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

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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

The glittering prize isn't alive and kicking

I've never been a big fan of Simple Minds but having watched a documentary about them on YouTube recently I wanted to expand my collection a little. I already own a box set of "Street Fighting Years" and the "Glittering Prize" compilation on compact disc, but I hadn't really heard many of their other albums. 

 

I soon managed to order a 5 CD set that included most of their output on Virgin records and enjoyed it very much. However, when I went in search of older material such as "Empires and Dance", "Real to Real cacophony" or "Life in a day" I found them very hard to find. I would occasionally see FLAC files or old vinyl for sale, but getting your hands on a CD at a reasonable price can be quite hard. 

Even when physical media is being issued by record companies it comes at a premium price. Yes I would like to own "Sparkle in the Rain" on CD but I don't need a £75 four disc box set. Equally I am not prepared to shell out the seemingly random figure of £105.71 for a twenty year old copy of "Empires and Dance". 

As a customer in search of physical products the choice seems to be between deluxe editions designed for hardcore fans or paying exorbitant prices on the second hand market. All I want is an unadulterated CD with the ten album tracks. 

And the issue isn't limited to Simple Minds. Thomas Leer's masterpiece "The Scale of Ten" hasn't been available on CD for twenty years and is long overdue a reissue (ironically I would buy a 5 CD box set for £75 of this album) - but I'm not sure we will ever see it in physical form again. Swathes of Thomas Dolby's back catalogue aren't being issued on CD currently and let's not even start looking at Gary Numan's oeuvre. No, the world has moved on from physical media and it makes me sad.

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

One record at a time: 348. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Atmospheric and Greatest Hits - Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Released in 2023 this recording was created the previous year during two nights at the famed Royal Albert Hall. This version is pressed on three orange LPs and housed in an generous tri-fold sleeve - it's a pretty lavish package. 

Whilst this is yet another Live Here Now album, it is much better than the previous ones I have looked at. For a start the sleeve design is much improved and this record also seems to have actually received a full post production mix. We know this album was properly mixed as its release was delayed as a result of Paul Hamphreys moving house and his studio not being set up. 

There is another Royal Albert Hall Live Here Now album by OMD dating back to 2016, but this newer record seems to justify its existence by presenting different content. As the title suggests, there is a mixture of the usual hits and some tracks the band consider to be atmospheric. The hits are easy to discern and most of the usual suspects are present and correct. "Ghost Star", "Statues" and "Stanlow" do seem to fit neatly into the 'atmospheric' selection but I find it harder to discern how "Bunker Soldiers", "Red Frame / White Light" or even "Pretending to see the future" fit this category. 

Still, the mix is good and the performance polished. Whether this is enough to justify yet another live release is left to the individual to decide. 2/5