Pet Shop Boys complete ‘Catalogue’ reissue series with early ’90s albums

Three albums remastered • new vinyl • 2CD sets as before
The Pet Shop Boys will issue their fourth and final set of ‘Catalogue’ reissues at the end of August with the re-release of early-to-mid ’90s albums Behaviour, Very and Bilingual.
Behaviour saw Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant enter their ‘post-imperial’ phase as number ones became top 10 and top 20 hits. Co-produced by Harold Faltermeyer, 1990’s Behaviour is widely considered to be their best album and features the singles So Hard, Being Boring, How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously and Jealousy, although that’s only half the story, since the album tracks – like Only The Wind, My October Symphony and The End Of The World – are seriously good. Johnny Marr contributes guitar.
Very was released in September 1993. Lots of fans love this record but I never fell prey to its charms. While I enjoyed the single Can You Forgive Her? after the serious and grown-up tone of Behaviour I thought songs like Go West, I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing were a bit ‘silly’ and only okay. While the social commentary of tracks like The Theatre was incredibly clunky. For me, a clear dip in the quality of the songwriting (especially lyrically).
I hadn’t given up on them though and I absolutely loved 1996’s Bilingual. It’s funny how no matter hard you try, you just simply can’t ‘get into’ certain albums, but others have an immediate impact. One of the mysteries of music. There was a real sadness to the lyrics of songs like Discoteca and Single-Bilingual and the lead single, Before, seemed effortless, whereas with Very it felt like they were trying too hard. Album track To Step Aside is a PSB classic!
Anyway, as before all the audio is remastered but other than that, the two-CD ‘Further Listening’ sets are more or less identical to the previous ones. Nice to have new vinyl versions available too, of course. For some reason Behaviour is slightly cheaper than the others in the UK right now, at £16.
All three albums are reissued on vinyl and 2CD deluxe sets on 31 August 2018.
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Pet Shop Boys
Behaviour - 2CD Further Listening
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Pet Shop Boys
Very - 2CD Further Listening
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Pet Shop Boys
Bilingual - 2CD Further Listening
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Behaviour - remastered vinyl LP
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Very - remastered vinyl LP
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Bilingual- remastered vinyl LP
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Behaviour / Further Listening 1990-1991 2CD set
CD 1
1. Being Boring (2018 Remastered Version)
2. This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave (2018 Remastered Version)
3. To Face the Truth (2018 Remastered Version)
4. How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Only the Wind (2018 Remastered Version)
6. My October Symphony (2018 Remastered Version)
7. So Hard (2018 Remastered Version)
8. Nervously (2018 Remastered Version)
9. The End of the World (2018 Remastered Version)
10. Jealousy (2018 Remastered Version)
CD 2
1. It Must Be Obvious (2018 Remastered Version)
2. So Hard (Extended Dance Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
3. Miserablism (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Being Boring (Extended Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
5. Bet She’s Not Your Girlfriend (2018 Remastered Version)
6. We All Feel Better in the Dark (Extended Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
7. Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You) [Extended Mix] [2018 Remastered Version]
8. Jealousy (Extended Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
9. Generic Jingle (2018 Remastered Version)
10. DJ Culture (Extended Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
11. Was It Worth It? (12” Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
12. Music For Boys (Ambient Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
13. DJ Culture (7” Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
Very / Further Listening 1992-1994 2CD set
CD 1
1. Can You Forgive Her? (2018 Remastered Version)
2. I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind of Thing (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Liberation (2018 Remastered Version)
4. A Different Point of View (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Dreaming of the Queen (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Yesterday When I Was Mad (2018 Remastered Version)
7. The Theatre (2018 Remastered Version)
8. One and One Make Five (2018 Remastered Version)
9. To Speak Is a Sin (2018 Remastered Version)
10. Young Offender (2018 Remastered Version)
11. One In a Million (2018 Remastered Version)
12. Go West (2018 Remastered Version)
CD 2
1. Go West (1992 12” Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
2. Forever In Love (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Confidential (1992 Demo for Tina Turner) [2018 Remastered Version]
