The Pet Shop Boys' first twenty singles...

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While we're on the topic of the PSBs, can someone tell me how they were critically perceived in the Please-Actually period (ie. before I started read the music press). I have an idea that they were dismissed as too poppy by the rockist fratenity and too ironic/clever for the poppist bunch. I don't think they made it to many year end polls, did they?

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan, the first two each have five 'previously unreleased' or 'previously unreleased on CD' tracks. I think they're worthwhile for the 12" versions more than anything.

Nick, I got the piss taken out of me for having them, if that is any kind of barometer.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:34 (twenty-three years ago)

By the rockist fraternity, of which I am a card-carrying member.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:35 (twenty-three years ago)

I vaguely remember critics in the US falling all over themselves praising them, but this is probably my reaction to them coloring how I read other people's reactions to them.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the piss-taking may be wishful thinking on my part too. I never had any PSB until the second album, by which time they were fairly respectable (because of Dusty Springfield). I like the idea of myself as a terribly camp outcast though.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, it is appealing.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

They were very much thought of as a 'pop group' by people when I went to school. During the year or so when I tried not to like pop music and listen to proper stuff ('87 or thereabouts) the PSBs were very much on the no-go side of the divide. Then Actually came out and I had to admit it was ace and I pretty much gave up on the whole pop-is-bad concept. I think critics started liking them because they were 'intelligent pop' at around that point. Also of course even if the "poppists" disliked the music they all loved Smash Hits so maybe there was a nuff-respect-to-Neil thing going on.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the press (even Smash Hits!) were a bit sniffy about them until around the time that 'Suburbia' came out. I think some people thought they were too-clever-by-half novelty-popsters: 'Opportunities' lends itself to that critique, and it sank without trace when first released. Also, when 'Love comes quickly' failed to go top ten, it looked like they might be one-hit wonders. I remember the NME being mean to them because they weren't OUT AND PROUD like Jimi Somerville or whoever. By the time of 'Actually' the fawning critical consensus started: which went to NT's head, I think, and turned him into the insufferable twit he is today.

(This thread made me remember to download 'I'm not scared' by 8th Wonder - which, combined with the Minnelli lp, makes me think so much of their best work was with other people [see also: 'Getting away with it'].)

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 15:06 (twenty-three years ago)

What, download it from the top of the cupboard?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

(See also: "Disappointed", "Patience Of A Saint". Electronic was brilliant!)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Ned, I'm looking at you

Never heard the album. I knew it existed but I couldn't be bothered, though it sounds like there's something there...

Is it worth getting the rereleased versions of their older albums if you already have _Alternative_?

They're expensive, yes, but as mentioned, plenty of goodies with the remixes and edits, some very radically different, as well as the B-sides. And I'm a sucker for the wonderful interviews for each, as well as the photos (and hey, even every last lyric! -- and I never knew until I read the Introspective booklet that he was singing "Roundhead general," I just thought it was some sort of random thing).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 18:56 (twenty-three years ago)

>>> What, download it from the top of the cupboard?

Thought is a labyrinth.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 9 October 2002 19:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Never heard the album.

Wait a minute, it's one of your favorite bands, you have all the albums, singles, remixes and b-sides, advocate buying the reissues because of the "wonderful" interviews, photos and lyrics. They write and produce an entire LP for a very well-known vocalist, and you've never heard it?? Wow.

― Sean (Sean), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 23:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Liza haters must die! We are all Liza! All rock 'n' roll is Liza!

Actually, I'm not that big a fan, Sean, though I agree with what Jerry the Nipper wrote about Results. I just like her as a star/performer, she's got that gushy, needy, "like me! like me!" persona that I really go for. Nobody else does anymore. Also she was brilliant in Cabaret and New York, New York. And her cover of King Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight" is swell.

I don't recall the Pet Shop Boys getting much attention in the US at first, they were considered just another urbane British dance duo in the tradition of Eurythmics, Soft Cell, Blancmange, etc.--fine if you like that sort of thing, but nothing extraordinary. And I remember lots of Al Stewart jokes.

― Junie Moon (Arthur), Thursday, 10 October 2002 02:36 (twenty-three years ago)

well, this might be a dumb question, but what songs on Discography do you especially like? That'll help in determining a good starting point.

Not a silly question at all. Let me see..."It's A Sin" and "West End Girls" are my two fave PSB tracks evah, "Being Boring" onwards doesn't exactly get my heart racing (apart from "CYFH?" which I've always had a soft spot for, in spite of not really having paid much attention to the lyrics before yesterday - thanks Tom!), quite partial to "So Hard" and there's *something* about "Go West" I can't help loving - perhaps it's just cos it's THE GAYEST SONG IN THE WORLD and that can only be good...

That said, I saw them live in London in, uh, February was it?, and my lord were they awful...

