Actually

With their second album, Actually, the Pet Shop Boys perfected their melodic, detached dance-pop. Where most of Please was dominated by the beats, the rhythms on Actually are part of a series of intricate arrangements that create a glamorous but disposable backdrop for Neil Tennant's tales of isolation, boredom, money, and loneliness. Not only are the arrangements more accomplished, but the songs themselves are more striking, incorporating a strong sense of melody, as evidenced by "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," a duet with Dusty Springfield. Tennant's lyrics are clever and direct, chronicling the lives and times of urban, lonely, and bored yuppies of the late '80s. And the fact that dance-pop is considered a disposable medium by most mainstream critics and listeners only increases the reserved emotional undercurrent of Actually, as well as its irony.

Skipping the first song on re-listens really added a star or two on this. I wonder how much impact the opening song on an album has on the ratings on this site. Sometimes it feels like a lot to listen to one new album every day, so first impressions really have to count. One More Chance is just so cheesy. The first 30 seconds sounds like an ad for babbys first sampler. Did that squeaky "ehh" sound really need to survive into the chorus? Past that song though, the album is great. Neil Tennant's vocals are always awesome. Distinctive and expressive without being showy. Pop songs are often in minor keys these days, but I feel like that was less common in the 80s (I might be wrong). The fairly sombre vocals combined with the accessible backdrops feel like a smiling friendly man waving you inside, only to regale you with sad tales of privatisation, religious repression, financially one-sided relationships, the impact of the focus on personal financial gain over personal relationships, and so on. But his voice is so nice that you stay and listen. This was a rollercoaster ride of "ohh I like the pet shop boys, let's have a listen... oh no this is cheesy and dated... actually this song aint bad, and this one, and this one, wait, is the only bad song the first one? yes actually. oh god thats the album name. Did they mean that? Surely not. Like the album giving you a weird cheesy pop song at the start and then saying... actually... and then giving you awesome song after awesome song. Like the way the chorus in Shopping makes you go, what the fuck is this about, then you read what its... actually... about... christ I'm overthinking this. Album good." Have I talked myself into five stars here? I think I have. Why not hey.

This is very Eighties, but not in a good way for me. Shoutout to "I love you, you pay my rent" as a lyric though.

The eighties were a mistake

5/5 Synthpop and politics are two things I've never thought of before this album, and to be honest I'm blown away! I had thought of synth pop mainly in the vein of one-off, mildly offensive songs like Mr. Roboto, or classic, yet still one-off, songs like Take Me On. There's a certain level of melancholy in Actually that pairs very well in opposition to the upbeat tone and... poppiness of synth pop as a genre. I found Rent to be particularly effective at this, with its short, cutting lyrics about unequal power dynamics paired with synth beats. The unmistakable critiques of British politics (ye olde Margaret Thatcher) and capitalism of the 1980s are also really interesting. It Couldn't Happen Here could easily be viewed as an analogy to the Sinclair Lewis book It Can't Happen Here, except with Thatcher in the driver's seat. Shopping also criticizes industrial privatization. Then there's also the gay subtext in songs like Its a Sin. The production of this album is very clean and in my opinion, its held up quite well. The lyrics are interesting, the instrumentals are varied (love the trombone/trumpet use) so the album doesn't feel too same-y, and a lot of the songs are quite catchy. This album is both highly accessible for members of the public, but also interesting from an analytical standpoint, and I find that that is a really rare and beautiful thing.

What Have I Done to Deserve This?

Lively and likable.

This album came out when I was 19. I had it on cassette and played it all the time in those days. It is one of the soundtracks to my college years, as well as a wonderful document of Britain in the the late 80s with its subtle references to Thatcherism. Having spent some time with Dusty Springfield's wonderful music in this project, I am so happy that this album helped to bring her back into the spotlight (and that Dusty in Memphis was Neil Tennant's favourite album!) I love the synth-pop sound, the dancy tracks, and the emotions in this. An absolute favorite then and now.

