Did Battleshop chart?

[tweety]

I blame Tampere.

[Flaffer]

They needed a shot in the arm to make them realise what a load of self-indulgent toss it all was, and that no-one apart from them cared about it

personally I think it's bloody good, although does drag in parts and nice to see them doing something different. Wonder if BP had been released (and even recorded) post the new album some opinions would be different ? There does seem to be a lot of vitriol directed at BP in the belief that it has delayed the new (more traditional) PSB album

[Eldritch]

a lot of vitriol directed at BP in the belief that it has delayed the new (more traditional) PSB album

That it has undeniably done, because the 70 minutes of new music on the cd must have taken them months to write and record. But still, like I posted earlier in this thread, I still stand by BP and consider it a solid work.

[rabagast]

Their last minute decision to release it under the moniker Tennant/Lowe just confirms this – they didn't want to dilute PSB brand any further with more arty side projects.

They're credited as primarly as composers, as the norm is on classical releases. The copies have Pet Shop Boys stickers on them, so it's hardly a scheme to dilute the brand

[Zeus On The Loose]

No, but it's a clever way to keep it rather low key and not ruin their chances of some hype when they come back properly.

[rabagast]

No, but it's a clever way to keep it rather low key and not ruin their chances of some hype when they come back properly.

Agree. And this is a low key release. It's completely leftfield and obscure. And therefore it's strange when people expect it to perform like a pop album in the charts.

[Zeus On The Loose]

People just expected to perform slightly better than it seemingly has based on how big PSB's cult following supposedly is, however, as I have said again, the amount of people who buy anything regardless is far lower than people around here tend to think and PSB singles/albums still perform heavily based on the occasional buyer. That's why Miracles did better than HAD, I get along and Flamboyant , more people liked it.

[Tenlow]

Though Home and dry might even have sold more copies in the UK - so it is not a sure fact that 'more people liked it' only because it got a better chart ranking...

[Dreamcatcher2003]

No, but it's a clever way to keep it rather low key and not ruin their chances of some hype when they come back properly.

And it surely suits better for an album released in Classical format- like Pavarotti and Friends, or Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti- three tenors in concert- Tennant & Lowe- sounds more reposed....

[Eldritch]

They're credited as primarly as composers, as the norm is on classical releases.

But why should Battleship be considered as a classical release? It's electronic, very dance-y in parts and even has a couple of pop songs on the album. Experimental, wholly instrumental electronic stuff like Four Tet or Boards Of Canada is much more "classical", yet no-one would dream of looking their albums from a classical section.

[Syncratic]

I've often considered BOC classical. I don't see why classical music cannot feature electronics. btw, can't wait for their new album.

[jamie1978]

I think Zeus is to a degree correct, but I also think that it goes further than that.

I think a lot of people would count themselves as 'fans' of the Pet Shop Boys. However, unless they keep track of internet discussion forums, or happen to read the press on a certain day, they are unlikely to be aware of this release.

Singles like H&D, and Miracles, recieved 300-400 plays a week on UK Radio when they were released (I believe H&D even went top 5 in Europe in terms of radio play, though correct me if I am wrong). This, on top of countless TV performances for both singles, effectively galvanised the PSB faithful who do not, like us, track their activities when they are not releasing material.

I mean, how on earth is a casual fan going to be aware of this release? No advertising, minimal promotion on classical radio stations, and no real press buzz apart from the odd review here and there. Its quite clearly passed most people,

[Eldritch]

I've often considered BOC classical. I don't see why classical music cannot feature electronics. btw, can't wait for their new album.

Of course it can. It's a question of presentation, really. With their hidden identities, clever anti-image and underground tactics and reference points BOC very much come from the electronica tradition instead of classical music – so that's why stuff like Geogaddi is considered electronic insteaad of classical.

With BP Neil and Chris could have gone either way in marketing. Nobody forced them to release BP as Tennant/Lowe, because "that's the rule of all classical releases".

[XTZ1969]

[Dreamcatcher2003]

I guess only forum members bought it...