Pet Shop Boys - Concrete
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Free Music Notes for Concrete
Free Music Review: Worth the price just for the Rufus Wainwright guest vocal
Hit: 5 Stars
I bought this a few weeks ago on a trip to London. It seemed to have been released without a lot of fanfare, and although I'd count myself as a fan, I hadn't heard of this CD until I saw it on a shelf in a record shop.
Rufus Wainwright's vocals on "Cassanova in Hell" and, almost as good, Robbie William's vocals on "Jealousy", are worth the price in themselves. I'll have to check out Rufus Wainwright's music now. "Friendly Fire" is gorgeous too, but I'd prefer to hear Neil singing it; the theatrical version is a bit, well, theatrical, for me.
Nice subdued version of "Dreaming of the Queen", with Neil enunciating the words of the chorus, as if to say "I told you so". Surprisingly propulsive version version of West End Girls, with a great extra piano line.
Although they use a concert orchestra, they do use drums too [Neil notes the shock of a *drummer* being on stage with them] and the sound fills out nicely. The only downside for me is the Liza Minnelli version of "Rent", which I've never really liked.
If you only know some of the songs then this gives a good sweep of their career, and is a great intro to the rest of their songs. I'd also recommend it to completists.
Free Music Review: Concrete is a solid performance
Hit: 5 Stars
The only thing more enjoyable than a PSB record, is experiencing PSB live. This being Pet Shop Boys first commercial CD release of a live performance, I was very excited to get my hands on it. I saw them live for the first time in 2006 (the Fundamental Tour) in MPLS. They exceeded my expectations!
One of the best concerts I've ever been to.
Concrete, however, is one level higher. Recorded with a full orchestra these songs are lush and rich. This CD is equally balanced with PSB classic hits, and some new material fresh off Fundamental.
Guest vocals include Rufus Wainwright, Frances Barber, and Robbie WIlliams.
Williams performs their song "Jealousy" from the Behaviour album. Totally awesome. He sings it with great emotion, and his masculine voice gives the song a whole new feel.
This two disc LP is worth the price, especially for fans of PSB, but even for those who just love music. Pet Shop Boys are the only electronic group out there to make me believe that dance music is not dead.
Highlights include: Casanova In Hell (performed by Rufus Wainwright), Sodom and Gomorrah Show, Left to my own devices, It's a sin, It's alright, and Robbie's rendition of "Jealousy".
Free Music Review: Glam Pop
Hit: 5 Stars
I knew the the PSB were glam since I saw them live during their Nightlife Tour in 2001. And since their album Please (1986), they have always veered between wry and fey. Then there is the grown-up side, which is harder to place; somewhere between Don Juan (released in 1988, and found again on Alternative, their arguably best album) - according to the liner notes, a historical song "about the political situation in the Balkans before World War II" - and the recent Battleship Potemkin (2005).
Since we won't get the 80's back, and Alternative can't be outdone by any band, living or dead (ok, that's "just slightly over the top", as Tennant says on this album), we may as well settle for this oddity, which wraps the many sides of the PSB in layers of symphonic sound. Unwrap as many layers as you like. As David Toop said in his review of Please in The Face in 1986, "Turn this one up loud."
And if you do, you may also like their movie, It Couldn't Happen Here, which we must lobby to have released on DVD. Pet Shop Boys- It Couldn't Happen Here
Free Music Review: A front row seat to the show!
Hit: 5 Stars
Great live cd's are rare birds indeed. Only a few bands have managed to capture the magic of their live performances. Well, Pet Shop Boys have made their "Live at Budokan" and it's an instant classic. At least for PSB fans.
The track listing is a kitchen sink mix of old and new and everything in-between. There are nice surprises too: a live band that includes a small orchestra, guest singers (Rufus and Robbie make the songs sound as if they were written for them to sing), and Neil speaking casually with the audience as if it's a get-together at his home. Very intimate.
The production is flawless (another success for Trevor Horn who, if there ever were a third member of the band, he is it) with every instrument and vocal coming through richly and warmly. I can close my eyes and suddenly find myself sitting in the front row and I've got the best seat in the house.
Listening to Concrete is, to put it simply, an experience. It's the next best thing to being there!
Free Music Review: The Boys are back in Town
Hit: 5 Stars
This 2CD live album features Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe at their ultimate best. The most amazing thing about this album is the inclusion of the BBC Concert Orchestra, as well as the diverse selection of material - from PSB's early hits (e.g. West End Girls) to their recent successful Fudamental album (Luna Park, Casanova in hell and Indefinite leave to remain), and also including 'Friendly Fire' (from their efforts at writing a musical) and 'After All' from their soundtrack to Battleship Potemkin; this album is a must-have for fans old and new of the famous duo. The featured guest artists are Rufus Wainright, Frances Barber and Robbie Williams, who also add a touch of class to the evening. I hope that this concert will be released on DVD soon, it would make for great repeated viewing!
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