4. Hey, Headmaster (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Shameless (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Too Many People (2018 Remastered Version)
7. I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind of Thing (Seven-Inch Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
8. Violence (Hacienda Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
9. Falling (Demo for Kylie) [2018 Remastered Version]
10. Decadence (2018 Remastered Version)
11. If Love Were All (Bitter Sweet) [2018 Remastered Version]
12. Absolutely Fabulous (Single Version) [2018 Remastered Version] – Absolutely Fabulous
13. Euroboy (2018 Remastered Version)
14. Some Speculation (2018 Remastered Version)
15. Yesterday When I Was Mad (Single Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
16. Girls And Boys (Live In Rio) [2018 Remastered Version]
Bilingual / Further Listening 1995-1997 2CD set
CD 1
1. Discoteca (2018 Remastered Version)
2. Bilingual (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Metamorphosis (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Electricity (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Se A Vida e (2018 Remastered Version)
6. It Always Comes As A Surprise (2018 Remastered Version)
7. A Red Letter Day (2018 Remastered Version)
8. Up Against It (2018 Remastered Version)
9. The Survivors (2018 Remastered Version)
10. Before (2018 Remastered Version)
11. To Step Aside (2018 Remastered Version)
12. Saturday Night Forever (2018 Remastered Version)
CD 2
1. Paninaro ’95 (2018 Remastered Version)
2. In the Night (1995 Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
3. The Truck Driver and His Mate (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Hit and Miss (2018 Remastered Version)
5. How I Learned to Hate Rock ‘n’ Roll (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Betrayed (2018 Remastered Version)
7. Delusions of Grandeur (2018 Remastered Version)
8. Discoteca (Single Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
9. The Calm Before the Storm (2018 Remastered Version)
10. Discoteca (New Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
11. The Boy Who Couldn’t Keep His Clothes On (2018 Remastered Version)
12. A Red Letter Day (Expanded Single Version) [2018 Remastered Version]
13. The View from Your Balcony (2018 Remastered Version)
14. Disco Potential (2018 Remastered Version)
15. Somewhere (Extended Mix) [2018 Remastered Version]
Behaviour remastered vinyl LP
Side 1
1. Being Boring (2018 Remastered Version)
2. This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave (2018 Remastered Version)
3. To Face the Truth (2018 Remastered Version)
4. How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Only the Wind (2018 Remastered Version)
Side 2
1. My October Symphony (2018 Remastered Version)
2. So Hard (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Nervously (2018 Remastered Version)
4. The End of the World (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Jealousy (2018 Remastered Version)
Very remastered vinyl LP
Side 1
1. Can You Forgive Her? (2018 Remastered Version)
2. I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind of Thing (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Liberation (2018 Remastered Version)
4. A Different Point of View (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Dreaming of the Queen (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Yesterday When I Was Mad (2018 Remastered Version)
Side 2
1. The Theatre (2018 Remastered Version)
2. One and One Make Five (2018 Remastered Version)
3. To Speak Is a Sin (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Young Offender (2018 Remastered Version)
5. One In a Million (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Go West (2018 Remastered Version)
Bilingual remastered vinyl LP
Side 1
1. Discoteca (2018 Remastered Version)
2. Bilingual (2018 Remastered Version)
3. Metamorphosis (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Electricity (2018 Remastered Version)
5. Se A Vida e (2018 Remastered Version)
6. It Always Comes As A Surprise (2018 Remastered Version)
Side 2
1. A Red Letter Day (2018 Remastered Version)
2. Up Against It (2018 Remastered Version)
3. The Survivors (2018 Remastered Version)
4. Before (2018 Remastered Version)
5. To Step Aside (2018 Remastered Version)
6. Saturday Night Forever (2018 Remastered Version)
i love Very because it’s so irreverent and catchy. even the limited edition CD that came out at the time (with bonus disc Relentless) had a bubble wrap round it! Behaviour is their most beautiful album – serious, melodic and lyrically at their peak.
[…] their 40th year in operation. First there was last year’s completion and vinyl-ing up of the rest of their catalogue, then Chris Heath’s seminal books Literally and In America were republished with updated notes, […]
Just ripping Behaviour, Very and Bilingual on to my computer to put on my iPod – all three are showing ‘2001 remaster’ in the tracklistings. The other recent remasters have all shown ‘2017 remaster’ or ‘2018 remaster’. Anyone else experience this? Is it a fault of the Gracenote database?
