hellphellp2
National Music Reviews
Pet Shop Boys
Electric
x2 Recordings Ltd
Street: 07.15
Pet Shop Boys = Kraftwerk + Junkie XL
With so much EDM glutting up the market—and so much of it disposable—it is nice when artists in the know produce dynamic versions of it, as if saying, “This is how it can be done.” Eschewing most trends, save an unnecessary rap by Example on the otherwise great “Thursday”, Tennant and Lowe triumphantly return to the dance floor with eight enthrallingly appealing new songs, plus—of all strange bedfellows—a Springsteen cover, and not only does it all work, it all works quite well. From title-referencing twister “Axis” to the destined-to-be-classic PSB track “Vocal” (with its overall grandeur and an infinite bass line), the well-appointed Stuart Price (Kylie Minogue, Killers) helps them enhance and execute their musical ideas—but wisely never excises their strong pop sensibilities. The irresistibly excellent trio of “Bolshy,” “Love Is A Bourgeois Construct” and “Fluorescent” bear witness to this. –Dean O Hillis
Electric
x2 Recordings Ltd
Street: 07.15
Pet Shop Boys = Kraftwerk + Junkie XL
With so much EDM glutting up the market—and so much of it disposable—it is nice when artists in the know produce dynamic versions of it, as if saying, “This is how it can be done.” Eschewing most trends, save an unnecessary rap by Example on the otherwise great “Thursday”, Tennant and Lowe triumphantly return to the dance floor with eight enthrallingly appealing new songs, plus—of all strange bedfellows—a Springsteen cover, and not only does it all work, it all works quite well. From title-referencing twister “Axis” to the destined-to-be-classic PSB track “Vocal” (with its overall grandeur and an infinite bass line), the well-appointed Stuart Price (Kylie Minogue, Killers) helps them enhance and execute their musical ideas—but wisely never excises their strong pop sensibilities. The irresistibly excellent trio of “Bolshy,” “Love Is A Bourgeois Construct” and “Fluorescent” bear witness to this. –Dean O Hillis