Thursday, November 27, 2008

744. Pet Shop Boys - Very (1993)
















Track Listing

1. Can you forgive her?
2. I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing
3. Liberation
4. A different point of view
5. Dreaming of the Queen
6. Yesterday, when I was mad
7. The theatre
8. One and one make five
9. To speak is a sin
10. Young offender
11. One in a million
12. Go West

Review

If asked to describe the Pet Shop Boys in 10 words, gay would be pretty much up the list. If asked to describe this particular album it would probably be even further up the list. Actually... it's a good thing.

I am pretty sure this is the first unashamedly and unambiguously gay album on the list and by 1993 it is high time already. Then, it is a fun album. It hasn't aged particularly well, as most electro-pop hasn't, but it is still pretty emblematic of a time.

It is hard not to sing along or do stupid dances while listening to several of the songs here. It is a bit ridiculous, but the lyrics are good, the production is quite brilliant and it is nothing but good gay fun. Not the kind of thing I really like to listen to at home or on my iPod, but I would sure as fuck dance to it.

Track Highlights

1. Go West
2. Can You Forgive Her?
3. Yesterday When I Was Mad
4. I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The LP is generally considered the pinnacle of the Pet Shop Boys' mainstream commercial appeal, with five singles reaching the UK Top 20. The biggest of these, "Go West", hit number two but was the last of the band's singles to record any real chart longevity. Although future singles would debut strongly in the UK charts (eight of them in the Top 10), they would then drop dramatically in their second week, suggesting first week appeal to hard core fans but a failure to connect with the mainstream music-buying public.

Go West, a great cover of the Village People:


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