Actually

Heard Before? Only the singles. Notes: - REALLY sags in the middle. - they truly are the poets of MIDI horns. never has "orchestra hit" been used so lovingly. - "i love you / you pay my rent" = dream relationship. - drum programming is very exciting, with a great palette of sounds. - "One More Chance" is my all time favorite PSB song. Verdict: It's synth! It's pop! It's the Pet Shop Boys! Listen Again? Not the whole thing, but I saved a few songs.

Errands: The Album. These folks are fine but after this project I’m okay with never hearing Pet Shop Boys again.

So so. A so so batch of tunes.

I actually considered giving this a four! In the last, Pet Shop Boys have been my guide for identifying a type of music I don’t usually like. And them being it is apparently for a good reason. They’re good at it! Still not a fan, but this album at least gets the 3.

My dad approves

Favorite: It's a sin I love this album so much

Fun dance/synth pop, much more up my alley. Rent is hilarious.

Super fun 80s synth work. Lovely listen

It was good but realistically im not going to listen again. Some were mega cheesy too.

A lot of filler but bookend tracks were good, solid vibes throughout but missing substance

I think I referred the best Dusty Springfield song before. Now I get to talk about it. The boys of pet are masters of the talk-sing, deeply mired in the electro. It's sort of impressive how much more complete their songs feel, even despite being dated, than the average modern programmer. It sits right between minimalism and maximalism. And “What Have I Done To Deserve This?” really shows off how it can be done to good effect. It becomes almost an unintentional my fair lady duet, Dusty taking the Doolittle role, Tennant the Higgins. Dusty sounds surprisingly comfortable in the context for someone who got big on saccharine renditions of Black music, and she feels like she has properly grown into her always sort of older vibe, but also they cut back to some basic bouncy chords under her verses, which allows her voice, smokier with age, to inhabit the verses, from the simple lines to the asides to the iconic “How am i gonna get through?” tag. It ends up being a pretty solid 80s pop song, and a highlight of both careers. The other hit here is “it's a sin,” which even today I hear and think it's going to be an 80s synth blare cover of “wild world.’ ooh baby baby, it's a sin. The verses, without fail, bring my brain there. Otherwise the difficulty with the Pet Shop Boys is it is often hard to know exactly when they're being serious. In some of this, it should be obvious… “i love you, you pay my rent” isn't a statement you write without awareness of the cynicism and superficiality of it, but singing it serious as a heart attack over the soullessness of synths, it's harder to suss out, even sandwiched between songs like “shopping” and “hit music.” The PSBs are tuned into the wild consumerism and irreality of the 80s. They are both critiquing it and creating it. It's a weird dichotomy, camp demanding to be taken seriously. Because really, what is anything this relentlessly synthwashed but camp? How could anything this devoid of a human element survive without the camp? Look to the way too serious It Couldn't Happen Here, which feels like it could be sincerely trying to make a statement, but that general matte finish over the whole thing leaves it lacking compared to the other work across the album. This is music that needs a snark or a sneer or a robotic carnival vibe to maintain order, like a too rich cake screaming out for some cream or some sharpness. Its a ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another that has never really moved me and still doesn’t.

3.5

After a while that all just started to sound the same

Peak 80s stuff and the political commentary is just the cherry on top. Dancing to melancholic tunes disguised as synth-pop. Favorites: It's a Sin, One More Chance, It Couldn't Happen Here, What Have I Done to Deserve This?

전체적으로 평범한 느낌이었다. Overall, it felt ordinary.

Fun pop record. I like. We'll say it has an average amount of merit.

Another great but not super memorable album from them

Pretty freaking good. Thought it was going to be a bit bland at the beginning, but I was pleasantly surprised. Also, the dudes look like people I know. Like straight up.

I will admit that Pet Shop Boys are a synth-pop group that I've barely listened to in the past, including the single "It's a Sin" off this record. At the height of their career, they seemed to present themselves as a more highbrow take on the genre, and I certainly got that notion from listening to Actually. Neil Tennant's vocals are rather expressive in his upper register without coming off as too abrasive against Chris Lowe's glistening keys, and further bolstered by the solid production. There are some truly catchy melody lines that Lowe composed for most of the record, including the jaunty hook of "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" and the pompous orchestra hits of "It's a Sin". Not to mention, the duo had some genuinely inspiring outside help, between the duet with Dusty Springfield on the aforementioned "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" that recaptured her glory days, and the ethereal string arrangements that Ennio Morricone lent to them for "It Couldn't Happen Here". As for the lyrical content, Tennant and Lowe certainly provided striking social commentary balanced with musing on personal relationships. The fervent desire to find that special someone amidst the paranoia on "One More Chance", the struggles in pursuing both a love life and financial gain on "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", the transactional relationship dissected in "Rent", the unexpected impact of the AIDS crisis in the U.K. on "It Couldn't Happen Here", the poignant critique of Tennant's Catholic upbringing and education on "It's a Sin", the comparisons drawn between unrequited love and a bad dream on "I Want to Wake Up", and the absolute scorn towards Thatcherism in showing the damage done to the common folk on "King's Cross"; all of these songs came off surprisingly profound. Even the straightforward love song "Heart" elicited strong passion with Tennant's poetic words about these two different lovers' hearts coming together for this high-energy dance. Though I have to admit that there were a few songs that I wasn't as into. Of the songs on here that aimed squarely at the UK government under Margaret Thatcher, "Shopping" is definitely the weakest, as the corny spelling of the titular word on the hook severely undercuts the critique of industry privatization. Also, "Hit Music" unfortunately didn't do much for me, in taking inspiration from Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme to make rather rote observations of how music on the radio can have a communal effect on people. Overall, I do consider Actually to be an enjoyable record. It certainly made me look forward to the other Pet Shop Boys included in the books.

7/10

"Actually" is a crisp, finely crafted landmark of 1980s synth-pop. Across the record, the production remains sonically vivid, striking a careful balance between driving dance anthems and quiet, reflective ballads. Lyrically, the album shines: Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe seamlessly weave sharp, observant social commentary into memorable melodies and insistent dance rhythms. Released during Thatcher’s Britain, tracks such as 'Rent', 'It Couldn't Happen Here', 'Shopping' - a cleverly masked commentary disguised as a bright pop song - and the poignant 'King's Cross' ground the record in the socio-political reality of its era. These ground-level narratives sit comfortably alongside direct, uplifting pop tracks like "Heart" and "Hit Music". Newer listeners might miss some of these original contextual nuances - I hope not. The centrepiece remains 'It's a Sin', which tackles the guilt of a Catholic upbringing with remarkable theatrical power and bombast. This is closely followed by "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" with Dusty Springfield - the contrast between Tennant's dry, spoken-style verses and Springfield's soulful, dramatic chorus creates an effective sweet and sour dynamic, supported by a sophisticated pop arrangement. At its core, Actually is an exceptional pop record that remains as compelling today as it was upon its release. - Five stars. For those that want to explore more I would recommend the two disc 2018 remaster - "Actually: Further Listening 1987 - 1988". This has remixes and demo versions that are very much worth listening to. Side one 1 "One More Chance" (5/5) 2 "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" (with Dusty Springfield) (5/5) 3 "Shopping" (5/5) 4 "Rent" (5/5) 5 "Hit Music" (4/5) Side two 6 "It Couldn't Happen Here" (4/5) 7 "It's a Sin" (5/5) 8 "I Want to Wake Up" (4/5) 9 "Heart" (5/5) 10 "King's Cross" (5/5) Total - 47 Average - 4.7 402/1001 209/402 albums reviewed were new to me.

