One record at a time: 368. Pet Shop Boys - Yes

I love "Yes" for a number of reasons. Firstly its release coincided with one of the happiest times in my life and hearing it brings back lots of great memories. The fact that this album was an unashamed celebration of pop and a return to form for the boys also adds to its appeal.

When the album was released in March 2009 a special box set containing eleven 12" singles was announced. There were to be only 300 copies with a promised delivery date of April 25th. I ordered it immediately.

When the delivery date came and went without a word I wrote a frustrated post on this blog and pondered when it might actually show up. As it turned out I didn't have to wait too long as my post was made on 25th of May and the box set was finally dispatched on 27th. You can read my verdict on it here. I also own two copies of the standard vinyl (which I seem to think was initially limited to 1000 copies) and the more recent remastered version from 2017.

The album begins with the lead single "Love etc." which was co-written by Pet Shop Boys with production team Xenomania. They chose Brian Higgins and Xenomania as they admired their work with Girls Aloud - which is as clear an indication of their intent to make a pop album as you can possibly get.

The first time I heard "Did You See Me Coming?" I was very impressed by it and the bassline in particular caught my attention. In fact, rich basslines are a consistent feature of this album with songs like "The Way It Used To Be" and "All Over The World" being especially impressive. Other favourites of mine are "Pandemonium" and "More Than A Dream" which are great pop songs with lush production. There are no duff tracks on this record but I have never been a big fan of "Building a Wall" or closing number "Legacy" and it is no coincidence that these are the least upbeat and positive songs on the album.

There's no doubt this album was a triumphant return and in my mind it was the final piece of the puzzle that qualified them for national treasure status and a Brit award for outstanding contribution to music. 4/5

One record at a time: 367. Pet Shop Boys - Disco 4

The fourth entry in the Pet Shop Boys "Disco" series was released in 2007 and is a remix album with a twist. Rather than remixes of Pet Shop Boys songs, this is chiefly an album of mixes Neil and Chris made for other artists.

I own a copy of the machine numbered, limited edition double LP along with a white label four track sampler. Rather strangely (or rather typically for Pet Shop Boys) the sampler has a remix that isn't on the main album and is not by the Pet Shop Boys. Quite why it is on there is anybody's guess.

The first track is the "Stars are blazing" remix of "Read My Mind" by The Killers and I'm not mad about either the song or the Pet Shop Boys embellishments. Then we rewind over ten years to Neil and Chris's remix of "Hallo Spaceboy" by David Bowie. The version presented here is the extended version that wasn't released commercially in the UK so it is nice to hear it being resurrected.

The first Pet Shop Boys song we come across is a radical reworking of the album track "Integral" which was also issued as a promotional single. Whilst this version isn't without charm, it strips away the melodies of the original and ultimately boils everything down to a monotonous club groove with some vocoder vocals.

There's a nice "Electro" remix of "Walking on thin ice" by Yoko Ono but its six minute plus run time sees it out stay its welcome. Having stolen the chord progression from "West End Girls" on "Jump" Madonna decided to make amends by offering the boys the opportunity to remix the single "Sorry". The PSB mix is typical of the electroclash style the boys adopted during this period but it doesn't excite me at all.

"Hooked on radiation" by Atomozer was also part of the electroclash club scene of the early millennium and the "Orange Alert Mix" by Neil and Chris was originally released on their own Olde English imprint in 2003. The most surprising partnership the boys ever forged was with Rammstein for their remix of "Mein Teil". As you might expect the Pet Shop Boys mix is a good deal faster than the original and adds more melodic elements that make it dance floor friendly. The album rounds out with the excellent "Maxi-mix" of single "I'm With Stupid" - which is probably the best thing on here. 2/5

One record at a time: 366. Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental/Fundamentalism (Part 1 and Part 2)

There were two remix singles released alongside "Fundamental" and I wasn't sure if they should be included here or not. However, as a compact disc of the "Fundamentalism" remixes was made available in a double pack with the main album, I have decided to cover them.

Originally this album was intended to be minimalist in approach and include electro influences. What we ended up with was a Trevor Horn production replete with orchestral arrangements, guitars and acoustic drums. Initially I was impressed, but as time has gone by my regard for it has slumped. 

The highlights are the opening track "Psychological" alongside the singles "I'm With Stupid" and "Minimal". I also like the final track "Integral" and the melody on "The Sodom And Gomorrah Show" is really infectious. The remaining seven tracks however aren't really to my taste.

