Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

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Boring90
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#76 Post by Boring90 »

I didn't like Footsteps for many years, but now it could be my favorite track on the lp. You never know how time will change your opinion.
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Dog
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#77 Post by Dog »

The inconsistency continues on the Further Listening discs. I would have been quite happy with For all of us and maybe even Call me old-fashioned on the album. Playing in the streets I like a good deal as well. I was surprised when Somebody else’s business cropped up on here as I had always associated it with the Release era, but that’s a great track too, as is Positive role model. Silver age and The ghost of myself are above average b-sides. The quality of the Radiophonic demo was also a nice surprise - possibly preferable to the album version. However, Sail away, Nightlife, Tall thin men, Screaming and Lies are among the weakest tracks they’ve recorded. Still a nice set and great to have the two extra discs. Onward and upwards.
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leesmapman
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#78 Post by leesmapman »

The ghost of myself is my favourite b-side from that era.

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michael888
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#79 Post by michael888 »

f*** I missed Bilingual.

It’s my favourite PSB album. I don’t know. I really like the lead single, Before, and the album brings you to a journey of 90s NYC clubs and Latin rhythms. I listen to it a lot.
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Dog
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#80 Post by Dog »

I hadn’t played the Closer to Heaven soundtrack for some time and it sounds really good. It’s a proper cohesive album, rather than just a soundtrack to the musical. Lots of good songs on here that PSB never fully recorded themselves - Something special, Nine out of ten, Out of my system. I prefer this slower version of Closer to heaven, and the faster more electronic version of In denial. But the instrumentals Hedonism and K-hole don’t act up to much and Caligula is best forgotten. There’s a nice run of tracks at the end including the excellent For all of us and Positive role model. I may even prefer this to Nightlife.
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Pod
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#81 Post by Pod »

I really like Casting A Shadow - I was down in Cornwall where this was played when the eclipse happened - ahh memories.
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ArtHist
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#82 Post by ArtHist »

michael888 wrote: Tue 07 Jan 2020, 5:04 am f*** I missed Bilingual.

It’s my favourite PSB album. I don’t know. I really like the lead single, Before, and the album brings you to a journey of 90s NYC clubs and Latin rhythms. I listen to it a lot.
Controversial to admit it, but one of my faves too and one I tend to play repeatedly- more often than the 'bona fide' classics like Behaviour or Very.

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Dog
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#83 Post by Dog »

Release had been trailed so much as their guitar album I was completely wrong footed on first listen, discovering tracks like London and The Samurai in autumn, alongside the more expansive, challenging works of Birthday boy and Love is a catastrophe. In fact only really I get along played the PSB-do-Oasis card - Home and dry and Here also dial up the electronics, and E-mail has obvious roots in their abandoned hip-hop album.

I love Release. The songwriting is excellent. Once again Pet Shop Boys show they can’t stick to one singular concept, but the album is richer for it. The night I fell in love is a beautiful melody even if the gentle Eminem baiting dates the track... And You choose is for me up with their best ballads.

The best thing about Release is the way it obviously reset and rejuvenated them musically. Shutting themselves off and self-producing cleared their palate for the statement of intent that was Fundamental, and the ultra pop of Yes... they regained the momentum they retain to this day.

If you don’t like Release give it another spin. It’s a pivotal album.
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#84 Post by G_Goalden »

Release will always be my ‘redundancy’ album - having been made redundant a couple of months beforehand. As a result I didn’t buy the four alternative covers, infact i was hard pushed to find the £12 for the CD.

I think it was worth it for Birthday Boy alone. I still don’t know what its about (despite Neil’s description in his book) but there is something about it that means it sounds like nothing else either before or after it. Its probably my second favourite song (behind Being Boring).

I don’t listen to the album very often - but I think I will tomorrow. The FL compilation ain’t too bad either.

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ArtHist
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#85 Post by ArtHist »

^^^^Agree regarding 'Birthday Boy'. Some good tracks on here, but also some of their worst- 'The Night I Fell in Love' is just horrendous.

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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#86 Post by ZiggyPSB »

OK there was a time I didn't care for The night I fell in love, then I liked it a lot when you take the Eminem thing out of context, then I stopped liking it again. Oh well.

Enjoying all your thoughts on each album day by day folks.
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tottenhammattspurs
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#87 Post by tottenhammattspurs »

Imagine Morrissey singing Birthday Boy and it becomes the sadbanger that it deserves to be.
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TwizzleUK
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#88 Post by TwizzleUK »

I recall reading that 'Birthday Boy' was at least partly/metaphorically about the murder of Stephen Lawrence but can't remember where I read Neil saying that.

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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#89 Post by Dog »

Release Further Listening shows just what a prolific time this was for them. The guitar focus of Release is largely absent here but they could have easily carved out an entirely different album from these sessions. Loads here to love including some of my favourite b-sides - Always, Sexy Northerner, We’re the Pet Shop Boys - chilled reworkings - Closer to Heaven (slow version), Home and dry (ambient mix) - the backbone of Disco 3 and excellent PopArt singles Miracles and Flamboyant.
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Re: Back catalogue countdown to Hotspot

#90 Post by Dog »

Disco 3 was released the day I flew out on honeymoon and naturally I grabbed a copy at the airport. The inclusion of five new tracks here blew the Disco concept wide open. Try it, If looks could kill and Somebody else’s business are all excellent. They work well alongside the five remixes, which are similarly poppy and upbeat. Only Superchumbo spoils the party with his overlong dilution of Sexy Northerner. The genuine piano mix of London is a lovely way to round things off.
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