Pet Shop Boys is the ultimate singles band, so their most essential release is 'Discography: The Complete Singles Collection'. 'Actually' is still very good, and 'Behaviour' is even better.

Once again falling squarely in the middle of the road camp for me. It's a Sin being the only track I knew beforehand and that because of the Ghost cover. I didn't think it opened strong with One More Chance being one of the weaker tracks on the album. Doubt I'd give this another listen as I already had It's A Sin pulled out to the playlist and wasn't struck by anything else hard enough to want to revisit it.

The Pet Shop Boys continue to produce good-quality, reliable, danceable synth-pop. I don't know that I needed to hear three albums of it (so far) before I die, but it's a perfectly good album in a genre that doesn't excite me.

FUN

Maybe it because I have had too many whiny British dudes in a row, but I didn’t really like this outside of the Dusty song. 2 stars

Actually pretty good.

3,5

As a teenager coming of age in the 80s the Pet Shop Boys were always in the Championship for me. They never did enough to garner promotion to the Premiere League but were not bad enough to face relegation to whatever the third tier is. While this is a decent album it could never measure up to the classics of that era from the Smiths, the Cure or New Order. I guess set against the backdrop of Thatcher it is a brave and honest reflection of their worldview but I never fully vibed with the singing and delivery of PSB outside of West End Girls.

Pleasant. Nothing to write home anout

It was okay, but I did not save anything for the future.

There is someone, likely born in 1965, who probably goes up for this album. Unfortunately this is not me. It's an interesting album reflective of the time but consequently missed the mark in being timeless. The good songs prop this album up big time. "I Want To Wake Up" is a legitimate song that I will actually go back to. But most parts of this album are just not for me. Highlight: I Want To Wake Up

Never really been a fan of Neil Tennant’s voice, but they had some hits that I quite liked (What Have I Done To Deserve This? and It’s A Sin are pretty good on here) but I doubt I’d ever really indulge in a Best Of collection of theirs. I can admire them as distinctive but I would struggle to justify them as iconic enough to be on the 1001 list.

i like pet shop boys, but this was an album where i found myself more drawn to the tracks i already knew than anything else on the album.

I love 80s synths! My exposure to Pet Shop Boys is limited to what I heard on the radio as a kid, and having listened to the album now, I realize I have been missing out. More of this album and more of the duo's albums will be in my future ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s new wave, it’s fine. Interesting vocals and the singles stand out, but a lot of the background music blends together.

RATING: 8.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: It's a Sin LOWLIGHT: I Want to Wake Up

Niente di speciale.

This had some interesting stuff going on, but a little too 80s for my taste.

Another 80s synth-pop album that I’ll never listen to again. A few good songs, pretty catchy at times, but much of the record bored me with its blandness. After the singles, I couldn’t latch onto anything, I just don’t really enjoy music like this. I’ll give it a low 3/5, it was better than the noise rock album, but not by much. We need to stop revering the 80s.

it's not as boring as Neil Tennant makes it look like. Same as most Pet Shop Boys Albums: some really good songs and some are just filler for me

2 stars

Hij vindt zijn eigen plaat ook nogal slaapverwekkend. Zegt mevrouw Boe.

Some really good songs ! But I don’t really like some other.. anyways I’m glad I discovered it !

Hat mich damals schon nicht überzeugt

Skipped first track... after that it was better. 3/5

3.5 Pleasant and moody. It’s not exactly my tempo, but I totally see why some people vibe with the Pet Shop Boys hard. There’s four or five songs here I could see myself returning to.

A few good songs

80s bullshit nonsense

Solid 80’s synth pop. Can’t go wrong with a Dusty Springfield duet

It is fun to listen to, but not really my genre...

I don't know, man—I love 80s dance music! I found this to be a fun and thoroughly intriguing first listen; the second half is especially stacked. After doing a bit of research, I realized that I definitely missed quite a bit of the social commentary on songs like "It Couldn't Happen Here" and "Shopping," so I'm excited to re-listen and see if my appreciation changes. The production is obviously dated (distractingly so, at times), but I think the experience ultimately adds up to an accessible synth pop album with plenty of heart. Fav Tracks: One More Chance, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, It's a Sin, I Want to Wake Up, King's Cross Least Fav: It Couldn't Happen Here Score: 7

I really only know Pet Shop Boys song “West End Girls”. That’s all I like from them.

Got another Pet Shop Boys album less than a week ago and was pleasantly surprised. Well, I got another one now and this one's even better. Gave Behaviour 4/5 so I guess I have to give this a 5/5 then. Played it twice today and I think it definitely deserves it though.

I wrote this band off years ago. Always thought they were a bit posh Have to admit I was wrong and perhaps didn't get it. Loved this album, it's really well recorded, sounds great. Going to give it a second listen tomorrow. 4/5

Decent pop album, very typical of the 80’s. Feels like it should have been bang in between 3* and 4 *. Favourites: It’s a Sin and What Have I Done To Deserve This.

Never really got into these cats.

Occasionally cool but mostly not for me.

Blind album, know the artist. Pretty much what I expected. Was never a huge fan of the group but respect the work they do. 3

Felt a bit like the gentleman on the right… What a snoozer!

ok pet shop boys hani mol ghasst wells SO CHEESY isch aber eigentli hends ebe meeega ihren sound und s isch irgendwie chli cool und zum teil sogar no funky. ersti zwei songs sind würkli sehr cool au wenns etz nöd meega mitrissed. what have i done to deserve this kenni und s macht huere spass sehr catchy super coole beat und bass. ES ISCH D DUSTY SPRINGFIELD WHAT STIMMT. automatisch en stern meh. ich find s wird chli weniger exciting mit de ziit und s wär eig e 3 aber ich han gseit en stern meh weg de dusty denn gits de. vier.

hahaha iwie bini z müed aber au ultra ready für en morge mit pet shop boys AHHH shopping kenni glaub so oder so iwie mega en spassige song iwie isch rent mega schön? sini klari und sanfti stimm passt super it couldn't happen here ischmer chli zuuu langsam und apathisch it's a sin isch en geile song zum ide duschi singe iwie au det schochli s thema vo (homo)sexualität, cool! ahh de beat vo heart kenni iwie mega hahaha es isch aggressively 80er ich han scho easy spass gha und jaa sini stimm gfalltmer iwie mega fest. leider isch au villes chli ah mier verbii. guets 3

Not bad for a 6AM drive to Richmond!

Was nice but nothing really stood out to me.

Not my favorite, but still an interesting look at Thatcherism

I don't know, I love the 80's music but I wouldn't go to them for it

Hey, I liked it. A little dated maybe, but so inspiring that these two went from working at a pet shop to being a global musical sensation. 3.9

I would happily have lived two lives without hearing the Pet Shop Boys. 1 star or F.

Okei

The Pet Shop Boys are fucking awesome hahaha. Everything just sounds so groovy and ALIVE! What Have I Done To Deserve This is a legendary track, no doubt about it.

Synthpop is such an easy genre to enjoy. It's like eating candy. It's sweet and colorful, and it makes you want to dance and do cartwheels, and you know it has no nutritive value but it doesn't matter. So, anyway, that was pretty good.

Well I enjoyed this a lot more than expected. My expectations were low having grown up with parents who do not listen to Pet Shop Boys and never gave me a reason to. It has moments of being a bit too cheesy 80s for my taste, but songs like Rent and One More Chance make me glad to have heard this.

