Track-by-Track: From Please to Nonetheless

[Too Many Shadows]

"You leave home,” Neil sings, “and you don’t go back”. Many of their songs are tinged with melancholia, this one is steeped in the stuff. A firm favourite with me.

[leesmapman]

I liked the track back then, I love it now. I always mention this song when I talk about the songwriting qualities of our musical heroes.

[daveid]

The most perfect, beautiful closing track of any album by anyone ever. So there

[telys]

The nr 1 single that never were.
And yes, we've already discussed it. But taking away everything but the facts: had PSB released KC as a charity single in 1987 it would gone to nr 1 in the UK. But it wouldn't have fared so well in other countries.

[Leonidas]

I see KC and ICHH as a pair - I love listening to them back to back. 2 songs that I loved from day one that just get better and better. Maybe Love is the law will be on the same level with KC one day, as a truly great album closer.

There’s no better place to listen to actually than driving around in London.

[Disco.]

Simply stunning !

[Pinhead44]

King's Cross

All the best album's need a strong closing track, and Actually doesn't disappoint with the glorious King's Cross !

Stephen Hague deserves credit again for some brilliant production work on this, that makes the track sound fresh, even after all these years (9/10)

Album total scores

1. Please 8.2
2. Actually 8.1

[spacewalker]

Kings's Cross - "one of our best songs" as Neil put it in recent Rolling Stone interview.
Enough said.

[Patrick Bateman]

I see KC and ICHH as a pair - I love listening to them back to back. 2 songs that I loved from day one that just get better and better. Maybe Love is the law will be on the same level with KC one day, as a truly great album closer.

There’s no better place to listen to actually than driving around in London.

Yes, it always plays in my head when I'm at King's Cross Station, although it's very different these days.

And Vince Clarke thinks Actually is crap...

[Too Many Shadows]

I see KC and ICHH as a pair - I love listening to them back to back. 2 songs that I loved from day one that just get better and better. Maybe Love is the law will be on the same level with KC one day, as a truly great album closer.

There’s no better place to listen to actually than driving around in London.

Yes, it always plays in my head when I'm at King's Cross Station, although it's very different these days.

And Vince Clarke thinks Actually is crap...

I'm often in the King's Cross area and always think of the song when there. Big changes since the 80s.

Regarding VC, he mostly looks like he thinks everything's crap. It's as if the poor chap is suffering success. I guess we've already commented on him not giving Depeche Mode one more chance?

[Pinhead44]

Chronology: Actually, Further listening Track 3

Track 27: You Know Where You Went Wrong

You Know.

B-side to It's A Sin, and another Shep Pettibone collaboration with him credited as co-producer. I often wonder what a full SP produced album would have sounded like, had they done one with him after Actually.

Another great track, and the Rough Mix that appears on the remix 12" also a fine listen.

[Too Many Shadows]

Ah... another song about people in the shadows and if, when, why, what. Bring it on!

The breadth and quality of their B-sides is astonishing. I wonder how much say the record company have in B-side selection and how much of it is a Neil and Chris decision.

[Gabby]

PSB b-sides are one of the reasons I'm a fan. They weren't just throwaway tracks, or dull instrumentals, and I found frequently supported or added more depth to the single, in my mind anyway.

Two highly regarded b-sides albums later (with a third surely imminent) is evidence enough of the amount of thought they give to what is essentially now a niche market.

[tottenhammattspurs]

That could be the title of the third B-Sides compilation:- “niche”.

[Leonidas]

Niche - that’s a great title.