Elly Roberts reviews
Pet Shop Boys: Fundamental
Distributed by
Parlophone
- Cat.no: 3628602
- Released: May 2006
- Rating: 4/10
For their ninth studio album
PSB re-unite with Buggles writer/producer
Trevor Horn. Never away from immaculate production: Horn’s grand influences
crawl all over it like a rash.
Twenty one years into a glittering career (the most successful duo in UK
chart history) some commentators elevate it to their best offering for over
a decade, which is open to question. Lead-off single I’m With Stupid, their
best in years, entered the singles chart at 8 (w/c May 15). Intro track
Psychological is a cryptic song (a la Kraftwerk) accompanied by some rather
limp music: a poor opening by their outlandish standards.
Other dullness
ensues on a snail-paced I Made My Excuses, Diane Warren’s soppy Numb,
(only saved by some glorious ‘orchestration’), and Luna Park. God Willing is
all of 1 minute 17 seconds; surely a throwaway track of no significance.
Thankfully, I’m With Stupid (a comment on the Blair/Bush relationship from
Blair's angle) stops the rot with its catchy chorus and infectious beats. In
the same mould we get the hedonistic rush of Sodom and Gomorrah: Tennant’s
take on the supposed life of debauchery via a cabaret – "Sun, sex, sin,
death and destruction / Are you gonna go / To the Sodom and Gomorrah show? /
It’s got everything you need for your complete entertainment…./ Is a once in
a lifetime production."
Minimal is clearly targeted at the club scene,
complete with baffling lyrics. Casanova In Hell almost became the most
‘interesting’ track, but fell flat on its face. A pulsating ‘Frankie Goes To
Hollywood’ styled Integral, full of hopping synths and bashes rounds-off a
disappointing album. Fundamentally, it’s the blandness that lets it down,
and the wearing drone of Tennant’s characterless singing.
Perhaps PSB should look over ‘the pond’ at the Scissor Sisters; on how to
make a brilliant pop album.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