***A good easy listening album

Some 80s pop gold amongst a heap of lightweight synth pop nonsense.

1/1

a good album actually i loved the vibe

meh

Meh

There are only two possible reactions to this album, and they are both depicted on the album cover. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing

i think at this point i can conclude im not a fan of the pet shop boys. this was incredibly boring

My favorite Pet Shop Boys album yet on this list - nice that they evolved out of being insanely 80s later but... if anyone should be 80s it is the Pet Shop Boys. Less "cool" than the later albums but much brighter and more fun and the sillier music contrasts better with the spoken word vocals.

I warmed up to this. The first track bumped me the wrong way, and the more exuberant ones were still not quite my thing, but a few ("King's Cross," "It's a Sin") were excellent. Nice find!

Another Pet Shop Boys album. Some good songs here the singles mainly, but again the actually electronic sound is too simple, 3 Heard before? Some Owned: No, 94/355 (26%) Will I get: No

4.5, rounding up

Good.

A couple of crackers on here as they honed their sophistipop sound.

It's most definitely of an era, or maybe it helped define the era. Either way still good

A great piece of 80s pop but with the undercurrent of critiquing Thatcher's Britain. Excellent production, 2 #1 singles. 4.5*

I love you, you pay my rent

ACTUALLY really good

mentally in a 80s club rn, definitely not bad, probably wont revisit though, saved 0/10

Charming, but not that good

This was actually a pretty nice album. I think that the vibes that it had were pretty modern, as music like that became available a bit after this, possibly. Overall, it was nice having it in the background, not too bad.

I enjoyed this, but it fit in with all the other 80s pop.

Fuck it, I enjoyed it quite a bit

Fun album, only subpar song is the first one

This album for me was mostly enjoyable and was a lesson in the fact that the 80's; despite its style tropes and the hate it garners, can be good to sn extent. The wall of sound used to enhance all the little intricacies in the album is incredibly proficient. The melodies and vocal styling were at times really impressive and stand out. And of course its not a perfect 5 star album but working within what was popular and useful technologies at the time. This album is a bit of a stand out in that it isn't total chud.

Great album - banger after banger. Favourite track: It’s a Sin

It took me far too long to realise how special Pet Shop Boys are. Severely underrated synth pop.

I love the 80s, I'm sure I was there in my previous life, and this is the personification of that era. No West Side Girls, but this album was a real treat, there is not a single one I would skip, and most will save in my playlist. Remarkable: What Have I Done To Deserve This, Shopping, It's A Sin ofc, Heart and King's Cross

Wasn’t a huge fan at the time, but this is a quality album - almost a 5

This is the type of pop music from this era that I can get behind. There is darkness lurking underneath those danceable beats. Neil Tennant sings about his experiences as a gay man in Thatcher's Britain. On "Shopping", he shows off the group's self awareness as they attack the privatisation of Britain under the guise of a pop song that sounds like a celebration of capitalism. Dumping on Catholicism has never sounded as good as it does on earworm "It's A Sin". The synth-driven music found on here is digestible for the masses, but the messages delivered throughout the record are intelligent without ever coming off as pretentious. I can't wait to see what these two are capable of with the other two records they have on the list.

A little slow for my liking.

Pet shop boys really do have a distinct sound but I always find myself enjoying it less than I would have expected.

Amazing album

Some of the best dance beats I've heard out of the 80s

Must of the synth-pop music that came out of the 1980's didn't age well. This album is a good example of that.

Ausser ein paar Überhits (it's a sin) eher nicht so gut gealtertes Album, sehr typisch 80er.

Well played 80s synth pop with some familiar hits from back in the day.

Pet Shop Boys early stuff is great. Really good electronic sophisto-pop is how to best describe it. Hooky, poppy melodys with a much deeper musical sophistication on closer inspection. 4.2

Pet shop boys albums to me seem pretty consistent. This is another enjoyable listen. Except Shopping. It's a clanger.

I was only familiar with a couple Pet Shop Boys songs before this album and I like those songs, so I was expecting better from this one. Not bad, but just okay.

Pretty good, but not memorable

Wasn't super familiar with the band outside of West End Girls and I very much enjoyed exploring more here. The 80's synth is very clean and danceable with a good amount of variety in tone and lyrics. More hits than misses here but the misses ended up pulling this down 1 star. Still going to be listening more to the artist going forward.

Eh, their later stuff was better.

517/1089 - Ehh... I liked a lot more songs on Behaviour and found them to be less repetitive and more interesting sonically.

The 80s are my least favorite decade for music and this is VERY 80s, but it has some charm and I can appreciate the effort. If I were to attend an 80s themed party, I would gladly don my skinny tie, get out the hairspray and the eyeliner, and hope this comes on the stereo.

Overall: 4/10 This album should have been called "Wine and Cheese" because the vocals are incredibly whiney and the instrumentation is cheesy and outdated. I just can't stand this guys voice at all and it makes it very hard to enjoy the songs that would be very good otherwise. A couple songs were enjoyable but thay voice is terrible to me. Fav Song: I Want to Wake Up

Not bad, but I can’t help but think about Depeche Mode doing all of this better years before. Still some great songs in It’s a Sin and I Want to Wake Up.

Some of this has aged brilliantly, some less so.

2/5

meh bad 80s sound didn't age well

Spot on. Some classic tunes.

Unabashed 80s synth pop

Not my vibe but I get it

I mean like its alright like, who are deez guys tho and why are they important? they definitely have that 80's sound. No way they got Dusty Springfield on the beat tho thats tuff. rly hard to get into.

Bem… Pet Shop Boys claramente são um grupo de singles. Seus álbuns são só veículos para entregar os singles, que são de fato fantásticos, mas o resto das canções dos discos não são nada demais. 3/5

it's an okay album, not bad, but I bet there are tons of better pop albums from that era

Never listened. Expectations: Low - Verdict: Good _ One More Chance is pretty good as an opener. Shopping is quite good. A lot of this feels a bit generic for me though. I found parts of the album quite boring to sit through. It's A Sin and I Want To Wake Up are also quite good. Overall this is a pretty decent record and the good tracks more than make up for the less strong ones.

This is a really good album. While listening I felt elegant, playful, and full of energy. It’s rhythmic, witty, and has that perfect Pet Shop Boys balance of smart lyrics and catchy pop hooks. The album feels sophisticated and interesting without losing its sense of humour. There’s a sharp, slightly sarcastic edge to the themes — love, fame, loneliness, and everyday life in the big city — but it’s wrapped in fun, danceable rhythms and glossy 80s production. The whole record has great energy and flows really well. Tracks hit that sweet spot between emotional depth and pure entertainment. It’s elegant, funny, and strangely uplifting at the same time. Actually is easily one of their strongest and most consistent albums. If you like clever, stylish synth-pop with real personality, this one delivers.

I went back and forth with this record. The first few songs made me think that the 1980s me had closed ears as usual with synth based music. The opening track,”One More Chance”, delivered danceable electronic sounds and my soft spot for Dusty Springfield turned “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” into a winner. As I proceeded, the album seemed dated. Rather than use the electronics to conjure up interesting new sounds as electronic music did in the 1990s, the group used synths to duplicate actual instruments. I found the drums monotonous. They used synths to sound like percussion and strings in an uninteresting fashion. However, a third listen was more of a winner. “Rent” was an effective uptempo ballad and “Hit Music” stood out with its more driving beat. Maybe a fourth listen would yield another opinion.