Mine were the same on all three?
I am hoping it’s a Gracenote database error. All of mine say 2001 Remaster as well…
Did anyone else get a wrong booklet? My Bilingual CD has the Behaviour booklet. Will contact Amazon but wonder if its a general issue.
I compared my 2007 itunes remasters to these new ones, and to me they sound pretty much exactly the same; can anyone verify the CD versions and see if it’s worth the upgrade from the 2007 versions please.
Behaviour, alltime favorite top 10 album, Being Boring is a classic, plus My october symphony etc.
Can’t wait, preordered the vinyl
I never knew there was a BILINGUAL expanded edition. I recall buying this album as a standard CD, and I asked the folks in the record store whether there is a special edition of it, and they told me “no”. So I’m happy to be able to buy this one as an expanded edition. I didn’t buy the other two as 2018 remasters, but judging from some of the comments here, perhaps I’ll rectify that fact as the months go by. VERY was the first Pet Shop Boys album I owned and, so, this was the period that introduced me to the band, and I’ve liked the expanded editions of their albums quite a lot. When the 2001 expansions came out, I scooped those up, too.
The Bilingual special edition came out quite a while after the original standard CD. The second CD was filled with remixes of some Bilingual tracks plus Somewhere, with a couple of extra remixes on the Japanese version (which I idiotically sold for some reason!). https://www.discogs.com/Pet-Shop-Boys-Bilingual/release/86733
No Marshall Jefferson mix of being Boring?
They didn’t remix it so it’s not included like tons of others mixes not included on these reissues.
I luv the Pet Shop Boys, but more and more it seems they are like Depeche Mode and they are releasing a lot of their songs as remixes. Some are interesting, but there are just too much.
If i understand your post correctly are you saying you would prefer b sides as in new songs ? If that’s case then i totally agree as the majority of remixes are crap nowadays then again i’m speaking from a PSB perspective as i haven’t liked what DM have released since Ultra.
Clicking the Amazon US link I see that they’re no longer pandering to them over there and their terrible version of English and removing the U from Behaviour like they did in 1990…
Gosh, I hope that wasn’t keeping you awake at night all these years.
That’s funny. Because I just read on another website someone said the said thing about you guys over there. I’m surprised it matters to anyone, I just assumed most people respect other people’s Cultures and language differences.
At least “[our] terrible version of English” can be understood abroad… Can’t say the same for 1/2 of British folks’ accents, so win some/lose some. ;)
They left the u in behaviour, u nust have overlooked it.
Three biters :-D
Definitely hasn’t been keeping me up for years, as I only saw the absent U the other day when looking on Discogs at the various versions. I’ve never been a PSB fan particularly and have only ever owned the first album, once on cassette in the 80s and once on CD, so these releases hold no interest for me…
And Pethead1, I didn’t overlook anything, it’s right there in black and white…
https://www.discogs.com/Pet-Shop-Boys-Behavior/release/82286
I think that’s enough (from everyone) now on this important issue…
I may the only one, but the track I love most from this collection is ‘DJ culture’. I think it’s amazing they made a song called DJ culture and made it sound so serious. Music for Boys is also a great instrumental.
And then Single / Bilingual wow… So hilarious and sad at the same time. I don’t think I listed to it for 10 years or so and the lyrics are still in my head. The only reason that one is not my favourite is because it’s too much of an earworm.
Re: the remastered 2nd CD. After listening to the 2001 release of this as well as the new 2018 reissues, I can say it sounds like the second CD is in fact remastered. it just sounds better to me. I did see what they wrote about it being of “Master quality”and maybe that was a typo, because you know they actually confirmed that at one point earlier in time that both CDs were remastered in 2017.
I have to agree with everybody here that ‘Behavior’ is one of their best albums ever. I think it’s right up there with some of their best. I think ‘Please’ is maybe their best album, or one of their best, I think ‘Behavior’ is also. I really love ‘Very’. And I also think ‘Super’ is one of their best albums. And also ‘Electric’.
