telys wrote: Wed 10 Jun 2026, 10:31 pm
the Bilingual FL is perhaps their best FL, worthy of release as an album in its own right
I am happy to see I am not the only one who thinks this! While all of the FL albums have at least some good tracks, I always thought they were just a collection, something to sample and jump around, rather than a dedicated listening experience like the main albums, which is to be expected!
Imagine my surprise with the Bilingual FL!
Yes it has far less unreleased material but it is a great little compilation of the B-sides from that era which were all pretty interesting!
Over the years I've played Casting a shadow during the totality phase of a solar eclipse; sometimes while watching live with glasses or projecting the video on a dual screen along with live televised coverage.
Nice way to spend 4:38!
NOBODY75 wrote: Fri 12 Jun 2026, 6:33 pm
I wouldn't place any of the B-sides from the Nightlife era in the upper middle, much less the upper, part of their B-side catalog.
Hang in there folks, we're almost done.
Track 136 : Lies
Chronology: Nightlife, FL-CD2:9
The best of the Nightlife b-sides by my reckoning. Musically in the vein of Relentless, with Chris on vocals, and female vocal samples put to good effect. In terms of song-writing it's nothing write home about, but at least it sounds pretty good... and for the era in question, I'll take that.
Retro.
"Politics are too emotional now. Contemporary culture generally is too emotional, really... I'd rather people looked to the truth." (Neil Tennant)
Track 137 : Positive Role Model
Chronology: Nightlife, FL-CD2:11
Yet another song from the musical, this time with an unappealing shouty chorus. I have vague recollections of this song being mooted as a possible single at the time, but thankfully it wasn't.
It did however show up on Disco 3 where, surrounded by similar electronic soundscapes (and less of the try-hard over-emotionality of the musical) it was a tolerable inclusion, and didn't overstay its welcome.
Retro.
"Politics are too emotional now. Contemporary culture generally is too emotional, really... I'd rather people looked to the truth." (Neil Tennant)
On Disco 3, I always interpreted the opening lines of the song as an excuse for Release and that they were going to make electronic dance music again ("here we are, back again, back on everything. Went too far, now we're fine...")
leesmapman wrote: Sun 14 Jun 2026, 6:51 am
On Disco 3, I always interpreted the opening lines of the song as an excuse for Release and that they were going to make electronic dance music again ("here we are, back again, back on everything. Went too far, now we're fine...")
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I interpreted those lines in the same way. The song really works in the Disco 3 context. Yet another song that I identify so much with Disco 3 that's it's odd finding it in Nightlife FL, even if in this case it's actually from the musical, like other songs in the tracklist.
What a joyous and fun track. I wouldn't mind it it had been a single.
I never much cared for Positive Role Model, until I saw a video of it being performed live at Obscure. Thanks to that performance I suddenly realised what a great and underrated track this actually is - Neil seemed like He really enjoyed singing it. I particularly love the verse lyrics ("Here we are, ..., back on everything" was such a cool opening line for a concert in my opinion). I think the chorus is fun too, and in my opinion is saved from being too monotonous by Neil singing these "counter melodies / echoes" (for the lack of a better word) underneath it.
I personally really hope they open the Berlin Obscure shows with Will-o-the-wisp, but if they instead started with this again, I would not mind that at all anymore.