Actually, I owned this album back in the day, as did several other releases by the Pet Shop Boys. Disco was excellent, and they continued to hone their skills. Wrapping intelligent lyrics in very danceable hits in an otherwise very shallow style like Eurodance was their trademark. And they did it in a very unusual fashion. Here, they added a layer of passive aggressiveness to some of the tracks.

A solid synth pop album. 3.3/5.

They're not an album band, but they're not a singles band either. And I wasn't old enough to be in the clubs to experience what they really were. What Have I Done to Deserve This is incredible. There's some other fund stuff too. As an album? Pretty good, I guess?

Grew on me after 2nd listen 4/5

## Overview and Context Released on September 7, 1987, "Actually" is the second studio album by the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe) . Following the global success of their debut "Please" and the number one hit "West End Girls," "Actually" represents the duo's "imperial phase"—a period of unprecedented creative confidence and commercial dominance . The album was recorded during the height of Margaret Thatcher's premiership, and the duo has explicitly stated that they understood it largely as a critique of Thatcherism and the socio-political climate of mid-1980s Britain . ## Lyrical Analysis Lyrically, "Actually" is a masterclass in obfuscation, hiding sharp social commentary and personal despair within seemingly upbeat pop structures. The album’s overarching mood is notably bleaker and more scathing than its predecessor . **Political Critique:** The robotic "Shopping" draws a cynical parallel between consumerism and the British government's privatization of nationalized industries ("Everything's for sale") . "King's Cross" paints a desolate picture of London during the era, capturing a sense of hopelessness and decay ("Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee") . **Religion and Sexuality:** "It's a Sin" is arguably the album's centerpiece, using a dramatic, almost theatrical production to mask the pain of religious guilt and repressed sexuality. Drawing from Tennant's Catholic upbringing, the lyrics confront dogma with lines like, "At school they taught me how to be / So pure in thought and word and deed / They didn't quite succeed" . **The AIDS Crisis:** Three songs specifically address the HIV/AIDS crisis. "Hit Music" satirizes commercial pop while mourning the loss of queer nightlife. "It Couldn't Happen Here" serves as a somber elegy for a friend lost to AIDS, its title tragically ironic given the era's devastation . **Relationships:** The album also explores dysfunctional relationships. "Rent" describes a salacious financial transaction with a sense of monotonous resignation, while the duet with Dusty Springfield, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," examines the isolation within a failing partnership . ## Music and Production The production of "Actually" is a landmark of 80s sound engineering, utilizing a team of top-tier producers to create a dense, polished, yet emotionally resonant aesthetic. The album was recorded at Sarm West Studios in London, utilizing a "revolving door" of producers to keep the sound fresh, including Julian Mendelsohn, Stephen Hague, Andy Richards, and Shep Pettibone . The duo utilized state-of-the-art equipment, including the Fairlight CMI series III synthesizer, programmed by Andy Richards, whose work gave the album its distinctive orchestral stabs and complex layers . Mendelsohn, known for his work with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, engineered and produced half the tracks, delivering a crisp, punchy sound that defined the era's dance floors . The album opens with the extended 12" mix of "One More Chance," a bold move that signals the duo's confidence in their club origins . Tracks like "Heart," written with Madonna in mind, are "absolute floor-filling romps," while "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" revives the orchestral pop of the 60s . ## Key Themes 1. **Thatcherism and Capitalism:** The commodification of society, privatization, and the emptiness of consumer culture ("Shopping," "King's Cross"). 2. **Guilt and Shame:** The psychological impact of religious and social repression ("It's a Sin"). 3. **Mortality and Crisis:** The shadow of the AIDS epidemic and the loss of innocence in the gay community ("It Couldn't Happen Here," "Hit Music"). 4. **Isolation vs. Connection:** Transactional relationships and loneliness ("Rent," "What Have I Done to Deserve This?"). ## Influence "Actually" was critically and commercially massive, solidifying Pet Shop Boys as the definitive synth-pop act of the decade. The album's influence can be seen in its demonstration that dance music could be a vehicle for complex, literary, and political ideas—a blueprint followed by artists from **Robyn** to **The Weeknd**. Furthermore, the collaboration with Dusty Springfield revived her career and set a precedent for older legends collaborating with younger electronic acts . | Pros | Cons | | :--- | :--- | | **Lyrical Depth:** Exceptionally smart lyrics that balance dancefloor hedonism with political and social commentary . | **Inconsistent Depth:** A few tracks, specifically "Hit Music" and "I Want to Wake Up," are occasionally cited as lesser fillers that rely more on production than songwriting strength . | | **Production Quality:** A masterclass in 80s studio craft; it sounds both of its time and timelessly grand. | **Dated Elements:** For some modern listeners, the heavy reverb and specific synth patches (e.g., the "orchestral hit") are intensely dated . | | **Singles:** Features some of the strongest singles of the decade ("It's a Sin," "Heart," "What Have I Done to Deserve This?"). | **Tonal Whiplash:** The album can sometimes feel disjointed, jumping from the tragedy of "It Couldn't Happen Here" to the camp of "Heart" . | | **Cohesion:** Despite multiple producers, the album holds together as a unified artistic statement about 1987 Britain. | **Tennant's Delivery:** Neil Tennant's detached, almost spoken vocal style is an acquired taste that some listeners find emotionally cold . | --- **Conclusion** It is not just a collection of hits but a cohesive piece of art that captures the anxiety, greed, and resilience of the late 1980s. While a few album tracks may not reach the monumental heights of its singles, the sheer quality of production, the bravery of its themes (AIDS, Thatcherism, religious guilt), and its absolute commitment to "fun" as a vehicle for sorrow make it an essential listen. It remains a pillar of synth-pop and a testament to the Pet Shop Boys' unique ability to make you think deeply while dancing carelessly.

7.5/10

80’s vib

I've never really understood the hype around The Pet Shop Boys. All of there music is just fine... I think it's his voice that puts me off, it's too whispery or something. It feels like he isn't projecting enough. The music here is fine, doesn't really do anything for me one way or another. Mid 3.

Took a few re-listens, but not too bad.

It's ok but definitely don't love it

2.5

moy bueno re musica ochentosa y con un temon como its a sin 3/5

Really fun I enjoyed it

Solid album, might be a 5 star. Really enjoyed the vast majority, it’s so catchy.

Dope

Wasn't too bad but I'd never choose to listen to it, no tracks stood out, and the singing is monotonous.

Not a fan of these cats but I appreciate what they do.

Some of their huge hits on here, and while they are the best tracks, the album as a whole is still enjoyable, if dated. Some of the hits have suffered from being overplayed too.

Sort of convinced this is only here because of Its a Sin but ok yeah its not bad. Very of its era but nothing I hated.

It's just not a genre I love and while it was fine in the background, I would never put this on

Old style

I love the 80s

Much more of a fan in retrospect

I like some pet shop boys. Even when their lyrics don't catch me often times the beats are still really good anyway. This album started true to that

not what I was expecting, but pretty decent

Funny this came after Depeche Mode's Violator, this seems more dated and neutered by comparison while still being a fun 80s album

To quote another reviewer on here: "This is very Eighties, but not in a good way for me". The album never felt better than the sum of its parts. If 3/5 is an "enjoyable listen" to me, then this album is sadly a 2/5.