I’m not a big fan of ‘Bilingual’ as an album. I just agree with some here that it’s just not an easy listen. I do love some of the songs off it and I do think ‘To step aside’ is one of their best songs. ‘A red-letter day’ is definitely a classic. I love that song. But I guess I wasn’t as into the Latin feel of some of those tracks. I do think one of their worst albums was ‘Elysium’, but there’s again there’s some good songs off there.
I’m surprised anyone would not like ‘Very’, it’s such a fun album and that’s what I see it as, it’s just fun! They use all kinds of amazing little sounds on those songs, sounds like they even use some sounds off of video games. It’s just very creative and I love the catchiness to a lot of the songs. And I can’t believe anybody would not like the song ‘A different point of view’, I just think that’s such a great song. I guess for me sometimes it’s really the vibe or the energy in the feel of the songs, not necessarily that they have to have deep lyrics. ‘Young Offender’ is one of my favorites.
I guess I kind of always thought of ‘Behavior’ as their “Depeche Mode album” because some of the songs are more serious, and deep and maybe even a little on the darker side. I love the ‘further listening’ version of the ‘Behavior’ album because it’s got some great extras on the second CD, with ‘Jealousy’ (extended version), ‘We all feel better in the dark’ (Extended Version), ‘Where the streets have no name’ (Extended), ‘So hard’ (extended version)… so many great extras on there. It’s really worth buying.
I think ‘Being Boring’ is one of their greatest, and the video is very fun, stylish and epic. A true classic.
I think that I do remember reading that the Pet Shop Boys had said when ‘Behavior’ was released in 1990 that they said they were jealous of Depeche Mode’s album ‘Violator’ because they felt that Depeche Mode really brought electronic music to a whole new level and really hit the ball out of the ballpark with that album. I remember I also felt that the Pet Shop Boys album ‘Behavior’ was just as impressive as ‘Violator’ but I don’t think it reached quite the same success as Depeche Mode’s violators album.
I do think these are worth buying a second time for the improved remastered sound.
I believe The End of the World was them attempting to do an Enjoy the Silence.
DM,Waiting For The Night-PSB,We All Feel Better In The Dark
Here lads, never mind a reissued reissue, when are we getting the low-down on Box 4 of Neil and Chris’ dear uncle Bowie? Let’s Dance era Dave is on the new edition of Mojo for an extended advertorial of the next Bowie Bonanza. Would have said this on a different thread if SuperDeluxe did forums but we don’t.
What’s the version of HCYETBTS? that’s on the video promo ? The one with the funky drummer loop. I love that version
That video version was available on 7″ and cassette-single. There is a similar mix called Perfect Attitude Mix which does not have the “You gotta have fun” tag line that you hear on the 7″ single. As far as I know, the 7″ video version has never been released on CD.
it’s the 7″ perfect attitude mix, produced by brothers in rhythm
Behavior is certainly their finest hour. Very is also enjoyable (sorry Paul but “The Theatre” is utter brilliant and the best song). Why they left off “Too Many People” and “Shameless” is anyone’s guess, they are certainly better then “One and One Make Five” and “A Different Point of View”. I’ve also always liked Bilingual but never cared for “The Survivors”, “It Always Comes As A Surprise” and “Saturday Night Forever”. They should have removed them and replaced with “Delusions of Grandeur”, “Truck Driver and His Mate” and “Betrayed”. Bilingual LP is what I really want since the original LP release is hard to find and very expensive. It’s the only LP that I don’t have. I have a mexican LP of “Very” but the sound is terrible.
Thanks to your email newsletter Paul I was able to get the last bunch for a really great price when Amazon France had a special offers week. Do you know if this is something they will repeat in the future so we can get the last three releases that way again? Thank you very much!
Nothing to do with the Pet Shop Boys but Paul Young fans might like to know that there is an in-depth interview with the man in today’s Daily Express
Does he explain why he is still touring despite his voice being shot?
