e Boys

Something to remember while listening to the 2020 anthology Beastie Boys Music is that the band never knew what they were doing exactly—they had ideas but not really a plan. At least, not evidently. Listening to Music, the impression is of a band in a state of restless experimentation, true to themselves but so dilated and available to what the world had to offer that they couldn’t stay in place for long. They were magpies, and in their continuous absorption—new and old, white and black, cool and cool-in-waiting—they not only redrew boundaries between hip-hop, pop, and rock, but anticipated a culture in which stewing together your disparate interests could be a gesture of creativity in and of itself.

Behavior was a retreat from the deep dance textures of Introspective, as it picked up on the carefully constructed pop of Actually. In fact, Behavior functions as the Pet Shop Boys' bid for mainstream credibility, as much of the album relies more on popcraft than rhythmic variations. Although its a subtle maneuver, it would have been rather disastrous if the results weren't so captivating. Tennant takes this approach seriously, singing the lyrics instead of speaking them. That doesn't necessarily give the album added emotional baggage - all of the distance and detachment in the duo's music is not a hindrance, it's part of the concept - but it does result in an ambitious and breathtaking pop album, which manages to include everything from the spiteful "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" to the wistful "Being Boring."

Because they work in a field that isn't usually taken seriously, the Pet Shop Boys are often ignored in the rock world. But make no mistake - they are one of the most talented pop outfits working today, witty and melodic with a fine sense of flair. Very is one of their very best records, expertly weaving between the tongue-in-cheek humor of "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing," the quietly shocking "Can You Forgive Her?," and the bizarrely moving cover of the Village People's "Go West." Alternately happy and melancholy, Very is the Pet Shop Boys at their finest.

"Please" was the debut album by Pet Shop Boys and was produced by Stephen Hague. Released in March 1986, the record hit number 3 and spent 82 weeks in the UK Official Album Charts, went into the Top Ten in the USA where it was certified platinum, and to date has sold over three million copies worldwide. The duo's debut single, "West End Girls", was PSB's first number one certified Gold single. In 1987 it was awarded Best Single at the BRIT Awards, Best International Hit at the Ivor Novello Awards and later Song Of The Decade at the 2005 Ivor Novello Awards. It also reached number one in the USA. This "Catalogue" reissue of the album features a remastered and repackaged double CD, featuring 7" and 12" mixes and remixes of tracks from "Please" and the album’s period.

"Actually" debuted at the number 2 on the UK Albums Chart upon its release in 1987. The album was produced by Julian Mendelsohn, Stephen Hague, Shep Pettibone, Andy Richards and Pet Shop Boys. This period saw Pet Shop Boys reach new critical and commercial heights with three number one singles, "It’s a Sin", "Always on My mind" and "Heart", and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?", their number two single featuring Dusty Springfield.
The "Catalogue" re-issue of "Actually" includes the remastered original album with the 2-CD album features bonus material including the Shep Pettibone mix of ‘Heart’, and demo versions and alternative mixes of tracks including "One More Chance" and "Always On My Mind".

"Introspective" has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide to date and was the first to feature production by Trevor Horn, whose lavish orchestrations marked a new sonic direction for PSB. House Music legend, Frankie Knuckles created the mix of "I Want a Dog" while "Domino Dancing" was recorded in Miami with hit producer Lewis Martinée.
This "Catalogue" reissue features, along with the newly-remastered original album, bonus material such as demo versions of "Don Juan" and ‘Domino dancing’, seven-inch and disco mixes of ‘Losing My Mind" and "Left To My Own Devices".

Some might say that the Pet Shop Boys have released more live documents than any synth pop band has a right to, but fans would wholeheartedly disagree. Joey Sixpack might not notice, but the duo takes great pride in making each tour’s set list unique, plus there are always some surprises for card-carrying fanclub members. Here, on this document of a 2009 concert at London’s O2 Arena, that means rarely heard live numbers like "Two Divided by Zero" and "Why Don't We Live Together?" plus the long-lost B-Side “Do I Have To?” Well-worn numbers like “Suburbia” and “Being Boring” are delivered as if they were fresh and new, while the triumphant performance of “West End Girls” shows that PSB have, shockingly, not grown tired of the tune. Kick it all off with a fantastic new mash-up of "More Than a Dream/Heart" and it’s a must own for the faithful, but when you add a well-shot DVD that captures the whole stage show…

Coming down from the ambitious, politically charged Fundamental, Yes is the sound of the Pet Shop Boys unwinding and returning to their usual fascinations: isolation, fashion, grand arrangements, and witty synth pop anthems. Unfortunately, they're in a slump with their songwriting, and subject-wise, every song here has a companion piece on some earlier album, but that doesn't mean the party is spoiled. The delicate electro opener "Love Etc." is PSB perfection with its memorable hook and faultless construction. Brian Higgins and his Xenomania team (Saint Etienne, Girls Aloud) share songwriting and production duties on the track, and while that later credit continues for the remainder of the album, the hip crew becomes invisible as singer Tennant and synth-man Lowe take over…

As a title, Bilingual is a double-edged sword. Disregard its sexual connotations and concentrate on its musical implications - Bilingual is a rich, diverse album that delves deeply into Latin rhythms. It's not a crass, simplistic fusion, where the polyphonic rhythms are simply grafted over synthesizers and a disco pulse. Instead, Bilingual is an enormously subtle album, with shifting rhythms and graceful, understated melodies. The music isn't the only thing subtle about the album - Neil Tennant's voice and lyrics are nuanced, suggesting more than they actually say. Furthermore, Bilingual consists of the most optimistic, happy set of songs the Pet Shop Boys have ever recorded…

Disco (1986). Released at the height of dance-pop in 1986, the Pet Shop Boys' remix album Disco defiantly asserted the roots of the current trend with the title. And with its long remixes, Disco is designed to be pumped at a dancefloor. As casual listening, it gets a bit tedious, but even at these extended lengths, the melodic craft of the Pet Shop Boys' material shines through…