Search - Pet Shop Boys :: Disco 3

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Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 08/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a huge Pet Shop Boys fan since their brilliant debut with `Please' back in 1986. I've always loved their exciting use of synthesizers, second only to Giorgio Moroder, and their very witty lyrics. However, it seemed to me that about the time of their 1996 release `Bilingual', they had run out of fresh ideas.



A friend of mine recommended this CD to me and reluctantly, I must confess, I bought it.



What a fabulous surprise it turned out to be! It's actually a collection of remixes with 5 new songs but it might as well be a new CD.



`Positive role model' with its chanted/spoken chorus, the tender, forlorn sounding `Try it (I'm in love with a married man)', `Somebody else's business' (about a gossip), and the piano laden `Here' are their typical atmospheric yet melancholic sounding dance numbers.



`If looks could kill' is a brilliant song with razor sharp jittery sounding synths and Neil Tennant singing in a falsetto through a vocoder.



`Home and dry' has got to be the one of best remixes of the lot. Simply outstanding! I love the swirling synths and breaks. Very theatrical sounding.



The best in my opinion is `London'. Wow!! Completely rewrites the original song. Starting off with a stomping beat, and with minimal lyrics set to a hypnotic beat/synth combo, this has to be heard to be believed. I just can't get this song out of my head!



`London' is reprised at the end of the CD in a lounge bar piano ballad version.



Brilliant. Restored my faith in the PSB!"

Good

J. Katz | davis, ca | 05/15/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Good quality sound! Worthwhile because the production is very good, songs range from mediocre to good"

This was a decent EP

Lesley Aeschliman | Enumclaw, WA | 11/14/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Disco 3 is the third installment in the Pet Shop Boys' Disco series. The first two discs were comprised of remixes of tracks that had already been released. However, only half of Disco 3 is remixes; the remaining tracks are new songs.



The disc opens with "Time On My Hands," an upbeat track with minimal vocals (which are all processed). Musically, it has an 80's influenced sound to it, and is quite good; however, the vocals are very redunant.



Next is "Positive Role Model," a song from the Pet Shop Boys' musical, Closer to Heaven. The song has a disco-like riff over an upbeat 80's synth sound; you can also hear some strings during some sections of the track. The vocals on the chorus and part of the second verse are processed.



"Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)" was written by the Pet Shop Boys' original producer, Bobby Orlando. This is a midtempo song with an early 80's feel, and is about being in love and having an affair with a married man. Some of the vocals in the chorus are processed.



The first remix on the disc is "London [Thee Radikal Blaklite Edit]," which has a very disco-sounding vibe to it. Only one line of vocals is used from the song ("We were in London"), and is highly processed. If you don't have the tracklisting in front of you, you wouldn't realize this was a remix of "London."



Next is "Somebody Else's Business," a mid-to-uptempo track with a very 80's sound to it. The song talks about a woman verbally abusing her man, but he sticks the relationship out. Some of the vocals on this track are processed.



The next remix is "Here [PSB New Extended Mix]," which is basically just an extended mix of "Here" (it appears the intro and the ending were extended).



"If Looks Could Kill" has an upbeat 80's sound to it, and the lyrics deal with tension in a relationship.



"Sexy Northerner [Superchumbo Mix]" is a very club-oriented remix with a heavy bassline. Musically, the mix is very redunant (and this is the longest track on the disc). Also, not many vocals are used.



"Home And Dry [Blank & Jones Mix]" is a much more upbeat mix of the song designed to make it more "club friendly"; the mix takes about two minutes to get going, but it's not too bad of a remix.



The disc closes with "London [Genuine Piano Mix]," which strips the track down to just piano and vocal. This is a great mix, but it's puzzling as to why it was included. The other two Disco releases were totally dance-oriented, and the majority of this release is as well; it makes this mix of "London" stick out like a sore thumb.



Overall, this is a decent release (although there seems to be too much reliance on processed vocals). Die-hard Pet Shop Boys fans and collectors should pick this up."