Our Australian shipping issues now begin post 1st July – nothing is available on Amazon.com.au and cd’s currently on JB Hi Fi for $42.99 each + postage…
…and if the whispers are true, JB Hi-Fi will be getting out of the CD and DVD game by the end of the year.
Those whispers are false.
There is loads of stuff (competitively priced too) at AmazonAU, you just have to look…
https://www.amazon.com.au/Elysium-Further-Listening-20112012-Remaster2cd/dp/B075859Y94
Actually, those prices are quite reasonable. Sure, they’re not quite as cheap as the overseas Amazons sites but they beat JBs quite easily. Thanks DJ.
1985-1993 was the best time of PSB for me.
“end of the world” is still one of my favourite PSB songs.
the lyrics move me everytime i hear it.
…and i remember at my very first flight to new york: i saw the “statue of liberty” through my airplane window and i started to play “go west” on my walkman.
one of my lifetime memories.
I agree about The End Of The World. The more I think about Behaviour, the more I’m stunned at such a great achievement. It’s better than Please and I never thought they’d ever record an album that would surpass that. Behaviour is truly timeless.
Speaking of that track i wonder if they will fix this on the new remaster The track index at 1-9 is incorrect, beginning several seconds into the introduction of “The End Of The World”.
1984-1991 for me,everything they released was perfect including their work with Liza and Dusty,best album is Introspective.
Very and Bilingual : their best albums…
Always felt It Must Be Obvious belonged on Behaviour rather than So Hard. A much better track and more in keeping with the lyrical beauty of the album. Excited for these.
Oh I agree although I’d ditch Nervously. That one is a bit of a stinker imo. It Must Be Obvious on the other hand ………….
I hope that the full length extended mix of “This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave” gets an official release one day
Yes to this as well !!!!
Wasn’t it on the Jealousy CD Single?
Nope, that was a 7 min something edit of the full 9 minute version.
wasn’t it officially released on a CD single back then? i think i have a CD single where this extended mix is on.
That’s a shorter version.
The 9:28 extended mix was on the 1990 2CD Japanese box set on a 3″ CD:
https://www.discogs.com/Pet-Shop-Boys-Behaviour/release/442539
I know!! I was simply answering another question because a few people are saying “Isn’t it on the Jealousy CD single” and I’m just making clear that *that* version is an edit.
My original comment from a few days ago: “It’s a good old fashion PROPER rarity that; never issued anywhere other than on the 3″ CD single that came with the Japanese CD of Behaviour back in 1990. The Jealousy CD single had a 7-minute edit of the 9 minute version.”
To think back then nobody would have known that existed outside Japan with no internet back then unless they got Record Collector.
I saw one in Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus at the time of release, which is why I own it. But yes, you’re right, back then with no internet, no discogs etc. it wasn’t easy to find out things. It made going into big record shops such a pleasure, because you’d come across really exciting products/imports/editions that you had no knowledge of – the 2CD Japanese Behaviour being a case in point!
Behaviour is for me the pinnacle of the Pet Shop Boys’ imperial period that started with their debut, Please. It’s a flawless album (IMHO) and has a mood and style that oozes melancholy.
What I’ve always found strange is that the boys have stated that they wanted to make a beautiful, introspective album (no pun intended) and tried to steer away from bouncy, dance songs, hence the omission of Miserabilism from the final tracklist. However, they included So Hard, which to my eyes was far bouncier and dancier than Miserabilism.
Anyway, my old vinyl copy of Behaviour needs replacing and I don’t believe Bilingual or Very were ever released on vinyl so this will be a no-brainer purchase for me.
Ha, I’ve just seen that both Very (plus Relentless) and Bilingual were released on vinyl and are going for stupid prices on Discogs. You learn something new every day. :-)
Their “imperial phase,” at least as Neil sees it, ended when Domino Dancing stalled at No. 7. I believe it’s in the Further Listening booklet where he describes thinking their golden chart days were behind them (and he wasn’t wrong – Very was huge, but the days of consistent top 5 hits would never be regained).
I lost interest when I first heard Being Boring. I was a huge fan until Behavior. I was wanting more Disco and Introspective-type material and wasn’t ready this. Now I love it, but even when they came out the first time, I only bought the first 3 “further listening” sets.
