would be able to create sleeves big enough to hold the records.

My confidence wasn't boosted by the fact that the instructions were taped to the top of the box with double sided sticky tape. This tape was applied in a very haphazard fashion and was stuck to the box, the envelope containing the sleeves and the records themselves. The whole idea of having to provide assembly instructions on a £500 box set seems like a complete anathema to me (The Vinyl Factory "hand craft" it and then I have to assemble it myself?) but to then stick tape all over the contents seems crazy.

The piece of paper with the credits feels like an after thought and adds nothing. It looks like it was rushed out on an inkjet printer and is superfluous. The whole package leaves you a bit underwhelmed: it just doesn't seem special enough when you consider the price. However, I shouldn't rush to judgement as I haven't even seen it put together. Maybe I should grow a pair and actually put it together before I condemn it too heavily.

I would never try to justify this purchase in terms of value for money. I have bought it as a collector, I feel a compulsion to own it. Nobody put a gun against my head and made me buy it. But as an object, it is rather disappointing; especially when compared to one of its predecessors. Not only was the "Yes" box set £200 cheaper, it contained exclusive mixes, signed artwork, was packaged in a much more stylish box and had over double the amount of vinyl. I never really fell in love with any of these box sets, but the original "Yes" set is much more special and now feels like a bargain when compared to "The Electric Box".

Remixes - too much of anything is never enough

I’ve always defended the use of remixes. Yes, they have been used to cynically exploit the record buying public at times, but they have also given much joy. I love remixes that either improve on or drastically alter the way you perceive a track. I have a playlist on my computer entitled “The Best Remixes Ever”. Here are some of the gems it includes:

Front 242 – Rhythm of Time [Victor the Cleaner] remixed by The Orb [the only decent remix The Orb ever did] I forgot about the Depeche Mode "Happiest Girl" remixes when I posted this

Nine Inch Nails – Only [Richard X Mix]

Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence [Ewan Person Extended Remix]

Mansun – I can Only Disappoint You [Perfecto Club Mix]

Baxendale – I Built this City [Michael Mayer Mix]

Björk – Hunter [Skothus Mix] remixed by Gus Gus (I used to think the single version of “All Is Full Of Love” was a great remix until I found out it is the original version and that the album version is a remix)

I could add loads of other great remixes and I’m sure most fans of dance or electronic music have their own. But when do remixes get out of control? How many mixes are enough?

In the 1980’s record labels began releasing multiple formats of the same single which all counted towards its chart position (only sales of physical product counted then). Picture discs were a particular favourite tool with free posters also common. As dance mixes became more popular these various formats began to fill with different remixes and in turn spawned more formats. Historically most people have cited Trevor Horns plethora of “Relax” 12” singles as a turning point in the life of the remix. By the 1990’s singles such as Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” were being released on no less than 7 different formats. Luckily the digital age arrived and saved fans the maddening task of identifying and procuring every release and remix. Or did it?

The Pet Shop Boys single ‘Vocal’ was released back in June. There were 9 versions of the song released on the CD with a couple more available as exclusives on services such as Beatport. However since its release it has become apparent that there were many more remixes commissioned but not used. These mixes seem to have been released back to the artists who are making them available online, presumably with Neil and Chris’s consent.

The trouble comes in the sheer volume of these ‘official mixes’. Personally I lost count somewhere around the 40^th different mix. Many of them are average, but strangely none of them are terrible. A few are superb. The ‘Drop Jackson mix’ seems to be universally praised amongst fans with the ‘Armageddon Turk Occupy Mix’ and ‘Leonidas & Hobbes Vocal mix’ also personal favourites. So why weren’t these mixes released? Well they have been. ‘Officially leaked’ seems to be the order of the day. If you want to spend hours on dodgy websites duelling with Trojans and spyware looking for that one last dub/edit/instrumental you are missing, then you can. Alternatively you can be happy with your digital download from iTunes and leave the searching to idiots like me. It seems you can never have too many remixes.