There's a lot of good vibes to this, really love their sound and especially the production. The singing is a little bit so and so, but i really enjoy it. Hit Music is infectious and funky, probably my favorite track off the whole album. 9/10 Best tracks: One More Chance, What Have I Done To Deserve This?, Rent, Hit Music, It's A Sin, Heart. Worst track: Shopping

Nice, dancey. Very on-par with Depeche Mode without being as dark. Love the Dusty Springfield duet. Favorite tracks: "I Want to Wake Up", "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", "It's a Sin"

Kinda shit

Boy, that really didn't age well, did it? Gross.

One of the better synth pop excursions on this list. These dudes are fucking weird. I dig it.

You cannot convince me this isnt a parody album of Britpop. Heavy Synth sounds and decent music, but the vocals are almost nonsensical. Particularly the Shopping-Rent-Hit Music run in the middle. The fact that Shopping is often used on British Shopping Channels makes it seem like the song was produced for that purpose rather than the song coming first.

Amazing.

PSB were a guilty pleasure overheard that I refused to recognise back when I believed synthesisers weren’t real instruments and guitars had to be everywhere. The music is well poised, economical without being sparse, the dramatic moments popping; lyrics are calculatedly ambiguous, yet sharp as heck, and it turns out I have a thing for Tennant’s voice. This is thrilling music, the singles bringing a chill but more unexpectedly the rest having heft, purpose and hooks. They invented their own universe, something they share with the rest of the best here. Old me was a foolish child - looks like he has lots of companions here!

Another youthful favorite, faithfully taped from the local library, from when chart music was various, eminent and fascinating. Has retained its majesty (esp. the biggies "Rent", "It's A Sin", "Heart" and the Dusty number) although the opener is a weird choice; tack on the faultless hi-NRG "Always On My Mind" cover for the VIP experience (I've awarded the ultimate Xmas #1 to RATM elsewhere, but this really deserves it instead). Excellent soundtrack on the Walkman while reading Agatha Christie, surely a 5* qualification? Nostalgic wink also to the Carter USM cover of "Rent"; "..Fulham Broadway..", oh you wags

Fantastic dance tracks, scathing political commentary. Who knew satire could work in a song. Neil Tennant’s dry delivery just makes it - this proves two men and a synth can accomplish so much. I embraced them from when I first heard West End Girls in 1984. Apparently that was a hit in France and Belgium, which makes sense now because I was dancing to it in a Parisian nightclub in 1985. Me and my friend were the only ones who knew every word because we were the only British people there. The French kids did know the chorus though. But I digress! The beats, the delivery - every tune has impact. I think most people know It’s a Sin from the recent TV series, even people who weren’t there in the 80s. So that’s been given a much-appreciated revival. I’m not gonna deny that it sounds very 80s, but I don’t find that a derogatory comment. This album encapsulate the British political and emotional climate of the time and I can listen to those tunes even now and get carried away!

The Pet Shop Boys came to my attention in 1986 with the album Please. I loved that album. But their release of 1987 of this album is what made me a huge fan. This is 80s perfection. I love every song on this album. From the absolutely phenomenal “It’s A Sin” to the sad elegy “It Couldn’t Happen Here”, this album mixes politics and personal stories deeply into these incredible electronic dance creations. One of the finest albums from the Pet Shop Boys, and one of the finest albums from the 80s, or any decade for that matter.

oh heck yeah. this is the new wave sound that i love and have been waiting for! actually is the definition of moody new wave. the lyrics and the tone of the music make it dark, but there's quite a beat throughout the album. it must the disco vibes! so many songs are just so catchy. "heart" and "hit music" embody that disco feeling! and how absolutely wonderful dusty springfield lended her voice for the "what have i done to deserve this?" duet. pet shop boys and dusty springfield are an unusual combination but one that paid off big. i've been looking forward to the pet shop boys on this list, and i'm so thrilled i was not disappointed. i do get nervous submitting 5s but i do know i will come back to this album and enjoy it more and more. final note: the album cover is such, such a mood.

Massive bias here, I already love the Pet Shop Boys. Dance music with a degree in Dostoevsky was never not going to appeal to my pretentiousness. The fact they can write about such bleak subject matter and not sound like your standard miserabalists is GENIUS. And the lyrics!

It's my guilty secret that I can't help but like PSBs and this is my favourite. I bought it at the time and even went to see them in the 90's (with my girlfriend as cover). All 10 songs are of the highest quality- production, beat and style. The lyrics conjure up a glamourous and often sordid 80's highlife. It's unashamed and catchy.

