One record at a time: 373. Pet Shop Boys - Hotspot

By the time "Hotspot" was released it felt like the seemingly arbitrary commitment to make a trilogy of albums with producer Stuart Price was a mistake. This record sounds like everyone involved had run out of ideas and the finished album is a ramshackle effort that I simply cannot warm to.

When it was released I decided to forget the quality of the music and find comfort in the fact that my favourite group were still around and releasing new material. I acknowledge this was rather cold comfort.

It's fairly easy to summarise this album as, "poor title, poor artwork and poor music". I don't like any of the songs here and a few of them I dislike intensely. 

"You're the one" is syrupy nonsense that is far too repetitive, "Only the dark" is out of tune, "Hoping for a miracle" sounds like a reject for a musical and the lyrics to "Wedding in Berlin" are simply awful (just to be clear I have absolutely no issue with the subject matter of "Wedding in Berlin", but the lyrics read like a poem created by a 14 year old).

There is a real lack of attention to detail everywhere but a good example is the fact that the introduction for "Wedding in Berlin" shows signs it once followed "Happy People" in the running order. Rather than modify the transition when the track listing was revised, the boys just chopped things up and said, "That will do". This is the same band that devoted a considerable amount of time adding an almost inaudible thunder clap between songs on "Introspective" - how times change.

If we were honest we would have to say much of this album only just gets over the quality threshold. This is a real shame as the boys made some brilliant tracks in this era but they chose to use them as additional tracks for singles rather than include them on the album. "An Open Mind" and "Decide" were thrown away, but they are better than anything heard here.

I was in a pretty bad mood with the Pet Shop Boys at this stage in their career. This was a band I had loved since 1985 and suddenly it felt like the wheel was spinning but the hamster was dead. I must admit, it began to enter my head that if "Hotspot" was the best they could muster, then boys might as well pack it in. 1/5

One record at a time: 372. Pet Shop Boys - Super

"Super" came out in 2016 and is the second album the Pet Shop Boys made with producer Stuart Price. When it was released I wrote a rather scathing review that dismissed it as "camp disco nonsense" and I haven't really changed my mind.

For me "Super" is insubstantial and sounded outdated from the outset. The first single to be released was "The Pop Kids" and it immediately gave me cause for concern due to its cringe worthy lyrics and antiquated backing track.

Large parts of the parent album are taken up with instrumental dance tracks such as "Groovy", "Inner Sanctum" and "Pazzo" which are rather superficial and leave little impression. I have a particular dislike of the ponderous "The Dictator Decides" as it lacks any of the subtly and guile I associate with Neil's lyrics. "Burn" features the time-worn lyrical sentiment: "We're gonna burn this disco down before the morning comes". Truly uninspiring stuff.

I am not really sure why I ended up with two copes of this record but I suspect I made an assumption that the white vinyl would be available in limited quantities and ordered from more than one website. As you might imagine I don't play either of these records and only the single "Say It To Me" get the occasional outing via digital files. I don't hate this album, but certainly have no love for it either. 1/5

One record at a time: 371. Pet Shop Boys - Electric

There's an apocryphal tale that Neil Tennant read a critical review of the album "Elysium" on iTunes and resolved to make the next Pet Shop Boys record "more banging with lasers".  Whilst this story isn't entirely true, there is no doubt that 2013's "Electric" is squarely aimed at the dance-floor and is the polar opposite to its predecessor.

On the day the standard LP was released a special edition "Electric Box" was announced that would contain five 12" singles in a florescent acrylic box and was limited to 350 copies. This set cost a ridiculous £500 and would be released on 7th October 2013. However, much like the "Very" box set, the finished product was much delayed and didn't turn up until the middle of December. As you might imagine, I will be playing one of the two standard double vinyl sets I own for this review and keeping the box set out of harm's way. 

I was quite gushing about this album when it was released as it seemed to banish the doldrums and allowed the Pet Shop Boys to reclaim their crown as the kings of dance driven synth-pop. Yet, my enthusiasm is somewhat tempered today as I feel "Electric" set the boys off on a road that ended in something of a cul-de-sac. 

