Pet Shop Boys
Release

THE REVIEW

In 2002, the Pet Shop Boys released this 'Release' album where the synthesisers blend well with electric and acoustic guitar, creating a suggestive and decorative venture, of sure interest to lovers of electronica, but also of pop, as the song structure is slow and rhymed.

The opener 'Home and dry' presents a classic pop melody sung by Tennant's wonderful voice, which alone would justify the album title, being soothing and gentle. Here, the background is set with muffled bass and various harmonic effects; assonant and rhymed vocal lines. It is followed by 'I get along', which also has a beautiful video, introducing piano and keyboards on a melody similar to a folk lullaby on a waltz background while the lyrics are sensitive and yearning. The following 'Birthday boy' has a slow motif produced by arpeggio and harpsichord, a kind of melodrama that pities the fate of a neglected child. 'London' is very peculiar for the verses repeated by Tennant's synth-voice; the background is again varied and silvery with arpeggios and xylophone, etc. Very romantic is 'E-mail', with both beautiful lyrics and a languid and intermittent melody. 'The Samurai in autumn' is instrumental, suggestive as the title suggests.

Also noteworthy is 'Love is a catastrophe' which, faithful to the title, is very subdued, less than 'Birthday boy' with the probably best lyrics on the album, which I quote: - Who issued the instruction, for this mad act of destruction...an end to equilibrium, fate laughs: look what you've done to him. All my former dreams, tender, romantic schemes, revealed, as so naive, to think I could believe, in love, as the kindest law, not, as a declaration, of war, on my life and sanity. Now I know at last for me, love is a catastrophe.

The next track resumes the subtle techno-house sounds while the following 'The night I fell in love' is lighter, and is truly romantic in the lyrics, and sincere, given that the relationship in question is homosexual; moreover, it seems that there is a reference to Eminem, presenting some verses of 'Stan'. The closing song is also slow and romantic.

Personally, I enjoyed the album a lot, especially for the melodic sense present to a good degree in the lyrics and music, without excelling at high levels, but close, especially musically.