"What Have I Done to Deserve This?" is a pop masterpiece. Overall, the synths were immaculate, and this is the peak of '80s dance-pop. What a catchy, poignant and ridiculously calming (for the soul) record. Except "Shopping". That was not the greatest thing.

Practically perfect synth pop. "It's A Sin" alone is worth price of admission, but everything else is so blissful and bouncy. Bravo!

This is a masterpiece of electronic pop/dance music. The undertone here is often melancholic, but even then with a hauting, yet melodious vibe. Still, there is variation between songs - listening through this gem never gets boring. We can find some well-known PSB songs from the 80s here (It's a Sin, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, Rent, Heart), but the lesser known songs are good as well, including two especially beautiful ballads (King's Cross/It couldn't happen here). This album is a classic. 5/5

Five classic pop-singles + five very strong other tracks - clearly one of the best albums of the 80s.

What Have I Done to Deserve This Album? Love It ❤🌈

One of my favorite bands. Love it.

So good. Owned this. So good so good so good.

Major game piece! Catchiness and fun, lyrical power and greay overall! Still getting covered by newer artists today

one of my fav albums now. amazing

Yes, actually a 5.

PERFECTION

Cracking debut from the lads. Four number one singles, some classic pop tunes. Excellent!

Okay that one song still slaps

It's a sin not to like this album

Great - very of its time, and evocative. Will listen again!

Nice

Didn’t expect to, but really got a kick out of this album! The beats were great, I found myself moving along to it in the kitchen - and the jabs at the privatization of the UK and Thatcherism were like a little cherry on top. Enjoyed meaning behind a genre often focused on partying - at least from what I know as a mostly outsider to electronic and dance.

Classic synth-pop album, full of hits. It couldn't happen here and the last two are great, plus the Dusty track, and It's A Sin one of the best synth tracks of the 80's.

Very Pet Shop Boys start to finish. Some gems on this album, but ultimately, this album exists in a very specific time in history and doesn't really hold up in the modern music world (that sounds more negative than I mean it). A number of the songs get a little repetitive and drone on for a little too long, but the themes and emotions throughout are relatable and at times hard hitting.

I liked this more than earlier PSB. What have I what have I what have I done to deserve this? I liked it!

No West End Girls? Still, pretty cool. I feel like I’m in a Delorian on my way to pick up some Ludes after a long day of day trading. Seriously though, this has a Pure 80s vibe and is solid all the way through. There are remnants of lot of what the Pet Shop Boys did here.

The expressions on the album cover aptly match the sound of the music.

You actually smell the 80’s

yawning on the album cover: funny and kinda cool album cover picturing the correct reaction to every song: not cool music: hated. (⌐■_■)

[on the phone with the manager of the pet shop] “Yeah I was just wondering, what’s your return policy for boys?”

I'm the guy on the right

Pet Shop Boys don’t do it for me

Only reason it got 2 stars was for “It’s a Sin”. The yawning on the cover is an accurate depiction of the album overall.

It's a sin indeed. 10 seconds in I already felt the urge to turn it off. Came out of it with only two half-decent songs, salvaging a second star.

I could see this being fun to listen to if I were a completely different person with a completely different music taste

I’ve always hated this band’s music. This sounds like someone dancing in your face when you’re in a bad mood, saying ‘come and daaaaance’ when your face is clearly telling them to fuck off. Annoying.

This was SO hard to get through. 'Actually' was a dated snooze-fest that barely held my interest throughout what felt like a terribly long listen (although this isn't long at all compared to some of the albums I have received so far on this list). To sum up my feelings on this one, all you need to do is look at the album cover as the yawning was a perfect representation of how I felt going through this album. I was just constantly unimpressed by anything on here. None of the instrumentals stood out to me as it just seemed like generic 80's synth-pop throughout with no catchy hooks. I also did not enjoy the singer's voice at all; while he has a unique tone, I found it pretty irritating and noticed that he sang every type of song the exact same way. The combination between annoying vocals and boring music ended up making this feel like a parody of everything it was trying to be which is about the worst thing I can say about an album from this genre. This is not an album that I can recommend anyone check out, and I am not sure how it can deserve a spot on this list at all. 'Actually' is the weakest album I have listened to so far. 1.5/5. NOTE: I went to check this one off of my list and saw that there are 3(!) Pet Shop Boys albums on this list. How?!?!?

