[Introspective] Yes, Etc et al

[Giulio Pellegrini]

I thought I would throw my hat into the ring as well.

It strikes me that a Pet Shop Boys record is such a rare and wonderful thing
and we've only got 10 of them.  I try to stop in my life and make room to
enjoy this moment.  Every record that comes out I end up thinking - How did
I live without this?  And it seemed to be the perfect soundtrack to my life
at that time - and I guess that's what pop music is.  The album you defend I
think often depends on when your entry point was - mine was Very.  So with
that...

I think in addition to comparing the albums against each other like people
are doing, you have to ask how well does the album relate to it's time, to
the music landscape around it.  Does it flow with it? (Introspective)  Does
it jar (up) against it in an interesting way? (Behavior, Very).  I loved
them at the time of course, but to me both Bilingual and Nightlife were out
of touch with their time and not doing anything interesting in response to
the times either. Yes feels firmly placed in the pop language of 2009 in
terms of songwriting themes and production and I think a lot of that is due
to Xenomania, but also the ebb of pop back to complexity and inventiveness
that benefit the Boys.

Release started the songwriting rehabilitation of the Pet Shop Boys,
Fundamental saw them rejuvenated with sharp political commentary replacing
sexual subterfuge as the point of Neil's observations, and I think Yes is
the integration of the Pets back into pop.  You actually do get some of the
old sexual innuendo (Did you see me coming?).  Yes has almost every kind of
Pet Shop Boys track and they are all good!  You also don't have any full-on
stinkers.  There's no Electricity, no awful singles (Single), no
embarrassing tracks (The Only One, Footsteps, The Night I Fell in Love) no
throw-away retro tracks (Saturday Night Forever), or just plain stinkers
(Boy Stranger).  No, there's a vital energy and purpose to each track on
Yes.  The only misstep for me is Vulnerable - it's too too repetitive and
breaks up an incredible opening flow of energy.  But it's not as bad as some
of the aforementioned and I use the time-honored tradition of replacing one
track on the album for the b-side that should have been in it's place (This
used to be the future).

Okay here's my track-by-track:

*Love, etc*
A good track, but not my choice for lead single, and I think the chart would
agree.  It's a little disappointing, especially for all of Mr. Higgins
bravado.  I'm With Stupid went to #8 without any Xeno help, thank you very
much.  Still, it's a unique and interesting track.

*All Over the World*
One of my favorites on the album.  A world-eating, uplifting, ecstatic
track.  I just love it!  Live this is going to be amazing.

*Beautiful People*
Everyone I play this for loves it immediately.  This is where I started to
notice the absolutely sumptuous production and string arrangements on this
record.  An incredibly detailed track musically.  It's lyrically relevant
and is gorgeous, catchy, and singable.

*Did You See Me Coming*
This is a pure sugar rush - so fun and upbeat.  I love the 60s vocal
noodling that Neil does here and on Pandemonium.  It reminds me of Very
tracks like A Different Point of View and 1+1=5.  It should NOT fade out
though.

*Vulnerable*
The music is good and the melody sticks in my brain, but I'm tired of
hearing about how challenging it is for Neil to be rich and famous and in
the public eye.  Poor poor dear.

*More Than A Dream*
THIS is how to do disco!  It's updated, glossy, classy, massive.  Highlight
of the album.  Johnny's guitar work is well placed and driving.  Love it.

*Building A Wall*
A good solid album track, but on a higher par than usual.  Menacing.

*King of Rome*
I was really surprised by this track.  It's a standout on this album.  The
production reminds me of Cocteau Twins or M83 and I think it's gorgeous.  I
think this stands up with their best Actually and Behavior-era ballads.

*Pandemonium*
The old magic!  Wow what a great track.  I certainly hope this is a single.
Maybe the strategy is progressively better singles going from Love etc, to
More Than a Dream, to Pandemonium.  This is 25 years of feet-moving pop
knowledge distilled down to 3:43 seconds of genius.  Neil does that Dusty
thing on here that he talks about and it's just perfect.
*
The Way It Used To Be*
A torch epic.  Another standout track.  This is pop for grownups.  Ordinary
People the musical.  How many tweens could relate to this?  The bridge and
outro are amazing.
*
Legacy*
I actually really like this type of -  Pop Statesmen -  kind of track they
do lately.  They have given us an album of pop and now it's their turn, this
is Art with a capitol A.  It reminds me of Sondheim's Into The Woods;
angular and observational. It's also pompous and overblown - but hey, in for
a penny.

*This Used to Be the Future*
I think this would have been genuis in place of where Vulnerable sits on the
album.  It's great to hear Phil being so Phil and the song is interesting
and inventive.

*The Dubs*
I like them all!  More than a dream especially.

So, all in all, I think this is a supurb album.  With Fundamental, the best
they have achieved since Very.  I'm stunned at the quality of Neil's voice,
the production, the songwriting.  They have nothing left to prove, except
that you can be vital and artistically relavant so long as you choose to be.

Thanks for reading!  It's not everywhere that people care about this.  I
appreciate the forum.

Best,

Giulio


-- 
-- 
Giulio Pellegrini
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