S H O P 0 I N G

I think I only recognize one or two tracks on this album by name, but otherwise I've never listened to this album. As with the other two Pet Shop Boys albums I've listened to as part of this project, I don't hate this, and I am glad I gave it an honest listen. It's not bad, but it's also just not my cup of tea.

What shines the most about this album is the singing. Neil Tennant's delicate and smooth voice feels incredibly nice to the ears, and adds a sophisticated layer to the record. I wish I could say such positive things about the instrumentation, but for a Synth Pop album, I though that it was just decent at best. It is fancy and can pair well with the vocals, but there isn't any moment I though was fascinating, impactful or memorable. What I can say nicely about it is that the production is super clear. But that's about it, I can't really say much more than the album being a pleasant to hear.

Second album proposé après 'Very' que je n'avais pas apprécié (noté 2/5 - musique d'ambiance peu intéressante). Ce nouvel album n'est pas mieux. Les morceaux sont inutilement longs, sans intérêt particulier, donc ennuyeux même s'ils ne sont pas désagréable à entendre. =>2/5

Although it seems dated today, it was pretty good for its time. I never heard this album all the way through before, but I get it. It's not the PSB album I would have expected, but sure. Unfortunately it just does little to excite me in 2026

3.5 stars

In the 80s when Westend girl arrived it screamed one hit wonder. I was wrong as they continue. I like them esp Neill annunciation for all he is worth. Some great songs although he does get a bit overwrought at times. A fine album.

This might be their best album. I always found It's Sin a very powerful song. King's Cross is a very nice new find.

I have never really warmed to a Pet Shop Boys album that isn't their Best Of. And neither, I think, have they. Neil Tennant was a staffer at Smash Hits, so I can believe he only thought in singles - a Bobby O beat and few sardonic lines that will cut through the radio or look good on a lyric sheet in the same magazine. Architecture student Chris Lowe was understandably fastidious about the architecture of his synths, his sequences, and drum patterns, but never concerned about the architecture of an album arc. Introspective is the worst, with its tedious, dragging run times. Actually and the other albums follow more conventional shapes, with big songs up front and ballads at the back, but it feels entirely as though it is conventional wisdom rather than genuine wisdom. Neil Tennant can't sing ballads - and adding Morricone and Badalamenti to the mix seems like an expression of curatorial good taste rather than a genuine collaboration. Why collaborate when adding their name to the sleeve does most of the work? I like What Have I Done to Deserve This, but there is no doubt that the resurrection of Dusty Springfield is the artistic aim rather than the song. The pop journalist, Tennant, is not so far removed from the Malcolm McLaren of Madame Butterfly, really - a bit of high culture, a bit of low culture, think about the pose, the juxtaposition, the magazine spread, fine-tune the song later. If there's time. Well, there's always time for the singles, but the album will get whatever focus is left over. This is not to diminish what the group manages to achieve on the stand-out singles. But there is something in the decision to keep Heart for themselves rather than submit it to Madonna as they first thought that tells us something about the Pet Shop Boys - they don't care about the song and what is good for it. Not really. They will work with Morricone and Springfield, for example, if those greats will come to them, but they won't let the song go and fly on its own. Too calculating - too much of the journalist and too much of the architect. I think it is fair to quickly compare PSB with Soft Cell here, as we've already discussed them and Tennant makes a throwaway reference to Tainted Love in I Want to Wake Up. Chris Lowe may be more sophisticated than Dave Ball (at this point). Neil Tennant is certainly more sophisticated than Marc Almond. They all come to London from up North (three out of four from Lancashire), but the Soft Cell boys go to art school, while PSB enter the professions. There is no doubting the artistic integrity of Soft Cell in the beginning, I don't think, but there is too much of the dinner party about Pet Shop Boys. When Almond sings Bedsitter, we are with him in his abjection. When Tennant sings Rent - the more proficient song in many ways - we are expected to admire his cleverness and sharp observation. Perhaps that is the difference that six years in the big city makes - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the arrival, Actually the numbed statis. Or six years of AIDS - Soft Cell, hot freedom; PSB, cold frigidity. Or the difference between Thatcher's first term and her third. I don't know. But listen to the difference between Neil Tennant's hit duet with Dusty Springfield and Marc Almond's hit duet with Gene Pitney two years later. The first is clever, distanced, an exploitation of the old star. The second is emotional, theatrical, deferential to the old song and the older singer. It is clear who loves the music more. 2 Sometime in the early noughties we were in HMV browsing cds. I must have been determined to buy something because I pulled out a tenner and asked you to spend it for me. You picked this. Why was that? I am reminded of the conundrum every time I open the Box of Shame and spot Actually in there. It’s possible it was merely an invitation to begin in synth-pop - you and Paul were well along already; the Magnetic Fields, Momus, Mortiis. Perhaps it was a taunt about the relative lack of genre-diversity in my cd collection which at the time ran all the way from American alternative rock to English alternative rock. Perhaps it was simply an expression of contempt for the task because you knew, rightly, that there was no possibility I could like Actually and its purchase was next to burning the tenner. Were we simply standing next to the P section? Any of these was a perfectly just response, in any case - I should have spent my own tenner and taken full responsibility for whatever rotten cd ended up in my collection. I could be wrong of course. This event may have happened 15 or 20 years ago rather than 25 - the chronology of the major events of my life is hazy enough to my memory, never mind the cd purchases. Could I be wrong too about the quality of Actually? Well first, this immolation of my tenner certainly happened on the ground floor of HMV and when was the last time they displayed cds on the ground floor? Second, I have just spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday listening to little else but Actually, all the while asking myself what is *my* problem. Well whatever it is, it continues to be - I have no affection whatsoever for this album or for Pet Shop Boys. More’s the pity because a couple of friends whose tastes I have the utmost respect for (yours and Marty’s) love this shit. Well I know Marty does - I am about 85% sure on you - I don’t think we have ever had much of an exchange on Pet Shop Boys. That I can remember. That memory of mine ffs. I suppose when I read your half of this review I will find out for sure, probably again. I am always hearing about the cleverness of Pet Shop Boys and I continue to feel this to be untrue. Although their songs could certainly be stupider, the much rehearsed claims to sharpness and subversion of the pop lyric (“it’s an *anti*-love song!”, “..it’s all actually about Thatcherism you know…”) are entirely superficial. Neil Tennant writes with a certain poise but no real wit and absolutely no poetry. Sure - Neil doesn’t just write about love like most of the rest of them - he alludes to politics and train stations and uses words like ‘currency’ and does a bit in Latin and when listeners hear that sort of thing delivered in an austere English accent what else are they to think? Surely this is the higher shit? The gear they write with quills? But imagine Ian Dury doing these lyrics - you’d think he’d fallen and hit his head. There ain’t half been some clever bastards but Neil Tennant is not among them. The rhythms are clumsy, the rhymes are dull. His lyrics have the looks but they don’t have the brains. It all strikes me as a (successful) branding exercise, along with the aloof manner of Tennant’s frigidity at the microphone stand; along with the suits; along with choosing the one of him yawning for the front cover. He has made lots of money. That’s a type of ‘cleverness’ no doubt - but casting shade at the cold calculation of Thatcherism while coldly calculating isn’t cool, is it? Yes, it is. What Tennant lacks in poetry he doesn’t make up for by beating us over the head with that lack four or five times every song. Amid the dazzle of the brand success story told above however, the musical proceduralism on display in these songs is glorified as ‘knowing’. It’s deconstruction, innit? More cleverness. It’s like Stock, Aitken, Waterman but with a wink to those of us who read books and the Financial Times and what not. Unless we don’t, in which case here is cunning exploitation of our stupidity as listeners. Give us hell in the form of the five identical choruses that we deserve no better than! Pet Shop Boys can’t lose. Reading about the album I see someone accused It’s a Sin of ripping off Wild World back in the day. Naive. If only Pet Shop Boys were musically ambitious enough to rip someone off! Alas, that verse progression is just a circle of fifths - a musical commonplace as meat and potatoes as the old hat pre-choruses and middle-eights that efficiently numb us to the bludgeoning we get from idiotic synth hooks and the name of the song. Of course there is the drum programming, which Chris Lowe is very good at and which you sense a little passion sits behind. That said - I could do with less of that too, and it is after all only cold comfort; worthless when elsewhere coldness is all. My memory let me down again. I went looking for Actually at the weekend in (both) boxes of Shame - now resident in the garage. It isn’t there. I expect I gave it to a charity shop. It is, after all, still cool, still fashionable - exactly the sort of CD one should give away when it isn’t being appreciated. Oxfam will have been glad to see it instead of yet another copy of Richard Ashcroft’s Alone With Everybody (not on this list). Some student will have felt they got a rare bargain and posted a photo of their find on social media. ‘What a find! £1! #PSB #S.H.O.P.P.I.N.G.’ Then hopefully they will have given it to another charity shop in a year or two. 1.5/5

