Search - Pet Shop Boys :: Pet Shop Boys/Hits

All the best and then some...

FrKurt Messick | Bloomington, IN USA | 08/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first of the discs of this 'Greatest Hits' for the Pet Shop Boys contains 17 tracks (Pop), and the second 18 tracks (Art). For those who are die-hard fans of the Pet Shop Boys, this is a must have, but, for the most part, those fans will find it is in many ways an already-have. The tracks are remastered, but given the high production qualities of most PSB discs generally, there isn't a great deal to be gained from this. There are two new songs, Miracles and Flamboyant (one on each disc), which are both wonderful (and, interestingly, the addition of two songs to the 'greatest hits' compilation matches their performance with Discography, which also had a 'best of' with two new tracks added).



There are the major songs and single releases from all previous albums, so this serves both as a retrospective but also as a handy all-in-one collection spanning the history of the Pet Shop Boys; from that perspective, if you were to have just one CD from them, this would the one. The songs are not in chronological release order (as Discography was), but rather seem almost randomly arranged; all songs but one from Discography are here, with an additional collection of tracks from the later album releases that reached the UK top 20. The division between 'Pop' and 'Art' is subtle, and any lifelong fan will have his or her own impressions as to which songs should fit into which category. The 'Pop' side is more disco/dance music, whereas the 'Art' side is a little more sombre, and the lyrics a little more complex. On the other hand, some songs, such as 'Love comes quickly' would easily qualify for either designation.



This collection represents more than 20 years work on the part of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. For the first several years of that career, they were famous world-wide, and quite a staple in the dance clubs and video programming in America and elsewhere. The first singles collection 'Discography' represented the beginning of the decline of 80s style dance music in America, but the music descended from this type remained strongly popular throughout the rest of the world, as the sold-out concert tours of the Pet Shop Boys everywhere except North America attests to. Many of the songs on this 'Pop-Art' collection will therefore be new to audiences whose interest in the Pet Shop Boys ended the hits from the 'Behaviour' era.



A must-have for anyone who likes dance music, disco, electronic music, 80s music, the Pet Shop Boys, or who wants to have a complete music collection.

"

A great collection.

jabdigital | Floral Park, NY USA | 03/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 2CD set is meant to be played from beginning to end without skipping any tracks. The Pet Shop Boys have an amazing sound that has not witherered with time. There are some slightly different versions of tracks in here (I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing, and Yesterday, When I Was Mad), but these versions are still great to hear. The third disc (available in the IMPORT 3cd version) has some great mixes (best being New York City Boy - Lange Remix), but everything you need is in the first 2 discs, although, they should have included (Somewhere - Trouser Enthusiasts' Mix) -> a classic.



If you're a fan, pick it up. And yes, it does work when ripped into mp3s, I'm listening to them as I type."

"Pop" Raised to the Level of "Art."

The Groove | Boston, MA | 12/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Released overseas in 2003, "PopArt" is a comprehensive retrospective of Pet Shop Boys' UK chart hits. Since 1985, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have seen a whooping 35 of their singles hit the Top Twenty; 20 of them have cracked the Top Ten, and 4 have reached Number One. Over the years they have solidified a well-deserved reputation as one of Britain's most respected songwriters and music acts. The first disc, "Pop," features the more straightforward perky hits like the Village People cover "Go West," the tender ballad "Love Comes Quickly," the discocentric "Heart," and the love song "Miracles," which was recorded exclusively for this album. Disc 2 is "Art," where the songs are more complicated in theme and may require some interpretation. While both discs are pitch-perfect in terms of quality, the "Art" disc is my personal favorite. This disc has another newly recorded track called "Flamboyant," which is an on-point critique on the extravagant life of the celebrity. Other great tracks are "So Hard," "Rent," "Liberation," and the autobiographical "Being Boring." As hits collections go, "PopArt" is a unique and timeless survey of one of the finest groups around. If you missed out on the duo's last collection, "Discography," then you owe it to yourself and your record collection by picking this up. Like all great CDs, it will never leave your stereo.

"