Search - Pet Shop Boys :: Very Relentless

Very telling...

FrKurt Messick | Bloomington, IN USA | 11/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At some point during the Pet Shop Boys' career, they discovered that they had a small core of fans who would purchase anything, literally anything, they put out, and pay for the privilege of doing so. The double-album repackaging and sale of Actually bumped the sales of that album up; the American fan-base frenzy for getting hold of the special import versions of extended singles and repackaged foreign albums (the Japanese version of Behaviour, with its mini-disc addition, springs to mind) set in motion the idea that as a matter of course, the Pet Shop Boys would always reissue their albums in a special, limited edition format, with a few extra songs and a new packaging.Very was, unfortunately, commercially and critically received as less than stellar. Despite many good songs, some of Tennant's most interesting lyrics, and basic Tennant/Lowe rhythms and crafting, the album did not succeed very well. Can You Forgive Her was perhaps the last major song of the Pet Shop Boys to chart in America with any strength. Ever thereafter, the Pet Shop Boys have had to rely on their fan-base rather than MTV or radio air time to sell their albums.Very Relentless was the repackaged and reissued special edition of Very. Very had an interesting orange, Lego-style box (which are collector's items now); Very Relentless was a dual-CD issue in a soft-plastic case done with a similar style; the Very CD done in orange and blue, the Relentless CD done in purple and blue. Please see my other review of Very for more information about that album, which I shall not repeat here.Relentless consists of six songs. All of these are done in an extended, sample- and electronic-heavy style; none really have strong lyrics (some seem to consist of very few words, repeated seemingly endlessly -- a bad trend, in my opinion, in the production of extended singles). They all have an interesting sound, and each has a danceable beat, but the songs are themselves rather unremarkable, and serve almost as filler.It almost seems as though each of these songs was generated from one single idea that was extended over the breadth of the music; they also seem to be almost like an inside joke to which we the listeners are not privy -- some of the samples come from Japanese audio clips, which, despite being spoken in English, are a bit garbled and difficult to distinguish with the overlay of music.Nonetheless, for the true collector of Pet Shop Boys output, this is a necessary album. The music behind the dearth of lyrics is very good; often this music is used by radio stations (unattributed, of course) as backing for dance, merges, transitions, and advertising tracks. This accounts for the discrepancy between my rating and my recommendation -- I could not recommend to anyone who is not a Pet Shop Boys fanatic that the extra expense for this album is worth the extra music; however, it is important as a component for a true collector.Disco lives! At least in the Pet Shop Boys work, which continues to be turned out in consistent and innovative ways."

A sublime 90's dance-pop album

Dale Hock | Bethlehem, PA | 09/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Very", PSB's album after their touching "Behaviour" CD, was, and still is, one of the most fantastic dance-pop albums available. There are no skippable tracks, and each song is devistatingly catchy, meaningful, touching, or driving, making it a highly dynamic compilation. Add this work in with the limited edition disk "Relentless" with six never-before heard dance tracks, and what emerges is exemplary. These tracks must be heard to be believed ( I'm sure they are in clubs somewhere), and this disk is the only way to hear them. Both CDs are housed in a plastic bubble wrapped sleave that is every bit as unique as the group's musical content. Even if you already own the single disk version of "Very", you could have one disk for in the car and one disk for at home, and have a great (and rare) techno CD to boot. It was limited in production in 1993, and hasn't been remade since. A true PSBs collector's item and underappreciated masterpiece."

A NICE BONUS DISC

Andy Eckles | 05/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I believe only 20,000 of these limited editions were pressed. I happened on one shortly after its release in 1994 at a Blockbuster Music store and it's been one of my favorite CD's ever since. "Very" was of course a brilliant album, and "Relentless" is equally as brilliant. True, not many vocals are present - but it is lush, breathtaking music with a true electronic feel. I remember a sticker on the package when I bought it said "Contains 6 bonus tracks from the forthecoming dance album". It makes me wonder if this was a selection of new songs from a new album, that later fell through? "Very" was followed up by "Disco 2" in 1994 so maybe it took the place of "Relentless". Who knows. Either way, this is a collection of 6 amazing songs that I am so happy to have in my collection. I've put them in my ipod and I listen to them all the time with a renewed interest after its release 12 years ago!

"