Very [Relentless] is the 5th studio release from the Pet Shop Boys. Featuring a more heavy instrumented Dance arrangement, this release is also the most ‘gay’ release to date as Tennant took more liberties with his orientation on this release than ever before. Released in 1993, this CD went on to sell an impressive 5 million copies worldwide. Also released as a limited ‘digi-pak’ the CD was housed with a mostly instrumental 6 song companion CD in a limited package..of which I am the proud owner of.
Very:
Can You Forgive Her?—-Heavy on synth and subtle British humor, I never really attached myself to this song. In the PSB catalog, it is perhaps my least favorite of their compositions. The overlayed vocals are wonderful…the music seems to lack spirit and inspiration…many love this. perhaps this is just a personal choice. Not bad by any means, just not a favorite.
I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing—-On the flip side. this is one of my very favorite PSB sngles…the music is a hyped styled delivery that makes you want to jump around and illicit vocal mantras of good tidings. the song speaks of the true feeling we all experience when we first feel the tinge of new found love and romance. this is a feel good song all the way around…the instrumentation of Lowe is beautifully manufactured to fit the mood of new and emerging love…the vocal is classic Tennant. This is truly wonderful!!!!
Liberation—-Musically, the song is more downbeat and relaxed. Lyrically and vocally, the pain of the relationship that we discovered in the last track becomes inevitable. The vocal of Tennant is stripped bare and is very raw and real. The track remains one of my favorite…I never tire of the song. The melodies that Lowe manages to produce with machines is extraordinary…this is truly wonderful!
A Different Point Of View—-The song, from the onset again makes you want to jump around and make exclamations of joy…it is that hyped. The vocal and lyrical delivery is a tad bit more introspective,…..this entire release seems to be about relationships in their different stages. The lyrical content requires some though, but the music is absolute and brillant…the beats and rhythms are just joyous…this is wonderful……always a favorite and I never ever tire of hearing this.!!!
Dreaming Of The Queen—-Sedate and melancholy, this is PSB at their very moody best. The song seems to be a kind of triv=bute to Lady Di…I’m not sure what the song is about…lots of references to the Queen and Di and the feeling of loss and disappointment permeate the track. This is brilliant…the low hum of sadness, the deep sound of the mellow keyboard…this is brilliant!!!
Yesterday, When I was Mad—-I must have a half dozen remixes of this track and I love everyone…this song fits my moody self to a tee. The song speaks more of ‘relationships’ and the stages of progression…this is a brilliant case study of something going through the natural and normal changes of the development of love. The music is rich and textured at the onset, but quickly it dissolves into an acid like dance floor romp that is made for strobe lights and ecstasy…this is brilliant…wow…knocked out of the park. The melody is so infectious…you will think about this days after hearing this and that still happens 13 years after it’s release.
The Theatre—-A huge and masterful song that studies the difference of class and the gluttony of the more fortunate…a social commentary that was written ong before the whole rest of the world caught on, this is literally a masterpiece!!!The music is huge…the electronic feel of the music is undeniable…..the orchestrated sound that matches the beat is incredible. The low hum that I speak of so often runs through the entire song and makes your heart-break and wonder why you are not doing something to help others…to me, this is wonderfull…unforgettable and a for ever favorite.
One And One Make Five—-With a piano sound that is right out of the 1995 Club Ibiza sound, the song takes on a relentless beat that seems to shine above the usually very present vocal of Tennant. There are so many sounds going on in the song that you sometimes lose track of the voice…this only speaks to the mastery of Lowe and how different Tennant would be without him…the quiet one is usually the least noticed and the most important….point taken.
To Speak Is A Sin—-We return to relationship issues as the music on the track takes on a more sedate and mellow feel. If the horns are real or manufactured, it plays very well. Tennant tells the story of the uncomfortable comfortable relationship…where things go on and on just because it is easier. The musical track keeps a nice sedate pace, although in the very backdrop is a nice tick tick ticking sound that grabs your attention from time to time…this is perfect.
Young Offender—-Brilliant in the dance oriented field that this music falls in…to me the message of the song was lost and I would have loved to just have the Lowe track without any interruption of the vocal. Lowe has constructed a perfect song….the music takes you through the mood of the song and speaks a lesson all of it’s own…this is adequate because of the voice..the music is AA++.
One In A Million—-Yet another feel good song that just makes you want to scream and shout to the world all of the good things that are happening in your life. The song has a downpoint….mostly to do with the lyrics…if you concentrate on the true emotion of the song, it is not always happy…yet the delivery and the pace of the music just makes you want to pull your hair out in JOY!!!! This is beautiful, inspiring, euphoric and every other word you think of that means WONDERFUL!!!!
Go West—-A brilliant and hugely popular cover of the Village People song, the Boys add life and meaning to the track. This is far more meaningful and huge in delivery than ever thought possible from the ‘disco divas’…..this takes on an aching feel at times and at others leaves you drenched in sweat. A wonderful example of how the Boys can make anything their own. Wonderful!!! To see this live is unforgettable!
Relentless:
My Head Is Spinning—-/from the onset, the song is slow and layered, yet you can feel the build up to the bass synth that will lead the pace of the song. This is machine-made melody at it’s finest. Tennant only makes a brief vocal appearance with a repetitive trance vocal that never overtakes the masterful instrumental qualities of the song. This is Lowe at his finest.
Forever In Love—-The track begins with a nice spatial introduction that sinks into a nice heavy house beat that catches your attention from the very first thump. The vocal incantations of Tennant are mutated and foreign sounding…Brilliant. The bass beat of the song inspires a shoe gaze type dance that is easy, relaxed and mind altering. This is brilliance!!! As the song emerges, the Diva qualities of the song shine…this is a pure high energy delivery that will never leave a dance floor empty. Lowe is genius!!!
KDX 125—-The machine generated sounds are welcoming and familiar…Lowe has a certain sound about him as well…this is brilliant dance oriented music that inspires more of a trance than all and out dance floor thumping. Brilliant!!!
We Came From Outer Space—-With interesting soundbites and an almost hyper kinetic beat, the song is layered with any different sounds…at times you hear the familiar sound of Tennant, but it is manipulated and foreign….what a brilliant idea. The soundbites continue through the entire song…allowing you to lose yourself in the mind altering beats that just inspire you to dance and enjoy.This is sinful and devastatingly good.
The Man Who Has Everything—-A nice diva inspired dance groove that is made for three o’clock in the AM dance parties, this song will inspire and mellow…a journey all of it’s own, it almost has a down beat Moby feel to it…this is wonderfully layered with many sounds…the ever present dance tick and beautifully orchestrated sounds on the top..this is genius!!!
One Thing Leads To Another—-Landscaped from the very onset, the downbeat sounds of the song are perfect for middle of the night cool down sessions. Tennant delivers a rap styled vocal that is better than West End Girls even dreamed of being. This is brilliant…the music seems to me muted and pushed back…the vocal never really takes the spot either, as if the whole track is meant to have a deepness and dank feeling. This is brilliant…when the piano breaks the darkness it as if the sun begins to shine and all is well. Magical.
***** out of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment