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

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.

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?

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.

No Marshall Jefferson mix of being Boring?

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.

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…

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.

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

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

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…

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.

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.

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

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.

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”

“Whereas with Very it felt like they were trying to hard.”
I think you meant to say “Too hard.”

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.

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!

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.

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.

Why is the v long version of this must be the place not included?

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.

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.

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 !

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!

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?