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

[Oznerol]

So the collaboration of Neil here is writing lyrics and singing (on the first 6 tracks), but no real involvement on the rest of the instrumental pieces (not even on the composing stage) ..am I right?

[Dog]

It’s a hell of a work - both in terms of Neil’s contribution but also the full 1hr 43m. I thought it would be a tough listen but there’s loads to unpick and enjoy - not least being Neil’s thinly veiled attack on Elton, My Friend the Monster. I’m already looking forward to playing it again.

[MikeyC]

It’s a hell of a work - both in terms of Neil’s contribution but also the full 1hr 43m. I thought it would be a tough listen but there’s loads to unpick and enjoy - not least being Neil’s thinly veiled attack on Elton, My Friend the Monster. I’m already looking forward to playing it again.

So this joins b-side Through you as a thinly veiled attack on Elton? (Many of us deciphered/discussed the subject matter of Through you when it was released last year.) Elton must really be a monster!

[Old Soak]

Saturday 10th May at 9am BBC Radio 3 - "Saturday Morning":Neil Tennant and Mark Springer talk about new album.

[oakey]

Listened to the Phantoms and Monsters track. Very Cricket Wife-ish, which was also not a favourite of mine.
I do like contemporary classical music very much, but this is not my cup of tea. And it has nothing to do with the Pet Shop Boys indeed.

[stussyboy]

It’s not really my sort of thing, but how amazing does Neil’s voice sound? Compared to James Fords vocal production, this is leagues ahead. Kudos to Pete Gleadall, I think he should do everything going forward.

[BugBoy]

Just listened to Neil contribution to the album. Not the sort of thing I'd naturally listen to but the vocals give it certain familiarity for want of a better word. I can see myself drifting off to sleep with this, and then have the TT track as my alarm in the morning, that would get me out of bed in a flash to turn it off!

[zukunft]

Just got the mail that CD and vinyls will be shipped on May 15th.

[Synthrobot]

This is not my thing. I've listened once, but won't be listening again.

[Sandy Shaw]

It’s a hell of a work - both in terms of Neil’s contribution but also the full 1hr 43m. I thought it would be a tough listen but there’s loads to unpick and enjoy - not least being Neil’s thinly veiled attack on Elton, My Friend the Monster. I’m already looking forward to playing it again.

So this joins b-side Through you as a thinly veiled attack on Elton? (Many of us deciphered/discussed the subject matter of Through you when it was released last year.) Elton must really be a monster!

Just listened to all of Neil's tracks. Impressive. Yes, it's hard not to think of Elton with ''My Friend the Monster''...

[babi7808]

Saturday 10th May at 9am BBC Radio 3 - "Saturday Morning":Neil Tennant and Mark Springer talk about new album.

Where can I listen to it? I can't find it anywhere.

[Dog]

Saturday 10th May at 9am BBC Radio 3 - "Saturday Morning":Neil Tennant and Mark Springer talk about new album.

Where can I listen to it? I can't find it anywhere.

It doesn’t look as though they were on Saturday’s programme.

[psbfannyc]

Saturday 10th May at 9am BBC Radio 3 - "Saturday Morning":Neil Tennant and Mark Springer talk about new album.

Where can I listen to it? I can't find it anywhere.

It doesn’t look as though they were on Saturday’s programme.

https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/pet-texts ... bc-radio-3

"15 May 2025
BBC Radio 3
Neil and composer/pianist Mark Springer will be talking about their collaboration on the new album “Sleep of Reason” on BBC Radio 3’s “Saturday Morning” show between 9 am and midday on May 17. Link below."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002c1v2

[Pod]

It’s bloody awful

[petshopgrrl]

Yes, it is an acquired taste, isn't it? I'm not a big fan of modern classical music when it gets all weird and atonal but I have to say I love the way Neil sounds on this.

BBC Radio 3
Neil and composer/pianist Mark Springer will be talking about their collaboration on the new album “Sleep of Reason” on BBC Radio 3’s “Saturday Morning” show between 9 am and midday on May 17. Link below."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002c1v2

In case anyone's interested, the replay of this is up and Neil and Mark appear between the 47:38-55.35 minute marks. Not-quite-a-transcript highlights under the spoiler:

Spoiler

NT recaps the story about finding that Smash Hits review page in the record shop in Folkestone and buying MS's records as a result.
MS says he loved NT's voice and wanted to hear it in an intimate acoustic setting and felt that the string quartet would be the ideal accompaniment.
MS had written string quartets based on Goya's Los Caprichos (The Caprices) etchings. Colleague at his record company said "I can hear Neil's voice on this".
NT says when MS sent him MP3s of the music, he was "knocked out by it because "it was real music".
NT read a book about Goya and looked at the etchings but then thought of his own life in the music industry, thought of world politicians like Putin, Trump and Orban - "strong men shouting through social media at us all" - and what he took from Goya, specifically the etching "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters", is that it's about a nightmare but then you wake up and it's a nightmare inspired by what's happening in real life.
MS says that although etchings were based on political machinations of the time then, it's so relevant to now. Says NT was "kind of on fire" when MS sent him music and would send him something every day - "I've got another bit!"
One reason this came about was that during lockdown, Chris Lowe's mom challenged him to write something classical. CL sent NT a piece of music "out of the blue" based on orchestral samples. NT had a poem which he set over CL's piece and it became "Cricket Wife". So when MS approached him, NT had "prior experience" of setting vocals to classical music.
When the host asks what's next, MS says he'd like to perform this with a bigger orchestra.
NT admits he normally sings over a click track when performing live, and even has counts over his headset when the arrangement is tricky, but a string orchestra would have a conductor, which NT would have no issues with.
He also confirms for the host that on the Concrete live album, the BBC Radio Orchestra were all playing to a click track.
NT says he'd like tenor Ian Bostridge to perform Sleep of Reason, and thinks he would work well with the Sacconi Quartet.

Towards the end of the interview, Neil said that on one of his trips to Folkestone, he saw a poster for the Sacconi Quartet, and it turns out that they are based there. Mark then added a little throwaway comment "You're going to see them next week!" They're performing their Sacconi Festival in Folkestone this weekend (May 16-18). Do with that information what you will.