REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys, Nightlife (Sire / London)
- Bob Gajarsky
Through a bevy of U.S. music labels - Bobcat, EMI, Atlantic and now Sire / London, the Pet Shop Boys have never lost their core audience. It might have to do with the fact that, despite their lack of American radio airplay, the Boys consistently write and record danceable synth-pop that owes a debt to not only where the genres have been, but where they are going.
This quality work continues on the Boys' latest effort, Nightilfe. With assistance from top production / remixing names such as Rollo, David Morales and Craig Armstrong, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have crafted an album which stands up with some of the duo's best efforts.
The first single "New York City Boy", with its Village People-like backing vocals (and ode to "YMCA") has a driving disco beat not unlike that on parts of Bilingual. "Closer To Heaven" could be a 1999 version of "Suburbia", while "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk" is emblematic of the long titles / ironic love lyrics PSB are known for.
A duet with Kylie Minogue on "In Denial" is one of the Boys' most sensitive storylines yet; a father and daughter singing to each other; she knowing he's gay, and both wanting to be loved by the other person.
Although Nightlife isn't likely to win over new converts to the Pet Shop Boys camp, longtime fans of the English duo will be extremely satisfied by the latest album.