I tried with this a few times but it didn't hit much. There are three songs I enjoyed but the rest were quite bland or quick skips.

A mixed bag. Some great songs, It's a Sin and Heart, some proper duffers, One More Chance, It Couldn't Happen Here are some middling stuff. At their best, Pet Shop Boys are great, but over a whole album, not so much. I'll stick with a best of in the future.

5/20/26. Well-crafted synth pop, I've always appreciated Pet Shop Boys and their approach to songwriting & production. They delay melodies well so you can enjoy the groove before hearing the complete song.

Sounds cool! I dig it

Not the PSB I would reach for

Peak PSBs. Many great tracks. Much enjoyment

Synth pop isn't for me, but I found myself sometimes sorta liking this kinda?

It's this close to greatness. "It's a sin", "Shopping", "Hit Music" all scratch some itch, and they'd be some of the 80s best, if it weren't for Duran Duran, or Aha, or Wham, or ABBA or Depeche Mode or.........

Luv me synthpop simple as

They took primitive digital instruments and made them presentable in a way that BBC presenters could only dream of. Immaculate. Impossible to ignore how they changed the shape of popular music forever.

I think I'm just a singles fan.

Some world cass singles on hete. Very good album.

Even though none of these songs are actually in Grand Theft Auto Vice City, all of these songs are in Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

Some fodder in here. But enjoyed quite a few of these tunes. Serious industry season 4 vibes.

Immersive and phenomenal. Can't help but bust a move. For sure a guilty pleasure record.

I just didn’t enjoy this one unfortunately. A bit cheesy

============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ------------------PET SHOP BOYS--------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- --------------------ACTUALLY------------------ ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------(1987)------------------- ============================================== ============================================== -----------------CALIFICACIÓN----------------- --------------------★⯨☆☆☆-------------------- --------------------(1,95)-------------------- ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 1. One More Chance (★★⯨☆☆) 2. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (★★☆☆☆) 3. Shopping (★★☆☆☆) 4. Rent (★⯨☆☆☆) 5. Hit Music (★★☆☆☆) 6. It Couldn't Happen Here (★⯨☆☆☆) 7. It's a Sin (★★☆☆☆) 8. I Want to Wake Up (★★☆☆☆) 9. Heart (★★☆☆☆) 10. King's Cross (★★☆☆☆) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE TOTAL 2,5+2+2+1,5+2+1,5+2+2+2+2 = 19,5 ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE PROMEDIO 19,5 / 10 = 1,95 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CALIFICACIÓN FINAL ★⯨☆☆☆ (1,95) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== COMENTARIO -El sonido de los 80 se puede resumir bastante bien con las canciones de este álbum... y no me gusta. Suena demasiado poco profesional, como el sonido que un niño podría producir fácilmente con sus juguetes... ============================================== ==============================================

An iconic 80's sound - good, not incredible to my ears, but it's fine to be on if it's already on.

80s

Very 80’s

To my surprise, I absolutely loved this album! The electronic beats of British dance music of the 80's is fantastic.

Just not for me

bissl zu melancholisch

Strong out of the gate. I was feeling great for about the first whole minute. Then the vocal kicked in and the entire thing disintegrated from there. Possible recency bias, but that might have been the most difficult listen so far. Just an absolute ass whipping. Next please

More British meh

I like a Pet Shop Boys single on the radio now and again, but a full album is too much.

i really wanted this to be a 5/5... but not quite. those ballads just drag. the uptempo ones rule, though. It's a Sin and Rent... whew. perfect 👌

this album slaps. i've listened to it like eight times. there are some massive bangers here, especially rent and it's a sin. and while it's not one of my favorites, shopping somehow keeps worming its way into my brain. we're s-h-o-peepee-i-n-g, we're shopping... favorites: one more chance, what have i done to deserve this, rent, it's a sin, i want to wake up, heart

everybody say thank you gay people!!!!!!!!

I like the Pet Shop Boys sound. You can beat West End Girls and What Have i Done to Deserve This. It was nice to hear the entire album.

yass

For most of my life, I didn't get Pet Shop Boys save for West End Girls, which has always been one of the greatest songs ever made. Pet Shop Boys is gay music and there's nothing abashed about it. Pet Shop Boys are like gay vanguards. It's always been a strength of theirs. I just felt like I couldn't relate to the music 'cause I wasn't gay enough. Then a few years ago I heard this album with no real context save that around that time I also heard Dusty Springfield and was blown away by the Memphis album, so was curious to re-listen to the track she's on here. So I listened to the whole thing and it was all revealed just how smart and well-written the songs are, how singular Neil Tennant is as a singer, and how perfect the music is as an overall context for everything. Most songs here operate on multiple levels. "Shopping" is a great example where if not listening closely, the track could easily be panned as an 80s relic of unbridled consumerism with a gay sense of flair, but is instead a pointed critique of that very thing, with the added commentary of how governments and the establishment are just as ravenous in consumption in the era of maximum free trade neoliberalism, and perhaps if there was any real trickledown, it was the cultural ethos that wealth accumulation is always the final end and pursuit of that end is most noble. Plus shopping just fucking feels good. I Want To Wake Up is a slight dip, but is lifted back up with Heart, whose chorus is just chef's kiss 80s club borderline Techno sweetness. ALSO: the transition on Hit Music at 3:37 is SO DAMN GOOD. Could put this portion in loop and just kick it, and I might legit do that 'cause, man, it's just euphoric and I want to stay there. This masterful album's a 5. Maybe it's because I'm finally gay enough, but really it's that this music is incredibly well-crafted, deliberate, smart, sophisticated, confident, deep. It takes more than one listen, but has the gloss that could fool you, thus allowing this to be big pop music. It satisfies on multiple levels and I'm happy I get it now.

boring

ehh

Brain cells were lost listening to them sing about shopping and rent.

Another album of the Pet Shop Boys was better than this one, but I still enjoyed my time. It just didn't have that many bangers.

I've certainly heard better from Pet Shop Boys. This album wasn't bad, but it didn't wow me.

