Artists most similar to PSB

[York Minster]

But do you also like songs like Go West Patrick?

[York Minster]

his Must Be The Place I Waited Years to Leave is a Smiths song.

This is funny, because on the Behaviour thread I recently wrote that Behaviour should appeal to Smiths fans and that was disagreed with. I agree with Patrick that intention is more important than just having synths. That's why Erasure are so very different from PSB. But at the same time, I think there is quite a bit of difference between PSB and the Smiths, and at least for me, the synth strings are a very important component of PSB. When they drop them and do an If Love Were All, it's just not the same. Searching For The Face of Jesus is actually pretty good, but I think we'd all admit it's not a "usual" PSB sounding song.

[mole973102]

Dare I say it, but I quite like "Pet Shop Boys Blocked Me On Twitter - Nathan Jay".
Quite like a 320kbps version of it...

It's a well done parody that one.

You ought to do more of your own material...

[mole973102]

The Gluvets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn_Bd5owKsk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_tUykf_P0

[patrick]

But do you also like songs like Go West Patrick?

Yes, but perhaps not for the reason many of you do. The chords infuse the song with (an ironic) melancholy, undercutting the presumed euphoria commonly associated with dance music. The vocal is equally important here; Neil's plaintive "I know you love me" is so achingly pleading it calls to mind Nervously (another song that could easily come from The Smiths' canon). Then of course there are the saturnine lyrics hidden by the bubbly jangle common to both groups - this is especially apparent if you listen to the original demo and the Village People original.

Whereas something like Heart is basically unlistenable, in my opinion.

I do enjoy a lot of their electronic stuff - Relentless is an amazing record because it's so damn weird and moody. But all these comparisons to electronic groups that don't conform to the same exegesis simply make no sense to me - it's like comparing Jewel to Iron Maiden because they both use guitars. Facile.

[patrick]

Searching For The Face of Jesus is actually pretty good, but I think we'd all admit it's not a "usual" PSB sounding song.

I don't think "usual" applies anymore - in fact I don't think it's applied since the late '80s. When you have Bilingual, Release and Fundamental in your canon, it's time to accept that a significant part of their ouvre "doesn't sound like the Pet Shop Boys." How many times do they have to record a Birthday Boy or Casanova in Hell before we recognize that?

[retrofuturist]

I mentioned The Attery Squash before, so thought I should provide an example...

The Attery Squash - The Fashion Of The Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i2LdjONEgU

Likewise, with Spray...

Spray - We're All Made Of Stars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkF4b6K5KdI

And finally, Lorraine (now called Black Room)...

Lorraine - Transatlantic Flight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUkeuMirxRc

In each case, I think it goes beyond a thin synthetic vaneer, through to the lyrical and vocal stylings too.

Retro.

[Rorie]

Of all the suggestions made, I think The Attery Squash was the most interesting of the ones I had never heard before.

Again, I think it correct that depending what you like about the PSB may determine what you think also sounds like them.

Client are good, but they are much closer in sound to Depeche Mode than PSB in my opinion.

Erasure sounds nothing like the PSB. Erasure really uses vocals to carry a song, because Andy Bell is a fantastic singer.

Hurts looks like they are shameless copying the PSB. I think it best if a band makes their own mark. I know the PSB were heavily influences by Bobby O in the old days, but their image was their own.

[York Minster]

If Domino Dancing killed the boys in America, then why was this a huge hit in 1996?

[Your Funny Uncle]

I agree with Patrick that despite their superficially different musical styles there are strong similarities between the Smiths and PSB. I think that in terms of their "intellectual outsider" ethos the Smiths are much closer to the spirit of PSB than the majority of their electropop contemporaries. This is probably why I know plenty of indiepop lovers who also really like PSB. The thing that separates them for me more than their choice of instruments is Morrissey's singing style, which augments the sense of melancholy in Smiths songs to a level which I personally find overbearing. Neil's more deadpan style stops this from happenning with PSB.

[Patrick Bateman]

If Domino Dancing killed the boys in America, then why was this a huge hit in 1996?

Pete Sampras was in a boy band?

[nvey]

They said they should not be compared to PSB

Hopefully they're making more music for straight listeners than the boys did especially in the past and at the time of Very.

[York Minster]

Hopefully they're making more music for straight listeners than the boys did especially in the past and at the time of Very.

Uh oh, Radiophonic will be on your tail for this one!

[Glenny4]

Most electric music by anybody can sound a bit like PSB for a very short time, but if you going on Neil's voice, no one comes close.

Then again there's Chris Kalera

[Radiophonic]

Hopefully they're making more music for straight listeners than the boys did especially in the past and at the time of Very.

Uh oh, Radiophonic will be on your tail for this one!

Why me? I can't be bothered with such a pathetic comment to be honest.