Fun

So glad Neil Tennant took the bet. I know this was the period he was playing with the idea of being a popstar, but this album is an icon of my childhood.

This was delicious. I loved it.

Brilliant album. Great vibe, no skips, and some obvious brilliant highlights.

Very cute and fun 80's!

Absolutely loved!

There is not one bad song on this album.

This album was awesome. All synth, but not nearly as cheesy as some other synth pop from the era. The music is interesting with some pretty unique structures. Rent is an easy standout on this album for me, but What Have I Done to Deserve This? and It's a Sin are really cool too. I thoroughly enjoyed this listen.

Still very impressive

The best album of my favourite pop band. Wish i could give it 10 out of 5

What da fåk... Det her album fungere virkelig godt! Igen... Jeg har aldrig brudt mig om Pet Shop Boys... Indtil nu... Det blev gennemlyttet med gode in ears så jeg kunne faktisk nyde den måde tingene er produceret på. Det står klart frem, i modsætning til mine tidligere oplevelser i høreværn, eller et gammelt sterio anlæg. Kæmpe potentiale til at vokse sig endnu større for mig.

Fantastic 80's sound and vibe!!

I know before starting that this is going to be a chore for me. I know this because I was once given a burnt DVD of EVERY PSB track. A sides. B sides. Unreleased bootlegs. TV show performances. Like an idiot I loaded these tracks into my collection, and suddenly about one in five tracks was PSB. They got old very quickly after that. Having listened to it, it wasn't terrible, and wasn't even the chore I was expecting. PSB are pioneering, and have their place in the 80s pantheon.

Många fina låtar. Rent kan vara det bästa de gjort.

Really, really not a fan of the first track, but the rest of the album more than makes up for it. Very 80s. For some reason Pet Shop Boys just hit my personal sweetspot for the mix of upbeat synthpop and undertones of sadness. I love this.

Perfect slice of 80e pop

Loved it!

They're so good. Love all the well-known, popular tracks, of course, but also really liked the beat in the song "Heart".

🖤🖤🖤

The Imperial Phase of the Pet Shop Boys was short, but glorious while it was going on.

Not Actually too bad! No way, it’s FANTASTIC! Standouts: It’s a Sin, What Have I Done To Deserve This, Shopping, Rent, Hit Music, Heart, It Could Only Happen Here, I Want to Wake Up, Kings Cross. 4.5

I’ve been patiently waiting for this album and it didn’t disappoint. I ended up listening to it three times today!!!

Absolutely superb. What an album! Conceptually brilliant, music, brilliant. Love love love .

I loved this! I was already a reasonably big fan of theirs (I have ‘Behaviour’ and ‘Discography’ on CD) but these songs are amazing. Cryptic lyrics about Thatcherism throughout. The ‘80s synths, so often associated with joyous dancing, betray great scope in emotion here, demonstrating the PSBs’ mastery over their craft. The five ‘hidden’ gay songs (Rent, Hit Music, It Couldn’t Happen Here, It’s a Sin and I Want to Wake Up) are also excellent ;) 10/10 Heard before: Rent, It’s a Sin

Iconic album

Para variar la reseña, voy a hacerla más desde lo vivido en noviembre del 2023. Pude verlos en Buenos Aires en el Primavera Sound y todavía tengo el recuerdo fresco de esa noche. En la poca más de una hora en que tocaron, no paré de bailar y de sentir fascinación por ellos: su performance, sus cambios de vestuario, la presencia de otros músicos y el cambio de la escenografía por obreros estilizados en la misma línea que Pet Shop Boys. El sentimiento general fue de estar en presencia de dos "mostras" de la electrónica, de un dúo icónico e hipnotizante, del que sentía que no podía dejar de admirar. Este disco es una muestra pequeña de todo eso.

