The PSB 'Sound'

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whateverman42 · #1 Post by **whateverman42** » Sun 22 Apr 2007, 5:44 pm

Is there one? Each album, with respect to Please and Actually, have differed remarkably in the general sound with varying synthesizers and effects. When Neil pronounced Fundamental as sounding very much like a PSB record, I struggled to see how it compares to previous efforts(in terms of sound, not structure or lyrics, which was probably what he was referring to), as it's very cool and modern.

I got to thinking, if a brand new PSB song came on the radio, would I be able to tell it was them(before the singing kicked in, of course)? New Order, for example, is a band I feel has a very pronounced and identifiable sound. Substance and Best Of feature songs I feel are cut from the same cloth. Even Get Ready and Waiting for the Sirens Call, while more guitar heavy from their other material, are similar. Depeche Mode, Erasure, etc. all seem to have their own kitch. I don't feel PSB have this, which I love but the merits are debatable. Whatcha think?

BrilliantPSB · #2 Post by **BrilliantPSB** » Sun 22 Apr 2007, 6:22 pm

I think the Pet Shop Boys have a very clear stamp on each of their releases. Take SHE'S MADONNA for instance. It's sang by Robbie Williams but it is incredible PSB sounding for non-PSB fans ears.
My girlfriend for instace, told me that the new Robbie single sounded so PSB, telling me this without knowing it was produced by the Boys.

Rent · #3 Post by **Rent** » Sun 22 Apr 2007, 6:27 pm

It is beyond me how some people can claim (fallacious argument imo) that *all* PSB records sound the same & subsequently proceed to dismiss the band altogether. I mean, how can *anyone* think that Release sounds the same as Very or the same as Behaviour?!

The only 'constant' in PSB records is Neil's voice. But musically, they have changed and evolved and taken 'strange' directions at times. Heck, even I failed to recognise some PSB records when they came on the radio (prior to hearing Neil's voice, that is).

Anyway, just my take.

Very · #4 Post by **Very** » Sun 22 Apr 2007, 7:24 pm

BrilliantPSB wrote:I think the Pet Shop Boys have a very clear stamp on each of their releases. Take SHE'S MADONNA for instance. It's sang by Robbie Williams but it is incredible PSB sounding for non-PSB fans ears.
My girlfriend for instace, told me that the new Robbie single sounded so PSB, telling me this without knowing it was produced by the Boys.

you are 100% right

Janet Street-Porter · Sun 22 Apr 2007, 7:31 pm

Most great pop artists have a defining sound. For instance, The Beatles have an inherent pop sensibility that runs through their work, whether that be Please please me or the White Album. Indeed there's not actually a huge amount of difference between Blur, Gorillaz and whatever Damon Albarn's new group are called.

I contend that It couldn't happen here and Birthday boy are pretty similar songs and I do wonder why so many people freaked out about Release. It was hardly Inuit throat music.

whateverman42 · #6 Post by **whateverman42** » Sun 22 Apr 2007, 8:29 pm

You're quite right to compare those two, I've never thought of them as similar, as I group all the PSB songs together based on the era they were made in. But wow, I might have given my idea too much credit. So they may have the best of both worlds. I mean, listen to West End Girls, Domino Dancing, Being Boring, Go West, Discoteca, For Your Own Good, Home and Dry, After All, and Minimal and tell me those are similar. Yet they do seem to have a semblance of coherence.

Pet Shop Girl · #7 Post by **Pet Shop Girl** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 12:44 am

THe boys have that distinct stamp about their sound and you can always hear the PSB influence especially when working with other artists. Like on David Bowie's "Hallo Spaceboy" there was nothing of the David Bowie sound, it was all a PSB sound.

dVTB · #8 Post by **dVTB** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 11:33 am

For me, the PSB sound is Neil. And the way he sings his songs. If you compare PSB cover songs to their original versions, you can clearly hear what Neil does: he has a very typical way of singing, pretty hard to describe. The verse of Go West is a very good example. Also the melody variations in Somewhere are somehow very PSB.

Also, in recent PSB remixes, the voice of Neil is used as an 'instrument'. It's some kind of unique 'trademark' or stamp on any PSB production. Music-wise, PSB songs can sound extremely different. There's no clear example of a certain string, beat or bassline that's very PSB.

Frequency · #9 Post by **Frequency** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 12:20 pm

They do love a good 'orchestra hit' every now and then though.

kennym · #10 Post by **kennym** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 12:26 pm

They do have their own sound but all their albums have a unique sound on their own..

Actually sounds nothing like Behaviour..

Very nothing like Behaviour etc etc..

Sign of quality..

Riikka · #11 Post by **Riikka** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 1:04 pm

I do think that PSB have their own sound, but if it were always the same, they wouldn't have evolved at all. It's natural that your sound changes when you have a long career. Fans would get bored if each album sounded like the previous one, I think!

I didn't recognize "Before" as a PSB track when it was released, and not "She's Madonna" either, but I loved the sound. I have always recognized those PSB tracks though there Neil sings prominently.

Jerry-S · #12 Post by **Jerry-S** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 2:57 pm

I always find that the bassline gives it away. Maybe thats just my interpretation but they always seem to have a really punchy bassline where many others dont.

If you compare to the other synth based groups, they always sound "tinny" to me and lack the variations in bass.

raggatwin · #13 Post by **raggatwin** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 3:19 pm

I remember reading an interview with Pete Gledall where he quite clearly defined their sound in terms of instrumentation and presets and stuff, but err..... I can't remember where I read it. They do quite clearly have their own sound in my opinion.

Very · #14 Post by **Very** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 3:41 pm

Jerry-S wrote:I always find that the bassline gives it away. Maybe thats just my interpretation but they always seem to have a really punchy bassline where many others dont.

If you compare to the other synth based groups, they always sound "tinny" to me and lack the variations in bass.

yeah! see paninaro '95

BrilliantPSB · #15 Post by **BrilliantPSB** » Mon 23 Apr 2007, 7:39 pm

dVTB wrote:For me, the PSB sound is Neil. And the way he sings his songs. If you compare PSB cover songs to their original versions, you can clearly hear what Neil does: he has a very typical way of singing, pretty hard to describe. The verse of Go West is a very good example. Also the melody variations in Somewhere are somehow very PSB.

Also, in recent PSB remixes, the voice of Neil is used as an 'instrument'. It's some kind of unique 'trademark' or stamp on any PSB production. Music-wise, PSB songs can sound extremely different. There's no clear example of a certain string, beat or bassline that's very PSB.

You are absolutely right about Neil's voice. Neil himself said this while being interviewed for TOP E Report back in 2002.
He said that they could do a Heavy Metal song and they would still sound PSBish because of his voice.

Now talking about 100% Music, I think my Robbie Williams example is a clear sample of what I think. You could take Liza's album Results or Dusty´s or even the new Killers single.

BPSB