tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781870463849113009.post1010688086504196361..comments2024-03-15T04:29:00.751-04:00Comments on W.L. Swarts Reviews The Universe: Fundamental Is Obvious, Not Indispensable, Pet Shop Boys.W.L. Swartshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09974654586026013850noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781870463849113009.post-84248416905603658382013-02-04T01:35:16.307-05:002013-02-04T01:35:16.307-05:00Thanks for the comment!
I like political music, b...Thanks for the comment!<br /><br />I like political music, but it does date the work in an unfortunate way. So, as much as I love the Barenaked Ladies song "Fun And Games," Dar Williams's song "Empire" has much more enduring qualities . . . because it is far less specific in its political grievances.<br /><br />Thanks for reading!W.L. Swartshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09974654586026013850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781870463849113009.post-75342904814613627682013-02-03T00:08:29.421-05:002013-02-03T00:08:29.421-05:00Hi !
You're so right about this one. Fundame...Hi ! <br /><br />You're so right about this one. Fundamental is hardly essential in their discography.<br /><br />They called back Trevor Horn as a producer because he has made wonders for them in the past with tracks like "Left to my own devices" and "It's Alright". But having a good producer is not everything, especially if you don't have good songs to support him a little bit.<br /><br />And here, sadly, when you take out the singles "I'm with stupid" the great "Minimal" and the fantastic "Integral", there is not much left here. Inspiration wasn't there much for them, that year.<br /><br />But the craziest thing is that they chose not to include 2 other great songs of that period : "The resurrectionnist" (b-side of the single I'm with Stupid) and "Fugitive" (on the 2nd cd of the deluxe edition of the album only) just because these tracks didn’t match the feel of the rest of the album according to the producer. They were really bonkers this time ! Fugitive is probably the best song the pet shop boys have ever recorded since 1990 and it's not in any of their albums now. Great !<br /><br />Besides this album is a little bit too political for my taste. I'm with stupid is about Tony Blair’s relationship with George W. Bush and Integral criticizes the English Labour Party’s Identity Cards Act.<br /><br />The only good surprise on this album is to me the opening track Psychological whichs reminds me a lot of the sounds used by Depeche Mode in World in my eyes (from their cult album Violator : that the pet shop boys said they were deeply jealous of).Aillxnrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02345894625955673185noreply@blogger.com