Might be of interest:
https://thequietus.com/articles/29906-pet-shop-boys-best-of-b-sides-album-tracks-beyond-the-hits
Contains Mr Raggett.
― djh, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 13:27 (two years ago) link
They praised the wrong version of "I Want A Dog"
― 80's hair metal , and good praise music ! (DJP), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 14:20 (two years ago) link
The great wars begin. Mr. Soto is also in there.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 14:32 (two years ago) link
Excellent selection !
― LeRooLeRoo, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 14:37 (two years ago) link
It’s a dialogue between robots well before Daft Punk. Camp and terrifying, electronic exultation achieved at the expense of everyone and everything else — perhaps that’s the real European canon in the end
A terrific insight, Ned. Also, "Euroboy" and "Some Speculation" made my shortlist too. In the '00s my online dating profile name was SomeSpeculation. Only one dude got it.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 14:41 (two years ago) link
Credit to that dude. And thanks!
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 14:44 (two years ago) link
re Mr Soto - oddly, I've only heard that Timmy Thomas song this year ... on a mix by ISAN.
― djh, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:13 (two years ago) link
Anyway, spent a happy hour or so compiling this into a playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5CH0dsOUoBVJ6kE9A1Rmp4
― djh, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:17 (two years ago) link
oooh thanks
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:18 (two years ago) link
Genuinely, that was a gorgeous read - full of love and affection (and, remarkably, some tracks I've missed and/or didn't know).
― djh, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:38 (two years ago) link
POX from the Quietus list:
DiscotecaDo I Have To?Dreaming of the QueenIt Always Comes As A SurpriseI Want A DogA Red Letter DaySome SpeculationThis Must Be The Place I've Waited Years To LeaveThe TheatreViolence
― LeRooLeRoo, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 21:34 (two years ago) link
"In the Night" really is a banger of the first order.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 21:36 (two years ago) link
I like the Quietus List
Personally, I would have added these:
Was That What It Was?I'm Not ScaredHit And MissAlwaysWe're The Pet Shop BoysFugitive
― daavid, Thursday, 29 April 2021 03:56 (two years ago) link
On a second thought, perhaps not Hit and Miss. It hasn't aged that well.
― daavid, Thursday, 29 April 2021 04:02 (two years ago) link
I love "Hit and Miss" and a few other b-sides on Format, but I imagine my POX would still be ten songs from Alternative
― Vinnie, Thursday, 29 April 2021 04:13 (two years ago) link
My b-side POX, that is
― Vinnie, Thursday, 29 April 2021 04:19 (two years ago) link
it seemed they skipped covers? so that would rule out We're The Pet Shop Boys and, kinda, I'm Not Scared
both megabangers ofc, as is Fugitive
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), Thursday, 29 April 2021 04:44 (two years ago) link
I never understood the issue with the Instrospective version of "I Want a Dog". Possibly my favourite thing on it since I was a child. The b-side rendition feels like a less perfect iteration along the journey to the bitchin' housey endpoint. The Quietus OTM.
Perticularly good to see the likes of King's Cross, You Choose, The Theatre, Flourescent and Your Funny Uncle there too.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Thursday, 29 April 2021 05:05 (two years ago) link
pArticularly, obv.
Devastating lack of "A Man Could Get Arrested" though!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Thursday, 29 April 2021 06:19 (two years ago) link
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), T
Ned wrote about the Springteen cover.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 April 2021 09:34 (two years ago) link
Ah yeah! I even approved of his non-Boss-belief.
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), Thursday, 29 April 2021 09:55 (two years ago) link
The issue with the Introspective version of I Want A Dog is that they took a wistful, delicate song and removed all of the personality from it with a boring beat
― 80's hair metal , and good praise music ! (DJP), Thursday, 29 April 2021 11:29 (two years ago) link
One could and should quibble with bits and pieces of that list, but it's at the very least a great reminder of the wealth of good stuff this group has released or, more shockingly, sometimes barely released.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 29 April 2021 12:42 (two years ago) link
xp It was entirely Knuckles's work according to the Introspective sleevenotes.
Neil: "We got back to London and played it to Trevor Horn and Steve Lipson and Trevor said 'See? Cheap gear sounds better.'"
― piscesx, Thursday, 29 April 2021 12:43 (two years ago) link
The Communards keyboardist plays the piano, I think.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 April 2021 12:52 (two years ago) link
He plays the piano on What Keeps Mankind Alive? but as far as i know that was it.
Confusingly, I did once play with the Pet Shop Boys #pointlesstrivia— Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) October 4, 2012
― piscesx, Thursday, 29 April 2021 13:07 (two years ago) link
ah! That's it.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 April 2021 13:45 (two years ago) link
Vicar!
Listening again, the second half being dominated by the piano solo rather than (something resembling) dog bark samples has likely been a factor for me. Actual aural representation of dogginess threatens to undermine the wistfulness!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:15 (two years ago) link
The dog barking is the most distinctive, singular component of the song. Removing it removes the song's identity.
