A man from the future2026/New album 2028

[NotInvisible]

No support for pedophile, neo-Nazi, or homophobic ideas has ever been tolerated here. Allowing this forum to promote hateful propaganda would be a total moral collapse.

The irony.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

In an interview with a Chilean Radistation Neil has confirmed that A man …. will be released later in the year, and then they will start work on a new album which will. Be out in 2028,

This is very welcome news.

Hopefully when Neil says "political" he means Fundamental-style political in the sense of songcraft which is able to transcend echo chambers, rather than Agenda-style political which is uninspired preaching to the converted. I'm a little over Pet Shop Boys occasionally morphing into an audio accompaniment to The Guardian to be honest. On the other hand, give me an Integral-style banger about authoritarian over-reach, or a daring Fugitive-style piece that forces listeners to think beyond their usual frames of reference, and I'd be thoroughly delighted.

Retro.

[NotInvisible]

Hopefully when Neil says "political" he means Fundamental-style political in the sense of songcraft which is able to transcend echo chambers, rather than Agenda-style political which is uninspired preaching to the converted. I'm a little over Pet Shop Boys occasionally morphing into an audio accompaniment to The Guardian to be honest. On the other hand, give me an Integral-style banger about authoritarian over-reach, or a daring Fugitive-style piece that forces listeners to think beyond their usual frames of reference, and I'd be thoroughly delighted.

I mean, there are fans who think Integral and Fugitive are "uninspired preaching to the converted" to be fair. There was a lot of apologism for ID cards here when Fundamental came out. I think the crux of it is that Pet Shop Boys have a surprising number of right-wing fans, so there will always be moaning.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I think the crux of it is that Pet Shop Boys have a surprising number of right-wing fans, so there will always be moaning.

There's definitely no political monopoly on moaning, as the reactions to their collaboration with Frances Barber make clear.

It's all the more reason that if they are going to do something "political", that they do it well, and if it can't be at the standard of Shopping, Integral, We're All Criminals Now, The Dictator Decides, I'm With Stupid, The Theatre, Indefinite Leave To Remain etc. they may be best to tuck the tracks away on a stand-alone EP, or as b-sides. They have been quite good at this so far, to be fair... even to the point of hiding tracks that may not really need hiding - i.e. Decide.

Retro.

[NotInvisible]

It's all the more reason that if they are going to do something "political", that they do it well, and if it can't be at the standard of Shopping, Integral, We're All Criminals Now, The Dictator Decides, I'm With Stupid, The Theatre, Indefinite Leave To Remain etc. they may be best to tuck the tracks away on a stand-alone EP, or as b-sides.

I don't think it really matters, to be honest. The people who will complain will complain no matter what, the people who already agree with their politics will move on with life, and any casual listeners won't be paying attention to the lyrics anyway.

[Sandy Shaw]

Here's the interview. The part about the new albums starts around 8:50.

https://youtu.be/_8WRY2SHdIs?si=pd_aYoBBtbVB9vWR

4 minutes in:
Is there anything you guys would change?
Chris (I think!) Our men!
Laughter from Neil...

[jasonjohn]

Fundamental and Agenda both spoke directly to a stupid leader. Both had the word stupid in their titles, even.

Agenda had one song What Are We Going To Do About The Rich? which was more funny than anything else, and took parody of left and right talking points "They're avoiding paying taxes while the welfare state collapses". Different ends of the political spectrum are sensitive to wealth holding / welfare states existing. But, turns out, it was just vapid right wingers who took enormous offense and completely failed to notice the non-serious nature of it all.

Anyway, Agenda and Fundy are both relevant and worthwhile. Boo hoo!

[telys]

Agenda had a song about not forgetting the plight of children and preserving our humanity and empathy when seeing children suffering.
Another song about the negative consequences of social media (written from the perspective of somebody with the experience of a society without social media online, some would call that wisdom)
Another song probably criticising the world's most powerful leader. If you are the most powerful leader in the world as well as democratically elected, you are supposed to take critique. But the song also in a broader sense discuss the problem of leading politicians not listening to science, evidence and experience. This is a fact that is being discussed more and more, not at least on a scientific level (social science).
The fourth song adresses the world's new elite class, the superwealthy. PSB are not part of this class. Noone on this forum is part of this class in society. The Epstein files reveal in large part how this new super elite class behave, not only being super rich but also being morally and politically depraved.