Absolute classic. What Have I Done to Deserve This? is still perfect. Probably my favourite of theirs outside Left to My Own Devices (specifically the 7" mix). Bonus points for including Dusty. I've actually grown fonder of the Pet Shop Boys with each passing decade, I think for much of the 80s and 90s I found them a bit much. But since then, looking back upon those two very silly decades, this pair's wry side eyes at the madness surrounding them shines through. And obviously, they pop hard. A couple of the album tracks are a bit pap, Shopping and Hit Music spring to mind, but all the others are very good. Heart is amazing. You can say it's dated, but you can also fuck off, lol. I stuck Introspective on straight after this, fully in the mood. I might prefer that actually (in fact) to Actually, given all the songs are really good and I'm a sucker for a 12" mix, especially of 80s stuff. But the single version of Devices is king.

10/10

I gave the other 2 psb albums a 4 This is better This gets a 5

I'm not the biggest fan of Pet Shop Boys, but I guess everyone has to admit that this album is an absolute excellent piece of music in the highest quality available. Amazing album, great songs, will recommend to anyone!

What Have I Done to Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield), Rent, It's a Sin, Heart. Se merecen un 5.

I’m not a big Pet Shop Boys listener. But this was a great listen all the way through. Lyrically interesting, sonically interesting. Great record.

Pleasantly surprised how amazing this album is. Looking forward to digging into their discography further. Synth pop perfection

I love this album. It's one of the great examples of a techno pop album that functions beautifully as a whole. Every song is perfectly placed and there's not much in the way of filler. It's really a total package of an album, one of the greats of its genre. Several of the Pet Shop Boys' best songs appear on here, including "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," "It's a Sin," and "Rent," but there are some really compelling deep tracks as well. The whole album is a sly political statement about the emptiness of the age in which it was made, much of it still resonating today. I promise you, there were not a lot of pop artists occupying this particular space in music in 1987. Musically, the arrangements are top notch, with a smart, textured use of sequencing and some really lovely melodies. Neil Tennant's approach to vocals suits the tone of the songs beautifully. He comes off as jaded and detached, but then he has these lovely, surprising moments of vulnerability that add well-placed emotional depth to the sound. These are songs that speak evocatively of decadence, ennui, longing and regret, in ways that few artists can do. And all of that with a perfect pop sensibility. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): It's a Sin, Rent, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, It Couldn't Happen Here, I Want to Wake Up, Heart, King's Cross, One More Chance, Shopping, Hit Music

Nostalgia and power pop just great.

So much of this was familiar, even though I've never set out to listen to the band. It's just such a clear and obvious sound and, you know, pretty good - better than I was expecting I think. A lot better. And there are some damn fine bangers on here - and not just the singles that everyone of my age would have absorbed from the ether somehow or another. In particular I'd forgotten how good a tune Rent is - love the vocal and the brass sort of sound going on. And then Heart as well, which had me dancing around my kitchen. The opener is proper dance music too, and Dusty's vocals just work beautifully on What Have I Done. On first and second listens I wasn't such a fan of the rather slower It Couldn't Happen Here - seems an odd way to start side 2 (back in the day when it would almost certainly have involved turning the vinyl or cassette over) when you've got It's a Sin hidden behind it. But even that's growing on me with repeated listens. Maybe it's the extra bit of variety the album needs to set it up as really very good? This is just the perfect soundtrack for being 18 that I never realised that I had. To put this in context, I’d have been listening to exclusively guitar rock in 1987, probably involving men with long hair, but this just sums up that period perfectly. Great cover too, and I love the comma. Very clever, even now. Actually. My other half came in from work when I was halfway through listening to this and seems to know all the words to all the songs, despite claiming she's never brought a copy of the album and never listened to it - she assumed they were all singles. Maybe someone in authority has been pumping this out while we've been sleeping? Or it's on so many soundtracks that we've just absorbed it somehow. Catchy as hell might help as well. Jolly good - pleased I listened to this. I'd listen to it again certainly, and at one point I had it as a solid 4, but it's too good for that. I'm not sure what the 18-year old me would think about giving this a five - probably be vaguely appalled. But what the fuck do 18 year olds know?

Excellent pop album with some great songs throughout. Of it’s type rarely beaten.

Slay

Classic 80’s pet shop boys. No west end girls but fun tracks

This is a good one

Bangers, all the way down.

Pure proud pop.

please

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It's a Sin and One More Chance are such banger songs. Even besides that, the album is pretty dang good.

Such a rich mix of politics and electro-pop, total joy to listen too.