Things start promisingly enough with the track "Axis" that was used as a teaser single. Aside from some occasional hoarse vocals repeating the phrase "Turn it on" this is an instrumental piece that doesn't conform to a conventional pop song template. At first, the lack of structure in these songs worried me as I thought it might detract from the credibility of the album. However, I reconciled this with the thought that this isn't a traditional pop album and nobody questions the structure of  "Blue Monday", "Numbers"  or "Moments in Love". 

The single "Love Is A Bourgeois Construct" is a little more traditional in approach but I am not a fan of the Henry Purcell motif or the monotonous verses. Another single "Thursday" seemed quite contemporary and even features a rap by Example. Stuart Price is a good producer and I enjoyed his work as Les Rythmes Digitales long before he became associated with the boys, but sometimes it sounds like he is being held back a little. "Vocal" is the final track on the album as is one of my favourite songs by the Pet Shop Boys. Yet, when I hear it I have a nagging feeling that there is something missing. Would it have been better with a TB-303 style riff and some TR-909 hit hats? It certainly would have had a sound closer to that of the rave scene it references and I would have liked that.

I think if you had asked me to score this album back in 2013, I would have given it full marks. Today I am forced to consider the fact that it sounds a little dated and some of the tracks haven't proved to have enduring appeal. I've disappointed myself here. 3.5/5 Happy New Year.

One record at a time: 370. Pet Shop Boys - Elysium

By the time "Elysium" was released in 2012, the Pet Shop Boys had cemented their place at pop's top table and had earned the freedom to do whatever they wanted. What they chose to do was transplant themselves to Los Angeles and record with producer Andrew Dawson - whom they admired due to his work on a Kanye West record.

There's a line in my original review of this album twelve years ago that summaries the resulting album as: "very downtempo and brooding: a pop tour de force it is not." I then seem to have spent most of my time moaning about the running order whilst adding some faint praise for the songs themselves. My view has changed somewhat since these initial ramblings as I couldn't care less about the running order and I find less to like in the compositions today. There's no doubt this album was a big step backwards from its predecessor "Yes".

I do like four of the tracks on this album, which conversely means I have little regard for three quarters of it. I have particular disdain for the diabolical trio of "Ego Music", "Hold On" and "Give It A Go" which are amongst the worst things Neil and Chris have ever released. The monotonous beat and repetitive chorus of "Leaving" doesn't appeal to me and "Invisible" is the auditory equivalent of wading through treacle.

The only outstanding track that I play often is  "Breathing Space" and the single "Memory of the Future" comes a close second. Another good song is "A Face Like That" but its production is muddy and I can't help but wonder what a more experienced producer would have made of it. Some people have little time for the closing track "Requiem in Denim and Leopard Skin" but I love it. Some of Neil's best lyrics seem to emerge when he tackles the subject of death. 

I own the original vinyl which comes with a second disc of instrumentals and the 2017 remastered version (heavier colour saturation on sleeve) which is a single 180g disc. Not something I play very often. 2.5/5

One record at a time: 369. Pet Shop Boys (Tennant/Lowe) - The Most Incredible Thing

"The Most Incredible Thing" is the score for the 2011 ballet of the same name and is credited to Tennant/Lowe rather than Pet Shop Boys. Here I am listening to the limited edition, six LP box set that was hand numbered and signed by Neil and Chris.

I'll be clear from the start that I bought this ridiculously expensive box set as a collector and not because I love the album it contains. Whilst this music is largely arranged for orchestra, synth-pop comes to the fore on quite a few tracks and it is reminiscent of their score for the silent film Battleship Potemkin (not available on vinyl and not seen here as a consequence).

The staccato rhythms of "The Grind" are fairly electronic in nature and it even incorporates a section of a Pet Shop Boys song called "Baby". "The Challenge" is a fun track and it reminds me of something you might have heard on a programme like Jason King in the seventies. Things become centred squarely on the dance floor during "Physical Jerks" and the introduction to "The Competition", but there are passages of melody that sound like they are straight out of a sixties musical (I guess it is a matter of taste as to whether this is a good or a bad thing). By the time I get to the end of the second disc I feel like taking a break, but despite my fatigue I press on and the final act proves to be mercifully short.

The last three discs of this box set contain the demos of the same material and I won't even pretend I listened to them. I have heard the contents of these discs from digital files and, to say they were realised without an orchestra, they sound quite accomplished; but I would never chose to listen to them for pleasure. 1/5

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