I’ve spent the last couple of years getting the stuff I missed, Relentless, various singles, etc., and have been waiting for these releases. Wish we could get Disco remasters. Thanks for the update!
I tend not to pre-order albums but going to give these three an exception.
Great news indeed!
Wow i’d completely forgotten this series hadn’t finished. Of course i own the previous editions but again with improved sound (i didn’t notice the last lot being of poor quality to be honest – but i never do!) i will again be buying completing the set once more.
Couldn’t agree less with you on Very. I’m not a lyric person more a song person and i adore each and every track on Very – always have. Love the long 12″ version of Go West too.
Annoying: the US costumers always get the best price. Can’t understand since these are European releases.
Very & Introspective were the only 2 PSB albums I bought at the time they came out, probably because they are their albums closest to the dancefloor and in 1993 I wanted “the Smiths you can dance to” to be danceable.
Behaviour is a beautiful album, it really is a classic. The reviews at the time didn’t know what to think of it in 1990 and the words ‘mature’ and ‘autumnal’ were bandied about. The only clunky moment is “How can you…” shame they didn’t put “Miserablism” instead.
I love “Very” it helped me through a rough time but “Bilingual” was a complete mess. Still can’t listen to most of it. The only good track was “It always comes as a surprised”
“It always comes as a surprised” IS the track. The jewel in ‘Bilingual’. With its decadence feeling in a bossa nova way. They hit perfection with that amazing pristine song.
‘Very’ is a must a out of this world album. Totally different. Ecstasy nono-stop album. The last minute of the album is the baloon getting empty.
“Whereas with Very it felt like they were trying to hard.”
I think you meant to say “Too hard.”
So Hard..maybe :)
I’d love to see a heavyweight reissue on vinyl. Perhaps aping it’s triple coloured vinyl promo. One disc of which I had in my hands ready to purchase (for under £15 iirc) and stupidly didn’t. They forgot the fantastic extended mix of This Must Be The Place existed unfortunately.
Looking forward to hearing the remastering of these three albums as the remastering of the first three were well worth getting. Even though we did end up with a different version of Violence on the Please album.
“Even though we did end up with a different version of Violence on the Please album.”
Different in which way? And different from what?
Don’t know what CD you have been listening to but Violence is identical to the original.
Violence is slightly different on the new remaster… after the second verse the chorus starts immediately where Neil says “Violence”, which wasn’t there before, around the 1.20 mark. Originally it was a very short instrumental part.
“Violence is slightly different on the new remaster… after the second verse the chorus starts immediately where Neil says “Violence”, which wasn’t there before, around the 1.20 mark. Originally it was a very short instrumental part.”
You’re right – thanks for pointing this out :) Neither the original CD release nor the 2001 re-relase has this additional “Violence” vocal at 1:21.
I do apologise i just listened to both versions and you are correct.
I’ve listened to their albums so many times to the point that it is slightly worrying, well I am a fan, that it jumped out when I got the new remaster version. To me, having this slightly different version is a bonus of sorts.
I finally gave up on PSB reaching their 80s imperial phase by the time Release came out. Although that album has grown on me more so with especially with the remastered edition. I prefer their more upbeat/poppier stuff like Very. Only thought the quality dipped with Bilingual . Quite an uneven album. I reckon Metamorphosis and Disco Tex are some of the worst PSB songs. Not into the Latin feel of some of the other songs.
I have listened to the original 2001 issues and the 2018 remasters. I believe the new masters are a bit less loud, a bit more subtle and open. Cleaner in places. I noticed it expecially in the beginning of ‘One More Chance’ (7″ mix) on the second disc of Actually. When listening to ‘A Man Could Get Arrested’ (12″) from disc 2 of Please, the panning in the opening sounds a bit more spacious. Both listened to on head phones. Subtle? Yes. Very.
Do I regret re-purchasing them? No, not really. I’ve got more various copies of Propaganda’s A Secret Wish than I know what to do with!
” I’ve got more various copies of Propaganda’s A Secret Wish than I know what to do with!”