I did not enjoy this one. Maybe I’ll come around to it in another era but I couldn’t even finish it. Bored me to death

Meh

3.5

Remember, kids, pop music is only good if it's from the 80s. I don't make the rules, these guys do. They also predict the future, apparently. I don't think Cookies were a thing in 1987, so how these guys could've predicted data brokers is beyond me. I'm probably also just really stupid. Anyways, I'd kill to know how people in the 80s felt hearing It's a Sin for the first time when the AIDS crisis was at its peak. It's probably the gayest song I've ever heard come out of the 80s. There are a few Bronski Beat songs that come pretty close, though. The album as a whole has significantly less competition for the the best 80s pop I've heard.

This album made me feel like the dude yawning on the cover. Too slow and boring

Alltid härliga vibes från Pet Shop Boys men kanske inte bandet jag typiskt lyssnar på ett helt album back to back

Alltid toppen sound och det här har ett par av deras absoluta bangers!

Toppenbra och eget sound! Flera feta bangers

Typ allt låter bra. + It's A Sin.

Dette var ganske rævva, må jeg si. Er ingenting uten "It's a sin".

A great album from the kings of Synth-Dance-Op. Has my favourite Pet Shop Boys track, "Rent"; also contains number one singles, "It's a Sin" and "Heart", plus "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" with Dusty Springfield.

if you put a gay man talking about his night out over a mediocre electronic beat

music is love

PSB doesn't do it for me. A lot of these songs sound like they said, "I want to make a song called Rent", "I want to make a song called Hit Music" and then they just slapped a generic synthesizer preset on and babbled out the song title in a way they thought sounded cool or profound or something. When the album finished it auto-played into a Saint Etienne track. It was one of those moments where I thought, ooh actually this track is good, only to go and check and realise it wasn't the PSB any more. That's usually a litmus test to me that the album really did suck. 1.7/5

Yawn

Samey and not so invigorating

Another great example of 80s synthpop from the Boys. This is more of an 8/10 to me than Behaviour's 9/10, but it still has some all-time bangers like It's a Sin on it!

There were some extremely silly and repetitive songs on here, but those were overshadowed by the fantastic tracks that filled out the rest of the album. Sort of spread out, with the back half being better (imo), this was some excellent synth pop. I had a moment of realization that a good amount of the music I listen to was inspired by stuff like Pet Shop Boys, specifically this album.

Songs to challenge a rival to a fierce dance battle to. Not sure about any regular listening though. Standouts: One More Chance • Rent • It's Sin • I Want To Wake Up

Great 80s album with one or two issues that prevents it from being perfect for me. One, most of the songs on here are slightly too long for my liking. I think if you trimmed about three and a half minutes it would be perfect. Secondly, while the social satire is absolutely on point, I think the vocal is unsuited for something as sincere as It Couldn't Happen Here which makes it come off schmaltzy- and that song is long as HELL.

I’m very much a fan, but this is not one of their best albums in my opinion.

2/10 An album full of weirdness, propped up by the lonesome high that is 'It's a Sin'. Otherwise, it's 45 minutes of wading through sub-par vocals and strange sounds. I was keen to get this one over with. Best track: It's a Sin Will I revisit?: No

Sonido muy caracteristico de los 80

Shames me as I never thought I’d say this but I’m getting a bit bored of 80s sythny pop that keeps popping up. I think it’s that same fake drum beat they all have. I’ll go ask my own personal Jesus for my penance. 2.5 rounded up

Better than I was expecting. More interesting musically than "Very" which was over-wrought 80's synth pop. This is tamped down a little more and a bit more introspective. Standout was simple but catchy "Hit Music".

No soy fan

Good. ★★★

Meh. Very meh.

right down in the middle of the eighties garbage bin. smh

I dislike the Pet Shop Boys because i can't stand the 80s 'cheap synth' production sound I grew up with. But the songs here are good, I just wish I could hear this album made in a different era.

Pa nije mi čak ni toliko loš album, ali to je zato što volim taj 80s sound, pogotovo kljavice. Prvi dio albuma mi je općenito zanimljiviji, drugi dio mi je malo meh. 3/5, 5/10

I am not a big fan of the 80s, 80s music or dance music. Yet, this was pretty fun. The lyrics were vicious and often undercut the peppiness of the music. Given my predilections, I enjoyed it more than I expected.

Good 80s vibes but the tracks just blend together. Nothing especially pops out.

I find that there’s something lackluster in all their songs, like a certain punchiness is missing. Still quality, but never above a 3 star.

I don’t support pet shops

18/04/2026 I surprised myself by liking this. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Spotify listeners: 10.3 million

Bueno

No creo que sea un disco para estar entre los 1001 que hay que escuchar antes de morir, muy normal

fav- Its a sin 2/5

Fun

There are a few very good songs on this album. But it’s not my favorite from the band. Heart and What Have I Done still really hold up.

Fun, and holds up well. Had me dancing in my car.

Oh man, the Pet Shop Boys can fuck off. The only thing I liked about this record is that it reminded me about how incredible the Lonely Island is at parody. About every other song, I half expected Pet Shop Boy #1 to start singing about the jizz in his pants. I don’t see anything redemptive about this record. Between the sneering, poncey vocals sung almost exclusively through the nasal passages and the non-stop synthesizer assault, there’s nothing really to enjoy here. I don’t even think there was a legitimate instrument on the record anywhere. I hold Pet Shop Boys largely to blame for the reason 80’s pop music sucked so hard. With all sincerity, I have no idea why this band was so popular at the time. But I am glad they eventually faded into obscurity. I usually reserve 1-star reviews for electronica and Neil Young audio diarrhea records, but Pet Shop Boys feel like a mix of both those things. 1/10

8/10… synth pop / new romantic / *1987

Almost all of the songs have the same beat and they are just repeating the same lyrics again and again, this was a tough album to go through couldnt even enjoy it.

What an album. This is the kind of albums I like from the 80s. The combination between deep voice, good lyrics and great melodies, not boring and repeating beats. Great album

good

I liked this one more than Introspective, but a lot of the tracks become repetitive.

WHIDTDT and It’s a Sin are great, but they can’t carry this album past a 3 for me. PSB’s best songs are really good, but many just bore me.

Actually, this is epic. And I love Pet Shop Boys

these guys are sooooo fun i love them!

3.75

The songs on this album are fine individually, but a whole album of them gets tiring fast.

Pet Shop Boys is not a band I love as much as I used to, but this is right in the middle of what I consider to be their best stretch of albums. Discography is one of the best singles collections of all time and you get four of them here. Rent and It’s A Sin are my favorites, but What Have I Done To Deserve This has really grown on me over the years. The other material is nearly as strong too. Only PSB could make a song about shopping sound so cool. King’s Cross is often pinpointed as a should-have-been single and I concur. Somehow, this record doesn’t quite have my heart like others I’ve given full marks, but it’s better than any of my 4s. Getting this for my birthday was a fine gift from the generator. I’ll be generous in return.

Better than their first record but still pretty meh. Not a lot of strong songs.

Dated, annoys me

No es de mi estilo, no me gustó mucho

Not sure I needed 2 PSBoys albums on this list. The comment on the opening track is spot on, it really sets the tone, absolute shit opener. They to me will always be a singles band, the odd stand out track and the rest to make up 40 odd minutes of detached, urbanised synth dance pop. Im sure the yawn is an witty urban comment, but sums up the dreary content too. Scoring only for it’s a sin, by far the only high point, 2 Star

Vocals were a bit off but this was a lot of fun!