― Charlie (Charlie), Thursday, 10 October 2002 02:46 (twenty-three years ago)

It sounds like you should start with _Please_ and work your way forward.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 10 October 2002 12:07 (twenty-three years ago)

ten months pass...

An addition to the best-work-for-others thing - Dusty Springfield's "In Private" - I'm not sure any of their singles as themselves have this kind of torchy swagger.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

tom ive told you before but this is still one of my fav threads ever!!!

― trife (simon_tr), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks Trife it's my favourite one I started I think. :)

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't listen to the intro to 'Opportunities' anymore without

a) thinking it's the best intro of all time
b) thinking of the phrase 'diamond beats'

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey now 'Domino Dancing' is great! Yeah, this is a great thread, I've read it a few times now

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I think "diamond beats" was me being geezaesthetic N.

Has anyone got anything new to say about the Pet Shop Boys instead of how great my thread is?

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

**4) They never seemed camp at all (avoiding stereotypes is cool)**

How wrong can you be?

― Susan (Susan), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Can I repeat that "Domino Dancing" is k-rub and should have been replaced with "Don Juan"?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Can You Forgive Her?" is the best thing they ever did. Just huge and bitter and wonderful. As you say, not what you expect in the top 10.

― Jim Eaton-Terry (Jim E-T), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Also Tom, have you heard the E-Smoove remix of "Liberation"? COMPLETE REDEMPTION OF THAT TRACK via nasty house thump.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone got anything new to say about the Pet Shop Boys instead of how great my thread is?

They feel like comfortable furniture in my mind that will never be moved. But they'll never get dusty (ho ho).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Did everyone hear "Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)" off Disco 3 - one of the best later PSB songs I've heard, very hypnotic and melancholy.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't heard _Disco 3_ yet, sadly (_Disco 2_ might be their most underrated album, if only for the remix of "Liberation" and that Wild Pitch Mix of "IWNDTKOT").

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't listen to the intro to 'Opportunities' anymore without
a) thinking it's the best intro of all time

I would agree if it weren't for "Can You Forgive Her?" -- I think it beats Opportunities for best intro by a slight margin.

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

*thinks more* Dear god, if we just listed the intros to practically all these songs that's a greatest hits right there! An "Intro-Introspection" for one artist.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The CYFH intro is magnificent but it always makes me think of that Colourbox track.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never heard Colourbox so maybe that is why I can love it without reserve.

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I love the Colourbox track too! I also like the way the Opportunities intro is sort of separate from the rest of the tune, like massive swing doors opening into this equally wonderful but entirely unexpected room.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I adore "Red Letter Day." And "Somewhere." And, believe it or not, Robbie Williams' incredible cover of "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing."

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah those singles are great Douglas, even after this 'golden age' they produced a bunch of fine singles - "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore" is very good too. The Motiv8 remix of "Red Letter Day" is particularly good, they were kind of the handbag Chemical Brothers in terms of remixing pop/rock acts.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

'try It' is indeed great stuff, i also liked 'Time On My Hands' from Disco3, not heard it all and can't remember anything else from it

the Basement jaxx mix of 'red letter day' > original version (not hard, i think its their worst single ever)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 14 August 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Nothing could be worse than "Domino Dancing".

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Blasphemy!

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 14 August 2003 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, "Domino Dancing" epitomizes the blasphemy of the _Introspective_ era ("It's Alright" excepted as that's actually a great song).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

("Jealousy" was one of the first songs they ever wrote and was supposed to be the title track for _Actually_.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 15:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know why, I don't know how
I used to love Dan Perry but I'm not sure now

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 14 August 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

he's just a bad loser!

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Larcole, Dan's been saying this for years!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I have! Since 1989!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

The next singles album is coming out soon, no? Nightlife and Bilingual were ok, but if you combine their singles, along with basically any tracks from Very I imagine you'd have an excellent album.

And I already said it upthread, but "Domino Dancing" roolz.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

PSB singles since Discography (in order I think)

Can You Forgive Her?
Go West
Liberation
I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
Yesterday When I Was Mad
Absolutely Fabulous
Before
Se A Vida E
A Red Letter Day
Bilingual
Somewhere
I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore
New York City Boy
You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
[another one from Nightlife?]
Home And Dry
[next one off Release]
[third one off Release]

Unedited it looks patchy Vic - edited it might be as much of a botch job as GHV2.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha I actually forgot they had released an album since Nightlife. "Home and Dry" has singlehandedly prevented me from getting Release. It does look pretty bad in that order - the end doesn't seem like it's much fun to listen to. I also wonder if there are new tracks planned.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"Home and Dry" is fantastic, you screaming pack of mentalists.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

this thread really is magic. i think one of my favorite parts might be the fact that tom thought it was "okay to waste this one on ilm" when it's obviously worthy of being a "real article" in it's own right.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

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