Ha Ha – me too (although my copies of Metamatic by John Foxx are fast catching up…)
Pre ordered Behaviour on vinyl, au just adore it and it’s one of my favourite albums period. I already have all the 2001 versions on cd so am quite happy with those but behaviour deserves to be heard on vinyl I just hope they do it justice.
It’a good thing that PSB decided to just re-release the 2001 releases, without any additional tracks. Otherwise their fans would’ve been “forced” to buy them all again, even with a nearly identical remastering.
I doubt that this will happen, but the ideal solution for 2001 buyers as well as for 2018 buyers would be a “Further Listening 1984-2012” box set, tying up any loose ends and collecting all that was left behind during this period, like the “Relentless” disc or various PSB (non-third party) remixes like the 9 minute version of “This Must Be The Place …”.
Would be great if they could complete the vinyl collection with Disco 1-4, Alternative and Format. Alternative on vinyl would be amazing – their best album for me.
Oh yes – alternative on vinyl. Please make it happen!
Behaviour is an instinctive album to me. The songs stir up feelings inside me that I can’t easily describe in words. I love the album tracks more than the singles, although “Being Boring” and “Where the Streets Have No Name” are two of my favorites. “So Hard” is a nice concept, and I like the throbbing urgency of the music, but the melody was always lacking to me. Behaviour also came out at a very melancholy time in my life.
Very always brings back memories of a carefree time in my life. I wasn’t sure about “Can You Forgive Her?” but it grew on me. I liked the singles and the album tracks, especially the one about meeting the queen. This is the period where the extended 12″ version disappeared and the remixes were sometimes infinite dubs.
I can understand why Bilingual might seem inaccessible to some. It was quite a change, but it coincided with a big move for me geographically and mirrored the change in my life. “Before didn’t immediately grab me, but it grew on me. I prefer the other singles. I love “Discoteca” and “Red Letter Day.” Although I’ve always enjoyed the B-sides, the ones from Bilingual were especially good in my opinion. I probably have played this album the least, but I do like it.
I was fortunate enough to pick these up when they were originally released. They all feature a few gems I didn’t have. If nothing else, I’d recommend them for the booklets where Chris & Neil reminisce about the album and songs. I find the books highly entertaining and informative.
Looking forward to Behaviour and Very, both wonderful things (apart from Go West, which I really do not like). Bilingual is the only PSB I like no songs on, although I can just about handle Discoteca. The rest ————— my ears are bleeding. It’s their equivalent of Depeche Modes Exciter album for me. I remember being so gutted when I played it and was even more gutted to sill feel the same after living with it for a month. Some good B Sides from that era though. I loved Confidential.
@Nigel D Day, you should give The Survivors from Bilingual another try. It’s not soooo far away from the Behavious stuff…
Why is the v long version of this must be the place not included?
Simply because they chose not to include it back in 2001. It’s a good old fashion PROPER rarity that; never issued anywhere other than on the 3″ CD single that came with the Japanese CD of Behaviour back in 1990. The Jealousy CD single had a 7-minute edit of the 9 minute version.
Isn’t this the mix that Neil once said didn’t exist when a fan asked him about it? I can’t find anything online to back that up but I’m sure I read it somewhere.
Not sure. But as someone else mentioned they must have forgotten about it, because it should have been a slam-dunk for the ‘Further Listening’ disc. They aren’t infallible – they forgot about the 10″ Mix of West End Girls as well for the Please bonus disc.
Can anyone detect any improvement in the mastering of PLEASE, ACTUALLY and INTROSPECTIVE?
I know the 2001 editions were very loud but so are the new ones, and my ears can’t tell them apart.
You have got to wonder why the same mastering engineer on the 2001 remasters Tim Young would go to the bother of remastering these again instead of just using the same remasters which to my ears he has done just that. The only thing positive i can say about these is it’s good they have been reissued for people who never got them first time around for the rest of us who bought these originally they are a waste of time with no effort put into them at all as far as adding extra stuff goes.
I don’t think that “Bilingual” is one of their best albums but I just love “Before” which in my view is the most underrated of their singles. And I’d have loved to see the US 12″ version included, which is mainly an extended version. Fortunately I still have the US CD single from that time.
