NONETHELESS - The reviews of the members of Pet Shop Boys Community

[Nickname]

Read this writing pacefully and taking your time.

In order to make an easy reading of the reviews from the members of this community. I think all os us should use only one thread for all our reviews about Nonetheless. A space we can express our opinion about all the songs from Nonetheless song by song and the album itself.

For the rest of us, this thread makes sense with the release of the album obviously. So don't write anything before that.

For that, we should try to follow the same rules to make easy to read our reviews for the rest members of the community. Remember this thread is going to be used for only one review by member. Add your review but don't reply it in order to make additional comments like any other thread. This one is created for an easy reading of all your reviews.

This thread is not used for press reviews, this one is for members of this community.

RULES (try to be conscious about them, using the same method this thread will be more easy to be readed):

1) Write the name of the songs in the same order of the tracklist of Nonetheless.
2) Set a space to talk about the album, song by song. You can say anything about it: music, lyrics, arrangements, feelings, etc.
3) At the end of the reviews of each song, you should put a mark, a rating. ¡From zero to ten!. Don't use any other method.
4) Having already done it with all the songs, talk about the whole album in conclussion and give it a final rating to the whole thing taking into account the marks you gave to the songs. Write also this mark at the end of your review.
5) Get also this final mark and put it on the poll of Nonetheless. You can do that in the 130 days from now and you are able to change your vote if some songs grow on you or just the opposite, you can edit the marks of the songs in your review and then try to calculate the mark of the whole album and change the mark on the poll.

[Asmodean]

For the release of Nonetheless my excitement was greater than it was before the last 3-4 album releases. Perhaps this is because I'm starting to feel that PSB vibe more these days, perhaps it's something else like age or nostalgia. I was very optimistic after hearing the two single releases. So far I have only given the album a few spins, so these are still my first impressions. I suspect that some songs will burn out quicker and some will grow as I continue to listen to the album

Update 3rd of May 2024: Alright, so now it's been a week since my initial review and the album has been on repeat several times. Time to make an update and see what has changed

1. Loneliness: Since this is the first single, this has already got quite a few listenings. It has grown on me. It is single-material, but I suspect if I heard it as a non-PSB fan, it would just pass me through [7/10] [8/10]

2. Feel: This somehow feels a bit like "My October Symphony", but I can't really put my finger to it as to why. I really like the base loop on this one, very 80s. I suspect this is a grower [7/10] [7/10]

3. Why am I dancing?: If the tempo was a bit more upbeat, this would have fit very well on Disco 3. It reminds me a little of "Home", but a bit more restrained. This could easily be a very danceable track if it were to become a single with a few mixes. Really like the melancholy of this track. [8/10] [8/10]

4. New London Boy: It's not New York City Boy, it's something more old fashioned. The most "West End Girls" since... West End Girls. Perhaps if you crossed West End Girls with Betrayed, this is what you would have ended up with? [7/10] [9/10]

5. Dancing Star: Second single. I prefer the slower tempo of the original rather than the mixes on the single. If Loneliness was more of a modern single inspired by the 2010-2020 PSB, Dancing Star could easily have been transported back in time 30 years and no one would have noticed [8/10] [8/10]

6. A New Bohemia: This should be the next single. It has a certain epic feeling to it with a strong melodic and melancholic touch [9/10] [10/10]

7. The Schlager Hit Parade: A 2024 take on Shameless? This will either grow on me or fall flat as I continue to listen to it. It has certain Schlager elements. Feels a bit short [6/10] [8/10]

8. The Secret of Happiness: Could have fit right on Behaviour. It's like if you would have mixed "Only the Wind" with "Between two islands" [9/10] [8/10]

9. Bullet for Narcissus: So far the weakest track on the album for me. It's also the most danceable. Somehow I'm not a fan of this, maybe it's a mix of the high notes, the violins or something else [5/10] [9/10]

10. Love is the Law: Perfect epic ending to the album with strong melody and a great atmosphere. Would still prefer "A New Bohemia" as the next single to this one as I feel this will be more for the PSB fans [9/10] [10/10]

Conclusion: What really stands out for me is how well all the songs fit together. For me it feels like the sum of the whole adds up to be more than all the songs on their own. The 80s feel is very present during the album, with nods towards other parts of their career. It's a very Pet Shop Boys album. I really hope it continues to grow on me. A solid [9/10][9/10]

[jyllinge]

Are overwhelmed excited about this album - Deluxe version.

