Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Pet Shop Boys - Yes

British synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys have been cranking out hits since the mid-’80s. Even if the name isn’t familiar, you’ve probably heard their songs; singles like “West End girls,” “Go west,” “It’s a sin,” and a plethora of others are inescapable. Beyond that, they frequently pop up for remixes; they’ve contributed to singles from bands like Madonna (“Sorry”) and Rammstein (“Mein Teil”), among others. They’ve managed to keenly adapt their sound and style to remain modern, all the while never compromising and selling out to the flavor of the week sound; they deftly simultaneously lead and follow what’s happening in the dance scene.

So, how about their new album, then?

Yes leads off with the first single, “Love, etc.,” a fabulously catchy, somewhat low key number. It’s followed by “All over the world,” a song that features some more worldly instrumentation than they’re typically known for. It, too, is irresistably catchy. The songs here present some new sounds for the Pet Shop Boys. I’m struck that some of the music calls to mind Madonna’s 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor, (from which “Sorry” came) which is certainly not a bad thing; Confessions was Madonna’s best album in years, and it, too, showed an ’80s star updating her sound to “fit” with the modern dance scene.

Not all the songs here will make sense banging in a dance club; “Beautiful people” is too much of a slow, nigh-acoustic song to get the crowds moving. Of course, the Boys have never been concerned with making entire albums of club anthems. They make music, and synthpop (or, as Neil has called it, disco) is their style. Though, that said, many of the songs would work great for a dance party; “Did you see me coming?” bears an eerie resemblance to their own “New York City boy” (from Nightlife), with its Village People-style disco beat.

All in all, the Pet Shop Boys have once again delivered a solid album; they’ve been pretty consistent throughout their entire career, and this is no exception. Is it the second-coming of Very? No. It’s better than Fundamental, which was a great album as well. Will it win them new fans? It’s hard to say. None of the obvious singles have the appeal or power of “It’s a sin,” or “West End girls,” but they certainly rank with many of the songs that make up the Boys’ hits compilations. At any rate, fans of the Pet Shop Boys will be pleased by this album.

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