This shit is ASS

HELL YES SYNTHPOP LET'S GO Excellent soundscapes and equally excellent catchy melodies across the entire thing. Will easily return here many times over. The synthesizers are loud but never corny and really mesh without sounding like a blur thanks to some keen production from Shep Pettibone. Also that Ennio Morricone collab halfway through?!!! Had no idea about that, gah damn.

I kind of liked this in a few spots. I was definitely dancing along on the bus. But today went I went to listen to today's album, I looked at the page, saw that I hadn't rated this one yet, and thought "Oh, I missed one!" So I started listening, kind of grooved along... I didn't realize until the third track (which I did not care for) that I had already listened to this... So, a little fun sometimes, but overall, apparently very forgettable for me...

I liked a couple songs, for sure. But I'm not sure how often I'd come back to this, overall.

Actually ok good

Not a huge fan

Very 80s synth pop, not my favorite style but understand why it is included in the list

Decent

Vrien denne. Noen meget gode. Andre ganske svake. Melder 3,5.

They are who they are. Very of their time, but what an iconic sound. Interesting to hear another song so focused on money, “rent”. What have I done to deserve this is just pure bubble pop jam. And “it’s a sin” is an incredible alchemy of sexiness and poignancy. I can’t think of another song that does that at all, let alone as well.

I wasn't super impressed with the other Pet Shop Boys albums I've gotten through my journey here. Perhaps their earlier stuff is better? I will agree that this is the most cohesive and maybe consistent Pet Shop Boys album I've heard (among the three on this list). Surprising amount of emotional depth and commentary for a dance-pop album too. ("Shopping" isn't actually about shopping, if you can believe that...) It's all mostly smooth and quite melodic. I want to hate this for some reason, but I actually don't have too many complaints after listening. I'll show a little love.

coming into this blind, im relatively surprised to learn that it's a sin is the hit single off this album. sarcastic, introspective, danceable. whats not to like?

Consigo entender a importância desse album, é algo culturalmente impactante. Não diria que pet shop boys foram aqueles que definiram o som da década de 80, mas eles conseguem MUITO BEM definir o som dessa época mais "eletro-pop-disco". Gostei, voltaria pra ouvir algumas, mas não sei se o album inteiro novamente. HIGHLIGHTS: ITS A SIN, HIT MUSIC, Heart, One more Chance 8.5/10

Pet Shop Boysin Actually on aikas hyvä syntikkapop-levy, itseasiassa. Tällainen sliipattu ja "ylituotettu" kasarisoundi ei kuitenkaan aina omia korvia miellytä. Kappaleista It's a Sin kohoaa ylitse muiden.

Usually these 80's albums get to me but not this one. Must have caught me on the right day or something because if i relistened to this I bet the score would be a lot lower. 6/10

Peak 80s Pop.

Liked it quite a bit, very 80s.

bops, nostalgic and didn't thought i still bangs that hard.

way better then anticipated

Another one I put off because I didn't think I would like it. I actually did. I like punchy synth pop and this hit that dot. Honestly I was pretty impressed and found myself enjoying it.

remove the vocals.

This was better than the previous album we had from Pet Shop Boys. There is a lot more depth to the music than just a Casio sampler; you can tell the production has help this time. It’s still early ish synth pop but the maturity and layers of instrumentation are there. Perfectly reasonable for the time.

This is nowhere near as strong of an album as "Behaviour" or "Introspective"; whilst it houses several of the group's set-list mainstays, such as "It's A Sin", "What Have I Done To Deserve This" and "Heart", I can't help but feel that several of the deeper cuts occupy that status for a reason, failing to leave as significant of an impression without being poor as such. Nonetheless, I'm more forgiving of Pet Shop Boys than others seem to be, and I will return to this for the hits. Objectively it's probably a strong 3 stars, but I'd be tempted to give it the benefit of the doubt as I am a fan.

I love ‘It’s a Sin’, and ‘Rent’ was a fun discovery, but overall I didn’t love the record.

Well produced 80’s album that actually holds up. Solid listen.

When I saw this album cover, I was expecting more mediocre British rock, and well, this was slightly more refreshing than that. You can still hear that British twang in the singing. Some of the production techniques reminded me of Tears for Fears. There is a bit of a variety, but it was mostly 80s pop nostalgia. I think the second track was my favorite; the featured singer had a nicer voice than these bozos .

When I first saw this album pop up, I thought: 1) here's the pro-British bias again, but 2) I'll probably end up giving it a 3, or possibly a 2. But, after listening to it, I think I have to give it a 1. For me, it hasn't aged well, and feels (but not in a good way) very much of its time. Which is a little surprising, because I still love their first, great hit, from 1984, "West End Girls." Both that song, and this album (from 1987) take me back to my NYC/Columbia years (fall 1983 - spring 1987), and the mid-80s in general, and synth pop, and the so-called Second British Invasion of the 80s (the first, of course, was ca. the late 60s, with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, etc.). But, unlike "West End Girls," this album takes me back, but not in a good way, reminding me that, especially as the 80s went on, a lot of pop music was kinda crap. This included. If we wanted to make a case for this list of 1001 albums having a (misguided) pro-British bias, this album would be a good piece of evidence. Robbie Williams, too (lol)!

i love how clean the production is the rhythmic ideas are kinda boring is this the most 80's sounding album ever? I was optimistic with the first track, but the rest of the album had me glazing over. . . . generic generic 80's pop

Good

2.5

This is exactly what I expected a Pet Shop Boys album to sound like, heavy on that 80s synth-pop vibe. It’s a fun listen, but not one I’m likely to come back to very often.

No bad songs, singles are bangin' 7/10

Großbritannien · Synth-Pop · Sarm West Studios & Advision Studios, London Parlophone / EMI Manhattan Das zweite Studioalbum des englischen Duos Neil Tennant und Chris Lowe ist kein Album, das laut um Aufmerksamkeit wirbt – es bekommt sie trotzdem. actually. erschien am 7. September 1987 und etablierte die Pet Shop Boys als etwas, das die Popwelt selten hervorbringt: ein Duo mit Haltung und Hitquote zugleich. Die Produktion – maßgeblich von Julian Mendelsohn verantwortet – klingt kühl, präzise, fast klinisch; und genau das macht den Reiz aus. „It's a Sin" setzt den Ton: ein gregorianisches Schuldgefühl auf Discobasis, das Tennant mit seiner charakteristischen Beiläufigkeit vorträgt, als wäre Verdammnis eine mäßig unangenehme Angelegenheit. „What Have I Done to Deserve This?" mit Dusty Springfield zeigt das Duo auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Kollaborationsfähigkeit – Springfield bringt emotionales Gewicht, das Tennants bewusste Distanz erst sichtbar macht. „Rent" ist stiller, aber böser: Liebe als Transaktion, ohne mit der Wimper zu zucken formuliert. „Heart" schließlich schließt den Kreis mit einem der effizientesten Synthpop-Hooks der Dekade. Was das Album trägt, ist die Spannung zwischen Form und Inhalt. Die Texte verhandeln Schuld, Konsum, Einsamkeit und die Thatcher-Ära – nie anklagend, immer schräg. Wer genau hinhört, merkt, dass actually. kein Tanzalbum ist, das sich als eines tarnt, sondern umgekehrt. Ein Schlüsselwerk des britischen Synthpop, das seine Cleverness nicht ausstellt, sondern einfach lebt.

It’s a sin saved this from a 2

What a cynical and empty album. Ok for the nostalgia listen I suppose but that’s it.

Meh definitely from the 80s