Meaningful is the right word for this album. Songs are coming in a perfect order - would not change one bit!

My first listen was in the fitness center using simple earpieces - not the best place/method - but turned out to be such a joy.

Nonetheless is Behaviour version 4.0 (they skipped 2.0 & 3.0 and made it even better)

Loneliness - 10/10 Perfect!
Feel - 10/10 - wow is the word
Why Am I Dancing - 10/10 - Lyrics is just Beautiful and Meaningful
New London Boy - 10/10 - could be a fantastic 4th single - go to New York and get some remixes there
Dancing Star - 10/10 - my style in a nutshell
A New Bohemia - 10/10 - unusual but beautiful - lyrics goes straight to the heart of me.
The Schlanger Hit Parade - 9/10 - Fun but also gives a lot of meaning. Come to Heidelberg, Germany and visit the big Christmas store in summertime and eat some German food while being there
The Secret Of Happiness - 8/10 Back to the 60's with a 2024 sound to it. Could be on the soundtrack of a Sean Connery James Bond movie from the 60's. Like it more and more. Reminds me of the Icelandic king of pop who did something similar many years ago (Páll Óskar og Milljónamæringarnir)
Bullet For Narcissus - 8/10 A great track, I look forward to hear it even more, has a lot to it that I need to discover.
Love Is The Law - 10/10 Such a fantastic and beautiful way of ending the album

Final grade - are you surprised 10/10 Perfect!

Now...

Furthermore - I Love then artist try cover themselves and don't just do another endless remaster (sorry).

Obviously I hear the home studios (someones bedroom og living room), but that gives it a lot of charm

I prefer the originals...but

Heart - 8/10 interesting.
Being Boring 9/10 Best of them, I like the talk from Neil on the meaning of the song.
Always on my mind 8/10 Got some goosebumps in the beginning
It's a sin 8/10 Original & Live versions are just so much better

Final grade 9/10 because I respect them so much for this and its actually well done work

[daveid]

One of those thread titles that you see and just know is by Nickname...redundant and designed to steer people away from existing threads. I know you cop a lot of stick around here but it's not entirely undeserved.

[Hamlet]

I wasn't expecting much after the last three albums so I wasn't disappointed. Except for two songs that are ok, I don't like the album at all. Unfortunately not half as good as

[Hamlet]

Yes

[Spittingcat]

Very first listen... these will change hugely over the coming months

Loneliness - 9/10 [the inevitable one CD compilation of their singles in a few years time needs this on it]
Feel - 9/10 [already feels like a past hit I've played a thousand times and still love]
Why Am I Dancing - 8/10 [first time I've ever thought that there's too much trumpet!]
New London Boy - 9/10 [too obvious for a single perhaps, but single quality it is]
Dancing Star - 8/10 [we all know this one, I've grown to love it... would have been 5/10 on first listen]
A New Bohemia - 6/10 [I suspect this will grow on me, like many songs on Release did]
The Schlanger Hit Parade - 4/10 [tune good, lyrics already sound like I've heard them too many times]
The Secret Of Happiness - 10/10 [wow, fully leaning into the old romantic sound]
Bullet For Narcissus - 8/10 [some lyrics feel awkward, like Pop kids did on early listens, but lush music]
Love Is The Law - 10/10 [is this the song they picked the producer for?]

[le petit corbusier]

Not filmic, epic or anthemic. And after listening to this I suspect Neil is gay. They were better in the 80s. A 0.

[Spittingcat]

Well.. you made me laugh!

[Parkol]

Can't speak for all the songs yet, but two for sure.
Feel - 10/10
New London Boy - 10/10

[ChoonHound]

Boring. Like Hotspot, I will listen once and never again.

[TallThinMan]

Boring. Like Hotspot, I will listen once and never again.

Wow, brutal. Out of interest, what stuff of theirs do you like?

[ChoonHound]

Boring. Like Hotspot, I will listen once and never again.

Wow, brutal. Out of interest, what stuff of theirs do you like?

Until Hotspot I would listen to new albums quite a lot until I was completely sick of them. I have been listening the Dancing Star EP quite a bit. Of the stuff I go back to between albums, it’s mostly Very era stuff.

[rudynicoletti]

don't like it that much till now, anyway I probably need more listens to judge properly. Production is phenomenal but, it's not the kind of music genre I like..as I did not like Hotspot's. Much more into Introspective, Electric and Super

[ChoonHound]

Agree. Its well-made and lush and all, it’s just boring.