"Twentieth Century", "Indefinite Leave To Remain" and "Luna Park" are especially disappointing as they meander along with weak melodies and dull production. I reserve particular scorn for the Dianne Warren composition "Numb" as it is an insipid, second-rate song that probably cost the boys a fortune to obtain. Having spent so much money I assume they felt duty bound to release it as a single but artistically it doesn't warrant attention. 

It's quite ironic that the best song recorded in this whole period is consigned to the companion piece "Fundamentalism" and not included on the main album. "Fugitive" was created with the genius producer Richard X and it outshines everything else on these records by a long way. The Trentemøller remix of "The Sodom And Gomorrah Show" is deserving of attention and the Lobe mix of "Minimal" is passable.

Also included on "Fundamentalism" is a toe curling rendition of the Dusty Springfield song "In Private" which features Elton John on vocals. The only thing worse than the version included here are the Tomcraft remixes that were released on a promotional 12" single. I can only assume these mixes were made available to DJs for the express purpose of clearing the dance floor; or possibly the entire club. There's nothing worse in the Pet Shop Boys back catalogue. 

In my collection are the original vinyl of "Fundamental" from 2006 alongside the recent remastered version. I have the commercial 12" singles of "Fundamentalism Part 1" and "Fundamentalism Part 2" alongside their promotional counterparts. For some reason I own two copies of the promo for part 1, but I have no recollection of how or why this came to be. 2/5

One record at a time: 365. Pet Shop Boys - PopArt (The Hits)

"PopArt" was released in 2003 as a triple LP set. There was also a 'sampler' promotional LP made available that featured four songs from the main album and two remixes from the "Mix" disc that was included with the limited edition CD. When I bought these records I assumed the promos would end up being collectible, but it is actually the commercial release that is much more desirable today.

This compilation came twelve years after their first singles collection "Discography", but rather than continue with the winning formula the boys decided to adopt a more scattergun approach this time around.  

For this record all their singles were classified as either "Pop" or "Art" and allocated to a disc with a corresponding title. Personally I think this was a mistake as when a casual music fan turned over the CD they would be presented with a jumble of song titles, half of which they didn't recognise. Let's face it, all the average punter wanted of an updated PSB compilation was "Discography" with "Go West" tacked on the end.

There are other issues with this album that seem to be a result of both genuine mistakes and strange choices. Much like "Discography", the single version of "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?" isn't included and its legitimacy as a single continues to be eroded. For some reason the version of "Suburbia" is an edit created for the video rather than the single mix, but as it is credited correctly I assume this was done knowingly. Mistakes include the use of the album remix of "Heart" instead of the single version and a previously unreleased version of "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing" appears out of nowhere. 

There are also two new songs to help drive sales in the form of "Miracles" and "Flamboyant". The former is an excellent track that is an overlooked gem in the PSB back catalogue. I'm less enamoured with "Flamboyant" and it might be nitpicking, but the version released as a single was different from the one included here.

Possibly as a result of these issues "PopArt" wasn't a hit with the record buying public and it entered the UK album charts at a lowly number 30. This commercial disappointment led "a legendary musician" (read Elton John) to comment to the boys that "it was over". There is no doubt this album found the Pet Shop Boys at a crossroads in their career, but Neil and Chris have since mastered the tricky transition from ageing outrage to national treasures and "PopArt" has been superseded more than once. 4/5

One record at a time: 364. Pet Shop Boys - Lively Tracks

My memory often plays tricks on me and this record is a case in point. For this post I was about to gleefully type about how this LP was released in France as a companion to the compilation album "PopArt". However, "Lively Tracks" is actually pressed on two twelve inch singles and was released to accompany the reissues of the first six PSB studio albums in 2001. I am not really clear if this was a commercial release or a promotional item, but the choice of format and content suggests it was aimed at DJs either way.

There's some interesting material on this album with the original 1992 extended version of "Go West" offering a very different take on the hit single. This mix was created prior to the involvement of Brothers in Rhythm and features the guitar of J.J. Bell more prominently, along with a synth riff that was excised from the released version. The last three minutes of this track sound like something Altern8 might have come up with and is much closer to the sound of contemporary dance music than anything on "Relentless". The second side of the first disc has some less inspired choices from the A&R man at EMI France with the original 12" versions of "West End Girls" and "Always On My Mind" being impressive but nothing new. 

On the second disc we have the "Extended" version of "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" which rattles along nicely enough but I can't really see it getting much play in mainstream clubs in France. The final side finishes with the single mixes of "It's Alright" and "Paninaro '95". The choice of "Paninaro" is quite puzzling as it wasn't a big hit and I am not sure it is especially lively either. However, for a seemingly random collection of tracks culled from the "Further Listening" discs of the album reissues this is a pretty entertaining package. 3/5

One record at a time: 363. Pet Shop Boys - Disco 3

The first two entries in the "Disco" series were relatively straightforward remix albums, but the third is a little more complicated. 

