Sleep of Reason - Mark Springer/Neil Tennant/Sacconi String Quartet

[jasonjohn]

Greetings Jason,
No one called Neil the boogeyman or blames him for the ills of the world.

....

To liberals like Neil, they are bogeymen, responsible for all the ills in the world

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Jason,

Sorry mate, you're still reading it wrong.

"To liberals like Neil, they [i.e. Trump, Musk et al.] are bogeymen, responsible for all the ills in the world " is the correct reading.

Retro.

[Sandy Shaw]

https://youtu.be/bRuObughYhM?si=6Sx3eEAhh5H2zS36

[telys]

I'm so happy that PSB, my favourite band since I was a small child, stands on the right side of history.

[nonesuch]

I'm so happy that PSB, my favourite band since I was a small child, stands on the right side of history.

Same here.

[Sandy Shaw]

So there could be some ambiguity as pointed out on Geowayne.

Do we think that Neil sings on this project?

I think the ''quintet with vocals'' means the string quartet plus Neil for the record, or more likely, the quartet plus piano (making a piano quintet) plus Neil!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_quintet

[Sandy Shaw]

Sorry, double post.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I think the ''quintet with vocals'' means the string quartet plus Neil for the record, or, more likely the quartet plus piano (making a piano quintet) plus Neil!

That's my read of the situation too.

Metta,
Paul.

[NotInvisible]

You described Neil thinking of them as bogeymen. They’re not; they’re actually doing material harm to real people, and he’s right to critique them.

To liberals like Neil, they are bogeymen, responsible for all the ills in the world, unlike the sensible centrist globalists we should all vote for.

This is, of course, demonstrably untrue. Like all rational people, Neil understands that Trump, Musk and Putin are terrible men doing material harm to others. He doesn’t think those three men are exclusively responsible for all the ills in the world. What an embarrassing thing to type.

[NotInvisible]

I'm talking about inclusivity. If the "Guardian" world view that Neil ascribes to comes to be demonstrated as objectively wrong or flawed somehow, or if the USAID/NGO-network is exposed as a giant racketeering or money-laundering operation (let alone Ukraine), is everyone subsequently excluded from Pet Shop Boys music?

Your conclusion doesn’t logically follow, but imagine openly criticizing inclusivity. What a time to be alive, Jesus Christ.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I'm talking about inclusivity. If the "Guardian" world view that Neil ascribes to comes to be demonstrated as objectively wrong or flawed somehow, or if the USAID/NGO-network is exposed as a giant racketeering or money-laundering operation (let alone Ukraine), is everyone subsequently excluded from Pet Shop Boys music?

Your conclusion doesn’t logically follow, but imagine openly criticizing inclusivity. What a time to be alive, Jesus Christ.

Who is criticizing inclusivity, and who isn't being inclusive here exactly? Thanks.

I don't recall telling anyone to burn their Pet Shop Boys LPs, just because they might see the world a bit differently to Neil. I actually argued the opposite and that such people ought not be excluded as fans or from their music. Hence, included, irrespective of how worldly events pan out, and whether Neil's faith in globalist liberalism is vindicated or otherwise.

Retro.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I'm so happy that PSB, my favourite band since I was a small child, stands on the right side of history.

It's very dangerous (and effective!) to be convinced that you're automatically "on the right side of history". It can lead to never challenging or questioning your own assumptions, and to developing a learned inability to see other perspectives.

Retro.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm so happy that PSB, my favourite band since I was a small child, stands on the right side of history.

Yeah, Neil really socked it to Netanyahu.

[DopeFiend]

The lyrics I wrote (...) reflecting on my experiences in 21st Century popular culture and media in which I have located the "monsters" (...) It often feels like we're living in an era dominated by monsters with their grotesque egos hollering through social media, unfiltered and untruthful, leaving a trail of wreckage behind them.

Personally I couldn't care less about the political views of NT, or anyone on this forum.
I'm listening to the music for the music.
If it sounds good it sounds good.
I think we can agree the songs on Agenda just objectively didn't sound good.
What Are We Going To Do About The Rich and Give Stupidity a Chance were stinker songs.
(I hardly even pay attention to lyrics when I listen to music)

I agree with RetroFuturist. This subject matter could mean a detriment to the quality of the song writing.
I really don't resonate with messages of tearing down others, I prefer growth and aspiration. (Or escapism!)
And it seems when Neil tackles these political subjects the priorities are off-kilter resulting in just bad music.

This release may end up being one we pretend doesn't exist, but we'll see. I'm looking forward to it either way.

[ea39]

I think we can agree the songs on Agenda just objectively didn't sound good.
What Are We Going To Do About The Rich and Give Stupidity a Chance were stinker songs.
(I hardly even pay attention to lyrics when I listen to music)

I don't think either are stinkers, maybe not their finest, but the other two songs on that EP are bloody brilliant.