If you can't take this coming from your favourite band, well then you have been infected with overwhelming ideology, preventing you from analysing reality

[Nicholas]

Agenda had a song about not forgetting the plight of children and preserving our humanity and empathy when seeing children suffering.
Another song about the negative consequences of social media (written from the perspective of somebody with the experience of a society without social media online, some would call that wisdom)
Another song probably criticising the world's most powerful leader. If you are the most powerful leader in the world as well as democratically elected, you are supposed to take critique. But the song also in a broader sense discuss the problem of leading politicians not listening to science, evidence and experience. This is a fact that is being discussed more and more, not at least on a scientific level (social science).
The fourth song adresses the world's new elite class, the superwealthy. PSB are not part of this class. Noone on this forum is part of this class in society. The Epstein files reveal in large part how this new super elite class behave, not only being super rich but also being morally and politically depraved.

If you can't take this coming from your favourite band, well then you have been infected with overwhelming ideology, preventing you from analysing reality

I really like this post.

[canveyboy]

I wonder if A Man From The Future will be Pet Shop Boys or Tennant/Lowe? I suspect the latter.

I’ve always wondered that too. I hope it’s a Tennant/Lowe release so that BP and TMIT finally have an addition to the Tennant/Lowe catalogue! They’re back on Parlophone now so it’s a good possibility.

It always annoyed me that Beautiful Laundrette was released as a PSB release. They weren’t on Parlophone then so maybe that’s why?

[daveid]

I wonder if A Man From The Future will be Pet Shop Boys or Tennant/Lowe? I suspect the latter.

I’ve always wondered that too. I hope it’s a Tennant/Lowe release so that BP and TMIT finally have an addition to the Tennant/Lowe catalogue! They’re back on Parlophone now so it’s a good possibility.

It always annoyed me that Beautiful Laundrette was released as a PSB release. They’re weren’t on Parlophone then so maybe that’s why?

Laund(e)rette was more pop though so maybe that's why. Birdman was billed as Tennant/Lowe but was only released as part of Yes FL so who knows. It'll be good to get two more proper T/L releases after 15 long years.

[canveyboy]

I wonder if A Man From The Future will be Pet Shop Boys or Tennant/Lowe? I suspect the latter.

I’ve always wondered that too. I hope it’s a Tennant/Lowe release so that BP and TMIT finally have an addition to the Tennant/Lowe catalogue! They’re back on Parlophone now so it’s a good possibility.

It always annoyed me that Beautiful Laundrette was released as a PSB release. They’re weren’t on Parlophone then so maybe that’s why?

Laund(e)rette was more pop though so maybe that's why. Birdman was billed as Tennant/Lowe but was only released as part of Yes FL so who knows. It'll be good to get two more proper T/L releases after 15 long years.

Yeah true, there were a couple of pop songs on there so maybe that’s why!

So what’s the 2nd T/L release other than AMFTF? Do you mean Naked? Do you think that’ll be a full Tennant/Lowe release in the same vein as TMIT?

[daveid]

I’ve always wondered that too. I hope it’s a Tennant/Lowe release so that BP and TMIT finally have an addition to the Tennant/Lowe catalogue! They’re back on Parlophone now so it’s a good possibility.

It always annoyed me that Beautiful Laundrette was released as a PSB release. They’re weren’t on Parlophone then so maybe that’s why?

Laund(e)rette was more pop though so maybe that's why. Birdman was billed as Tennant/Lowe but was only released as part of Yes FL so who knows. It'll be good to get two more proper T/L releases after 15 long years.

Yeah true, there were a couple of pop songs on there so maybe that’s why!

So what’s the 2nd T/L release other than AMFTF? Do you mean Naked? Do you think that’ll be a full Tennant/Lowe release in the same vein as TMIT?

I assume so as it's another ballet based on Hans Christian Anderson

[jules]

Political songs... the album will be awesome but 2028 is way too far

[zukunft]

I assume so as it's another ballet based on Hans Christian Anderson

According to Neil it’s not a ballet or a musical but a play with music.