Initially Neil and Chris considered calling this album "London/Berlin" as it was influenced by the music and club scene in both cities, but a last minute change of heart saw it dubbed "Disco 3". Yet this isn't a remix album in the strictest sense as half of the tracks are new recordings.

When compared to the CD, the commercial vinyl has two extra tracks as it features two additional dub mixes. The running order is also different on vinyl with no less than three different mixes of "London" pushed front and centre. As the promotional double LP (on the right of the picture) doesn't feature any new material, you could argue that this is a true remix album and is a much better fit for the "Disco" series.

Released in 2002, this album is something of a reaction to their previous effort "Release" which was a rather dour affair that didn't appeal to many. For me "Disco 3" felt like it was drawing a line under the guitar related nonsense and was returning them to their synth-pop roots.

Opening track "Time on my hands" was initially recorded for the album "Release" but it was set aside as it didn't fit with the soft rock theme. You'd never say this was amongst their best as there are too many echoes of "Electricity" from "Bilingual" and what melody there is, is not exactly anthemic. Yet it is better than almost everything on "Release".

"Positive Role Model" is a song from their rather disappointing musical "Closer To Heaven", and there is a cover version of "Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)" originally recorded by a Bobby Orlando vehicle called Oh Romeo. "If Looks Could Kill" was first heard on their first (and only) Peel session, but the version here is a little more frenetic and beat driven. The highlight of the package is the stunning "Somebody Else's Business" which is a track I adore and I can't understand why it is ignored by so many.

Of the remixes, the Blank & Jones trance version of "Home and Dry" is the pick, with the boys own revision of "Here" adding some sparkle to an otherwise mundane album cut. The Felix da Housecat remix of "London" is unedited and runs for just under three minutes longer than on CD. Whilst this is a mixed bag, it did feel like the boys were back on course after a brief trip off piste. 3/5

One record at a time: 362. Pet Shop Boys - Release

Having suffered a downturn in fortunes with their previous album, Pet Shop Boys decided to try a new approach for their eighth outing in 2002. "Release" sees Neil and Chris presenting themselves as 'musicians' rather than pop stars: bright costumes and wigs were thrown out and acoustic guitars and percussionists were rolled in. 

The degree to which this new approach succeeded is a matter of taste, but the sales figures do not lie. To me this album is the Pet Shop Boys nadir both commercially and artistically, but the extent of the failure took a while to register with the band themselves.

The lead single and opening track "Home and Dry" is somewhat misleading as it isn't representative of the wider album. The dominant synth refrain that runs throughout the song is quite brilliant and Neil's evocative lyrics paint a great picture - but once this track is done everything goes down hill. 

The vaguely Beatles-eque "I Get Along" is a dull commentary on British politics of the time and doesn't really hold any relevance in 2024. The excruciating soft rock continues until we reach a track called "The Samurai in Autumn" which is a semi-instrumental electronic piece that sounds completely out of place, but is all the more welcome for that. Some of the compositions here are quite good and it's just but the execution that lets them down. However, the same cannot be said of  "The Night I Fell in Love" or "You Choose" which are abysmal creations. 

I was about to write, "I don't play this album often," but the reality is I don't play this album at all. I own the original 2002 LP on white marbled vinyl which hasn't been played once and the less valuable 2017 remastered version has only seen action on one occasion. 1/5

One record at a time: 361. Pet Shop Boys - Nighlife

Having released their seventh studio album "Nightlife" in October 1999, the Pet Shop Boys decided to promote it with a world tour. Unfortunately this tour coincided with the bankruptcy of their promoter and a dip in their record sales. As a result of these misfortunes the tour often played to half empty venues and lost money hand over fist.

I attended the concert at Sheffield Arena and was embarrassed to see whole swathes of the auditorium screened off. I was already depressed when I arrived at the venue as somebody crashed into my car on the journey there; so finding the arena was completely lacking in atmosphere put the icing on the cake. As it transpired only 3,000 of the 13,000 seats in the venue had been sold.

When I went to look for my seat I realised it was on the front row, right in front of a speaker where I could see absolutely nothing. I and the people around me grew agitated and called over one of the stewards. As you can imagine, there were plenty of seats available for us to move to, but the vibes in the auditorium were not good.