Paul, any reason that the ‘relentless’ album special edition was not included in the Very re issue ? That’s the better disc in my view.
When the original ‘Further Listening’ sets first came out Very was only 8 years old and I guess the band felt like they should offer something new for bonus material, rather than just re-offer the Relentless limited edition. Obviously, it’s now 25 years old and I agree it would have been nice, but they’ve stuck strictly to their ‘no new bonus material’ rule for these, which is a shame for collectors looking for something new.
I’m surprised Relentless hasn’t resurfaced, as Neil said something back in 1994 along the lines of not really thinking ‘Disco 2’ was much good, and it would have been better to re-release Relentless instead. Or something.
Never mind. I got the rubber CD double-pack for £20 from Mister CD back in the late 90s, and then got Neil and Chris to sign it when I worked with them (once) a few years later.
Great news ! I’ll finally have the Very and Bilingual albums on vinyl !
Can we say that PSB ever released a bad album ? You can love more or less one album but the quality is always there.
To speak of this period, I think 90’s were their best years for me ! Bilingual was just a masterpiece, I love it more than Behaviour and Very offered us the PSB 2.0 we didn’t know yet ! Everything was a concept with Very and it contains my favorite PSB track ever “Yesterday When I Was Mad”.
What is good with PSB is that I’m always waiting for new releases as it was their first release, they are so clever in everything they do ! They are not doing music but ART !
Long live to Neil and Chris !
The back half of Nightlife and most of Elysium beg to differ, IMO… The quality is usually up there, and each record undoubtedly holds classics even when they’re among their worst. But I have a hard time listening to Nightlife all the way through without skipping some of the duds, and most of Elysium just bores to be frank. To each their own!
I totally agree on Nightlife. Elysium has a few heavy clunkers distributed across the disc, but the rest of Elysium is up there with Behaviour in my opinion. Replace Winner with the short version of the Andrew Dawson mix (also used on the last tour) and skip Hold On. That being said, the segue of Ego Music to Hold On is about their best and most dramatic ever. So perfect. I just wished the two tracks weren’t on there. :)
Paul, I’m a Behaviour lover as well. Favorite PSB tune of all time, easily My October Symphony. Stunning. I’ve got the originals of these 2xcd sets so I’m good.
Very is pop awesome. Bilingual is latin awesome. Behaviour is downtempo awesome. It was their awesome period, following the imperial period.
I didn’t like ‘Behaviour’ or ‘So Hard’ when they first came out but both have matured into classics. Enjoyed ‘Very’ (even more so ‘Very Relentless’ but apart from a few brilliant tracks ‘Bilingual’ left me cold (and still does… hated the whole ‘latin’ phase).
Behaviour was Pet Shop Boys stepping into their ‘schizophrenic Phase’ ‘Are we The Beatles, The Ricky Martins, The Show-Tuners, The Ballet Boys, The Brit-poppers… it took a long time to come out of that…. with Fundamental.
It’s times like this when I wish I wasn’t a Pet Shop Boys completist, albeit just CDs. Of all the Pet Shop Boys CDs I’ve bought over the years, and there are a lot, these reissues, along with the Please/Actually/Introspective ones, are the most pointless. I couldn’t really tell any difference between the new Please and the old one (or the old ‘new’ one I should say). It’s selfish, as I know a lot of people didn’t get copies of the original releases and are excited about them, but I wish they hadn’t released these!
But I’ll get them, to avoid a little gap in my (ultimately pointless unless I can get one of the kids into their music!) collection. I just wish it had been a deluxe version of Please with everything on and a book/Blu Ray/etc, as I’d rather have spent my £90 on that.
Oh the first world problems of an obsessive record collector!
Or an obsessive CD collector ;)
After finding Relentless on LP many years ago, I can finally get Very!
Great! I have the originals but oddly, Very is mis-pressed and the second CD plays a ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ album, I never got around to replacing it because by the time I’d bought the thing, it was already out of print so I just downloaded the digital version.
Weird but it’s saying Pledgemusic licensing not available in US for the CD bundles. I ordered the last three through Pledgemusic in the US. Does this eventually get updated?