Search - Pet Shop Boys :: Closer to Heaven: Pet Shop Boys; Jonathan Harvey

Closer to Heaven: Pet Shop Boys; Jonathan Harvey
Pet Shop Boys
Closer to Heaven: Pet Shop Boys; Jonathan Harvey
Genres: Dance & Electronic, Alternative Rock, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists
 
  •  Track Listings (17) - Disc #1

Reliving the best moments of 2001's most innovative West End musical, the Closer to Heaven soundtrack is a strange but unique mix of old and new. Jointly written by the Pet Shop Boys and Beautiful Thing writer Jonatha...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Pet Shop Boys
Title: Closer to Heaven: Pet Shop Boys; Jonathan Harvey
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Musicrama/Koch
Release Date: 10/19/2001
Album Type: Cast Recording
Genres: Dance & Electronic, Alternative Rock, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Trip-Hop, Dance Pop, Easy Listening, Euro Pop, Musicals
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 632427915423

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Reliving the best moments of 2001's most innovative West End musical, the Closer to Heaven soundtrack is a strange but unique mix of old and new. Jointly written by the Pet Shop Boys and Beautiful Thing writer Jonathan Harvey, the tale is set in a nightclub, and follows the romantic flings and brushes with fame of club barman Dave. Peppered with familiar but rejigged PSB B-sides ("Shameless" and "Hedonism") and album tracks ("In Denial," "Vampires," and "Closer to Heaven", all taken from 1999's Nightlife), the soundtrack also contains some newer music. Performance favorite "Call Me Old-Fashioned," sung by band manager Bob Saunders (Paul Broughton), is a classic Pet Shop Boys Euro-beat anthem. Much-loved track "Positive Role Model" closes the soundtrack, and incorporates samples of Barry White's "You're the First..." in a dance floor melée. While the musical and lyrical compositions typically complement Jonathan Harvey's stage play, the performance of some of the group's more familiar songs by others is rather disconcerting; the replacement of Neil Tennant's familiar deadpan presentation with the cast's occasional music hall exuberance and theatrical hamminess is at times challenging. Overall, however, this collection will surprise and delight fans of the Pet Shop Boys and provide relief for those who didn't (or did) manage to see Closer to Heaven. --John Galilee

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CD Reviews

It's just a little tribute
S. Klenk | Chicago, IL | 11/15/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"At first I didn't even know that this CD was a musical. My best friend brought it over from Britain in 01. I didn't even know the name of it because I looked at the cover once. It's needless to say that I immediately fell in love with it.



Then someone broke into his car and stole that CD. He was devastated. From that moment on I started to look for it knowing that one day I would find it and surprise him with it.



Problem was though that no one seemed to know about that little CD with the red heart on it. You know, the one with that "Caligula song" in it by the Pet Shop Boys.



About 1 month ago I was on the Internet when I tried the last resort. I typed the words Caligula Darling into a well-known search engine. Needless to say "Closer to heaven" came up on Amazon.com. There it was! The red heart. The CD!!!



I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier. But as all things happen for a reason. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.



I ordered it right away. It came in surprisingly fast. I was as giddy as a 9 year old.



His 40th birthday is coming up this weekend and as an added bonus I even mixed up the dance tracks into a 20-minute mega mix :-). It pays to be a DJ :-)



Now I am glad that I didn't find it earlier. It's the perfect present!!!



It's just my little tribute to my best friend (who shall remain nameless). To him who made it possible for me to go to Australia Darling! Where we danced like vampires in front of the Sydney opera house at the most amazing party EVER!



Now buy the CD it's great!



"
Boys return to former glories
SIMON D ALLEN | Melbourne, Australia | 06/26/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Living in Australia, the existence of this musical took a while to travel to me. This meant that I purchased "Closer to Heaven" at the same time as "Release". In my opinion Closer to Heaven is the album which Release should have been. The Pet Shop Boys (my joint favourite band along with New Order) appear to have been playing down their dance music roots on their recent albums. This is their most upbeat album since Bilingual. The sleeve notes indicate that this is Chris's determination that Closer to Heaven be a "Feel Good Musical".A few of these tracks appear on the album "Nightlife", but the treatment here is sufficiently different for this not to detract, although PSB fans may find listening to songs they know sang by voices other than Neil strange at first.My only complaint would be that the character played by Paul Broughton sounds very stereotyped (that grating Northern voice!).Overall, though, this is a great Cd and has been on "heavy rotation" since it arrived. It has also inspired the rediscovery of several other PSB albums from my collection.I hope that that musical is revived and produced outside the UK`."
Absolutely FABULOUS!
calico_katt | 03/01/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I haven't even finished listening to all of it, and from what I've heard, I'm in love with it! A new twist on some of the PSB's songs, such as In Denial? Very awesome. Not to mention, I don't know of any musicals that are SO upbeat! I'm tempted to watch the musical, I'm sure it's awesome, but I love this CD... Even if you aren't a fan of PSB, or haven't even heard of them, but love soft club music, I'm sure you'll love it. I recommend it to someone who is looking into trying out listening to something different and cool! :) PSB never stop amazing me, lemme tell you ^_^"