MOOPY ALBUM SYNC LISTEN - Pet Shop Boys - Actually - 29/06

05 One More Chance
09 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Shopping
08 Rent
08 Hit Music
04 It Couldn't Happen Here
10 It's A Sin
08 I Want To Wake Up
10 Heart
 
Wikipedia suggests that some people think that 'Kings Cross' predicted the fire, which happened two months after the release of the album.
 
Apparently, there is a Tracey Thorn version of this, which I'm feeling a strong urge to seek out.
 
dmlaw said:
Wikipedia suggests that some people think that 'Kings Cross' predicted the fire, which happened two months after the release of the album.
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They also predicted the 1999 Paddington crash with Go West.
 
05 One More Chance
09 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Shopping
08 Rent
08 Hit Music
04 It Couldn't Happen Here
10 It's A Sin
08 I Want To Wake Up
10 Heart
08 Kings Cross

Average score 7.7
 
This is a really nice closer. I'm a bit too tired to listen to the lyrics and immerse myself in it properly but I'm loving the ambience.

Overall (minus the first two tracks I didn't hear): I was very disappointed that an album of always assumed was revered a classic was actually a bit of a dud, but it did improve quite a lot with the final four tracks, so maybe it's not all that bad.
 
I really wasn't in the mood for it to be honest. It's highs are amazing, it's dips are disappointing. They have much better filler elsewhere.
 
Tisch said:
Oooh a link between the re-listens! :D

As I said in the Massive Attack thread I'm just learning how much I love Tracy Thorn's voice, so will give this a listen now!
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Have you heard her last album? It's so good. Honestly one of my faves of 2018.
 
The Tracy Thorn version really is very lovely.

Why have they never worked together?
 
Final four tracks and What Have I done To Deserve this were the best parts. Shopping is alright and Rent would be if it was about a minute shorter. The others weren't great. Worth a listen, but it'll probably be a long time before I listen to the whole thing again.
 
Yes, the Tracey Thorn version of Kings Cross is excellent. Her voice is more expressive, which works very well with the material.
 
I'm joining 4 years later (reading the thread while listening)

10 One More Chance - This came on randomly and I decided I love it, even if nobody else here did
 
My sister once told me that the song that most reminds her of me is RENT
 
09 - One More Chance - I've already downgraded it because multiple other songs are better
11 - What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 - Shopping
10 - Rent (now this mostly makes me think of Saltburn)
08 - His Music
10 - It's A Sin - The singles from this album are all amazing
08 - I Want To Wake Up
10 - Heart - Every single a 10
09 - King's Cross - the best non-single imo

11 - Always On My Mind
 
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You missed It Couldn’t Happen Here.

I listened to this last night, actually (pun intended). It’s never been my favourite and I will accept the arguments that it’s slightly uneven, which can possibly be attributed to working with multiple producers. They basically wrote most of the stuff for the first two albums at the same time, pre- fame, and it feels like the two are very thematically and sonically similar. Indeed, One More Chance was actually a single that flopped before West End Girls was a hit, albeit that they re-recorded it for this.

Overall, though, I love it. It’s an all time run of classic singles and there isn’t a bad track on it. It’s far from my favourite, as I said, but it’s a step up from Please both in terms of musicality and lyrics.

09 One More Chance
11 What Have I Done To Deserve This?
08 Shopping
10 Rent
08 Hit Music
09 It Couldn’t Happen Here
10 It’s A Sin
07 I Want To Wake Up
10 Heart
10 King’s Cross
 
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Also, the bsides from this era are worth checking out- particularly You Know Where You Went Wrong and the absolutely 11/10 that is I Want A Dog, which would be resurrected for their next album and features in All of us Strangers at the moment.

The PSB/ Further Listening sets for all the albums are on Apple/Spotify etc. and are well worth a listen.
 
They recorded a load of pre- fame stuff with Divine/ The Flirts producer Bobby O as they were such big fans and I think it’s interesting to hear some of the songs and how they would pan out if they’d stuck with him. Obviously the eventual finished version is better, but this has Bobby O’s signature stamped all over it. You can almost imagine Divine growling it:

 
I listened to Liza Minnelli 'Results' the other day, and now this! They really were the masters of production and could do no wrong back then.
 
Sheena said:
Also, the bsides from this era are worth checking out- particularly You Know Where You Went Wrong and the absolutely 11/10 that is I Want A Dog, which would be resurrected for their next album and features in All of us Strangers at the moment.

The PSB/ Further Listening sets for all the albums are on Apple/Spotify etc. and are well worth a listen.
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I know I Want A Dog (the Introspective version at least), but I listened to the version from Actually Further Listening. I like the production on the longer version more I think.

You Know Where You Went Wrong - I’m listening to this now and it’s a bit generic PSB (with a choir).

Their Further Listenings seem so well done, but the amount of music they’ve made is daunting. I know I’ve heard each of the albums through Electric at least once, but so much of it has blended together. And that’s before the endless b-sides and Further Listening songs/remixes.

Not that TOO MUCH MUSIC is a real problem.

I feel kind of the same about Saint Etienne, who I know is another of your favorites. I love some of their singles and I’ve liked most of what I’ve heard, but there is just so much of it.
 
06 - It Couldn’t Happen Here - The piano is great but the actual song/melody didn’t do as much for me. The title is pretty devastating if it is about AIDS in the 80s
 
RJN said:
I know I Want A Dog (the Introspective version at least), but I listened to the version from Actually Further Listening. I like the production on the longer version more I think.

You Know Where You Went Wrong - I’m listening to this now and it’s a bit generic PSB (with a choir).

Their Further Listenings seem so well done, but the amount of music they’ve made is daunting. I know I’ve heard each of the albums through Electric at least once, but so much of it has blended together. And that’s before the endless b-sides and Further Listening songs/remixes.

Not that TOO MUCH MUSIC is a real problem.

I feel kind of the same about Saint Etienne, who I know is another of your favorites. I love some of their singles and I’ve liked most of what I’ve heard, but there is just so much of it.
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Saint Etienne way more than PSB- literally albums and albums of extra material.

PSB’s further listenings have great essays with them too if you can find them online. Gives so much context.
 
RJN said:
Their Further Listenings seem so well done, but the amount of music they’ve made is daunting.
Not that TOO MUCH MUSIC is a real problem.
Click to expand...
same. I keep trying to get into them properly but I simply don't know WHERE to start. maybe somebody (shee?) can make a recommendation for me based on loving these songs?

Paninaro 95
Love Etc
The Truck Driver and His Mate
I Want a Dog
Se a Vide E
Loneliness
Go West

the first two are my PSB faves of the little I know. also - why have albums even as recent as Yes (2009) been remastered? is there any notable difference?
 
There’s loads of fabulous deep cuts, but just stick to the regular albums as you dip your toe in.

I’d say the first 5 albums are your best place to start.

Please & Actually - 80s imperial synth classics

Introspective - A concise (if extended) 6 track masterpiece.

Behaviour - Their most emotional album

Very - The last hurrah of their period as major pop players, probably their poppiest of these five albums.

Loads of essential stuff after that too, but to a slightly diminished degree.
 
Start with their utterly comprehensive GH, Smash. It’s brilliant and has everything singles wise on it.

Yes there are deep cuts, but that should tell you where to look for them.

Albums wise, I would say Very, Introspective and Behaviour are their best works for very different reason- themed POP, DANCE, INTROSPECTIVE (!) in that order.

The likes of Yes haven’t really been remastered- they’ve just had a deluxe edition tacked on. And there is some excellent stuff on them all.
 
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