The performance itself felt half hearted and it looked like everyone (audience included) were just going through the motions. Many years later I learned that during the interval for the show a depressed Neil Tennant suggested to Chris Lowe that they pack it all in and end the group. Fortunately Chris ignored the question and everything just carried on as normal. The date was 9th December 1999 and this moment is cited as the closet the Pet Shop Boys have ever come to splitting up. 

Like Chris, I would never consider knocking it on the head, but in 1999 it wasn't as much fun being a Pet Shop Boys fan as it used to be. The care free days of listening to "Actually" on the way home from school or the excitement of dropping the needle on a new KLF remix of "So Hard" felt a million miles away. We hadn't yet reached the nadir of Neil and Chris's career, but it was clear something had changed.

This album is a disjointed affair that tries to pull on too many strings. There's the weird country styling of "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk", the disappointing Village People pastiche of "New York City Boy" and a desperate attempt to write for the American market resulted in the nonsense that is "Happiness is an option". 

Where the boys try to be original they fall flat with "Boy Strange", "Footsteps" and "The Only One" being the worst examples. The production on these songs is not sympathetic to the material and everything sounds less contemporary than previously. The boys must have realised something was amiss as they haven't worked with any of the album's three producers since. The only successful songs are the dance tracks "Radiophonic", "Closer to Heaven" and "For your own good" which remain closer to the natural Pet Shop Boys sound.

I remember seeing this vinyl record on the shelves of HMV a few months after the CD was released and thinking, "Why on earth have they released it on LP? That is so old fashioned". Consequently I didn't get round to buying a copy until four years later when the official website began selling off stock that had been held by their previous management team (replete with 'Promotional only' stickers). The second copy seen here is the more common remastered version from 2017. 2/5

One record at a time: 360. Pet Shop Boys - Bilingual

"Bilingual" came out in 1996 and was heavily influenced by the music the Pet Shop Boys had heard on their tour of South America the year before. Here I will be listening to one of two copies of the 2018 remastered version but I also have the original in my collection.

Back when it was released I had to force myself to like this album. The lead single "Before" was an immediate disappointment and I still don't enjoy it much. "Electricity" is hands down one of the worst tracks Neil and Chris have ever included on an album and "Metamorphosis" is a toe-curling rap that neither K-Klass nor Pet Shop Boys emerge from with much dignity. "A Red Letter Day" is a nice composition but a real mess when it comes to the production as the vocals are pushed too high in the mix and the God awful choir sound completely out of tune to my ears.

On the other hand, "It Always Comes as a Surprise" is a heartbreakingly beautiful song that is definitely the high watermark of this album. There are many elements to enjoy in this song with bossa nova beats, an epic Moog bassline and sincere lyrics that are delivered without a trace of irony. A masterpiece.

The production skills of Chris Porter are also to be found on the excellent "To Step Aside" which grooves along as Neil's considers what might happen if he were to give it all up. Johnny Marr adds a sparkle to "Up Against It" and "Saturday Night Forever" is much underrated. The success of the single "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" still surprises me, but there is no denying it has a life affirming charm and catchy melody. So there are some highlights here, but this material may not be easy listening for the casual observer. 3/5

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

One record at a time: 349. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Bauhaus Staircase

With this post we reach the final OMD records in my collection. "Bauhaus Staircase" was released in October 2023 and thanks the myriad of formats available it managed to reach number 2 in the UK album charts. 

I own the 'first edition' numbered yellow vinyl that was signed by Andy and Paul along with the split red and grey edition that was sold exclusively via their webstore. The 'first edition' remains sealed but the split colour copy is for playing.

At the time of release the band suggested this album could be their last studio recording. Whilst I have a feeing we will see a number of live albums released at the end of the current tour, it is a shame to think that another one of the artists I admire may choose to call it a day.

As with most of their recent albums "Bauhaus Staircase" offers us some great pop songs with heavy Kraftwerk influences. There are also one or two disposable instrumentals, a 'borrowed' idea and an old song that has been given a tweak. It has almost become the OMD album formula.

Highlights are undoubtedly the title track, "Look at you now", "Kleptocracy" and the magnificent "Veruschka". The single "Don't Go" was originally released to support the "Souvenir" compilation back in 2019 so its appearance here is a little surprising. Whilst admitting you like this song is a little frowned upon in the OMD fan community, I can't help but enjoy it. It might be best to describe "Slow Train" as 'being inspired' by Goldfrapp's "Train" - a track that permanently changed my eardrums when I heard it live back in 2010.

Personally I'm not too enamoured with the patronising "Anthropocene" or the equally annoying "Evolution of the Species", but they don't dent the fortunes of the album too much. If this is to be their last album then OMD can say the went out on a high. 4/5