Pet Shop Boys DEMONSTRATION (Agenda + Lost)

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A project I've been meaning to post for a while:

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One coping strategy I had during the seeming interminable (but well rewarded) wait for Nonetheless was making a project for myself of an album built from PSB's most recent EPs, Agenda and Lost (with the "Cricket wife" single to round it out). Since both EPs have a pronounced political bent, it made sense to me to do. And it came out pretty cool.

I created the art in DALL-E 3.

Renewed appreciation for "The forgotten child". I love the instrumental break/outro so much. And gratitude as always to @geowayne for clearing up for me the meaning of "Cricket wife", about Neil's mother and father. I had previously taken it to be from the viewpoint of the aggrieved wife of an adultering husband. I understand the various lyrical sections much better now, and it's very moving.

1 What are we going to do about the rich?
2 Give stupidity a chance
3 Skeletons in the closet
4 On social media
5 Living in the past
6 The lost room
7 I will fall
8 Kaputnik
8 Cricket wife
10 The forgotten child

[Undertaker]

I thought What are we going to do about the rich should have been a single. It's mad.

[Gabby]

Must give these all a spin again.

I loved Agenda but never gave Lost much time although I remember enjoying it, and Cricket Wife I think I've listened to precisely once.

I get the "bad fan of the year" award.

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I meant to include a Spotify link to the playlist...

Pet Shop Boys DEMONSTRATION on Spotify

Yep, it all deserves attention. Thinking it will sound especially good with the return of autumn. ("The lost room" was a Halloween song for me last year.)

"I will fall" is just always a lovely listen. And I really like the riff of "On social media". I always figured the BBC would have had lots of places to deploy it.

"Cricket wife" is a bit of a challenge, but it grew on me as I understood it better.

Hope others enjoy the context for revisiting. 🩶

[Eleven]

Cool concept ! I think Agenda was PSB trying to know how they will sound without Stuart Price in a near future and if they could make an album but they throw it to an EP
I find Social Media and What are we going to do about the rich? proper PSB singles on how they sound, they are in a much better position than singles of that era for my taste, Im kinda mad they didnt release a proper album with those songs, but our Boys are famous to release single material as B sides or even dont bother to release it sometimes and keep it for themselves

[jasonjohn]

Love Agenda. Was always a fan of Yes, so no surprises this production works!

I think another angle is that the tracks are move obviously political (although Rich is very tongue in cheek, which some of the forum members seemed to totally miss), and maybe they just wanted to get them out of their system rather than making another Fundy.

Nonetheless does a great job of speaking to daily lives while acknowledging political backgrounds, without ever being exactly about politics.

[richwill]

Shame The Forgotten Child couldn't be Palestinian.

[mole973102]

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/lost- ... izi83y9wkb (Note Track 5)
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/crick ... vthcrfhy6b
https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/agend ... r8wrhxy52a
(I love this EP).