This is the only remix of "I Want A Dog" that works and it's largely because it interpolates a good amount of "Atomic Dog" into itself while holding onto the dog barks, plus the beat doesn't sound like an extremely square preset:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB7mOdWk9hc
― 80's hair metal , and good praise music ! (DJP), Thursday, 29 April 2021 14:27 (two years ago) link
x-posts: Yeah, what Josh in Chicago said (though I realise there is joy to be had in arguing the detail).
― djh, Thursday, 29 April 2021 18:50 (two years ago) link
Had we posted this Tweet on here? (I can't see it but might be being an idiot).
Classic question from a taxi-driver in London today! “So are you still making music and is the other one still a vicar?” Neil x
― djh, Thursday, 29 April 2021 18:52 (two years ago) link
Fun to hear them do "Mr. Vain" on this '94 Rio show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl-nPbUSihQ
― too cool for zen talk (Eazy), Sunday, 2 May 2021 21:20 (two years ago) link
The covers were fun on that tour; Girls and Boys, Rhythm Of The Night, Mr Vain and I Will Survive
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pet-shop-boys/1994/auditorio-nacional-mexico-city-mexico-6bd2faf2.html
― piscesx, Sunday, 2 May 2021 21:46 (two years ago) link
I read years ago that when Brett Anderson joined them for "Rent" he and Neil had been tootin' the nose powder.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 2 May 2021 21:50 (two years ago) link
Great list. I’d probably add End of the World. X-rated cover excepted, I’ve never seen the appeal of “Truckdriver”. I kind of think the A-Side, Before, is a great hidden-in-plain-sight deep cut
― Chuck_Tatum, Sunday, 2 May 2021 23:27 (two years ago) link
So many PSB threads. Anyway:
Ouch ! https://t.co/PQIfCwiZPu— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) August 13, 2021
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 13 August 2021 16:11 (two years ago) link
Press release incl. link to new audio/video, song to be on PBS alb Happiness Not Included, out May 6: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Soft-Cell-Team-Up-With-Pet-Shop-Boys-For-The-New-Single--Purple-Zone-.html?aid=sqHHp24xO3Q&soid=1101984419757
― dow, Thursday, 24 March 2022 02:02 (two years ago) link
also PSB alb
― dow, Thursday, 24 March 2022 02:03 (two years ago) link
Looks from the link like Happiness Not Included is a Soft Cell album?
― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Thursday, 24 March 2022 03:21 (two years ago) link
Your're right, sorry! At least the Boys also do several mixes of the single.
― dow, Thursday, 24 March 2022 04:12 (two years ago) link
Chris Lowe adapts well to the facemask era:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv4QNTg1Mps
― deep luminous trombone (Eazy), Friday, 25 March 2022 15:44 (two years ago) link
To be honest, my favourite thing about this is the photo of Chris in a face covering.
The tracks not actually very good, is it? (I could have just not been in the mood for it).
― djh, Friday, 25 March 2022 18:17 (two years ago) link
It’s not their most engaging work
― castanuts (DJP), Saturday, 26 March 2022 14:50 (two years ago) link
I haven't bothered to stream.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 26 March 2022 15:06 (two years ago) link
It's very Always On My Mind and Go West but with a very basic melody. You've heard the whole song after 18 seconds.
― LeRooLeRoo, Sunday, 27 March 2022 03:59 (two years ago) link
The thing about the best PSB and Soft Cell songs is that I can remember what they sound like. When I think about this song all I can recall is that the chorus reminds me of Coldplay's 'When I Ruled The World' (which is bad). Also the video makes me want a battered sausage.
― Being cheap is expensive (snoball), Sunday, 27 March 2022 08:35 (two years ago) link
Looks from the link like Happiness Not Included is a Soft Cell album?― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Thursday, March 24, 2022 3:21 AM (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink
― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Thursday, March 24, 2022 3:21 AM (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink
For a second there I started hyperventilating at the thought of PSB going for a multi-word album title
― daavid, Sunday, 27 March 2022 18:02 (two years ago) link
New/old EP on the way, single “Living in the past” out now. Piano-heavy, you’d almost think Jack Antonoff recorded it.
https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2023-01-23/psb-release-lost-cd
Pet Shop Boys will be releasing their first new music for two years with the four-track CD EP, “Lost”, which accompanies the 2023 edition of Pet Shop Boys “Annually" book, available in April.
The four songs, “The lost room”, “I will fall”, “Skeletons in the closet” and “Kaputnik” were written and recorded as demos in London and Berlin in 2015 for potential inclusion on the album “Super” but weren’t included “not because we didn't like them,” according to Neil Tennant, “but because they didn't fit the album.” The decision to release them now as an EP was made because “they all sit together quite well, production-wise, they're all super-electronic,” and also because “some of them are sort of relevant to the world at the moment.”
The EP takes its title “Lost” from the first song, “The lost room”, but “it also seems to represent a sort of larger, philosophical or political point, where there've been times recently where the world feels a bit lost in terms of the direction it's going in.”
The “Lost” CD EP and the 2023 edition of “Annually” will be released on April 14th and can be pre-ordered at the link below.
― underwater as a compliment (Eazy), Monday, 27 March 2023 22:07 (one year ago) link
New four-song EP Lost is out today (details above). This one bangs in the headphones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0ntMUs6SKA
― underwater as a compliment (Eazy), Friday, 14 April 2023 19:42 (eleven months ago) link