Album Summary
Behaviour (released as Behavior in the United States) is the fourth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 22 October 1990 by Parlophone. A Japanese special edition included a bonus mini CD, exclusive artwork and printed lyrics in a white velvet-like box.
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Reviews
For me, not the by Pet.
This isn't one of their best. But it's still pretty decent.
I thought that this was really good. I enjoyed the toned down beats and the chill vibe of the album
Bello soprattutto per le batterie
This shit is generally smooth but generally its a hodge podge of loops found on early keyboards and beat machines. It's like all the rejects that didn't make the first Sonic soundtrack with an annoying lead vocal.
There aren’t enough other must-listen-to albums that there have to be multiple Pet Shop Boys entries on it? I mean if you like this kind of music it’s fine. Nothing special though and I don’t really love electronica. And this one is kind of sad and lovey. Yuck
Feels apt for autumn
Really enjoyed the groove and production of this album. Things were quite busy at work, so this helped me focus a lot.
7/10
When 80's synth-pop mixes with R&B and matures into "adult contemporary" for the 90's. Mellow & smooth...
me encantó, lo escucharé de nuevo seguro
good vibes, but no highlights
Idk, it all kinda blurred together. Seemed better than their overtly political stuff, a little less notable than other albums of their I’ve listened to, overall not bad.
It’s not as annoying as I had expected
This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but still really just okay at best. 2.5
I had never heard of these guys before, and I had no idea what I was in for when the first track started playing. The vocals took a while to grow on me, but by the end I really enjoyed the album. A particular high point was So Hard, which I guess unsurprisingly turns out to be the lead single. It was a little more rock-oriented than some of the other tracks, but in general I really enjoyed the synths on most songs. I probably wouldnt run out to pick this up, but I would listen to it again
Never listened to this album before, and it wasn't what I expected. There are flashes of the Pet Shop Boys that we know and love, but also some down-tempo vibes that I also loved in a new way. Really nice stuff kids
Hmmm k
6.5/10
One pet shop boys album was definitely enough. The other one was alright, I didn't like this one at all
The most warm and tranquilizing of '80s dance-pop albums (1990 gets to be an honorary 1980s year), sort of a pure comfort food album. There weren't really any "ultimate classic Pet Shop Boys hits", but every track felt pretty satisfyingly good This is the ever-mentioned music that soothes the savage beast, if the beast in question is part-robotic
Apparently my least favorite Pet Shop Boys album but still ok. Bit twee.
The Pet Shop Boys are uniquely wonderful to me. They write modern folk songs with keyboard and synth rather than guitar and tell tales specific to modern. urban, London life. Everytime i get one of their albums i listen with joy as the vocal is perfect, their song writing is excellent, but they also have that missing ingredient that elevates it to something special. The strange thing is, outside of the generator, i own and listen to 0 Pet Shop Boys. Maybe i should change that.
Нормальная петушиная темочка
Good ambient music. Pleasant to listen to.
Listened before? No Familiar with the artist? I might know 1 or 2 songs? Nothing from this album though. Thoughts: - I enjoyed this more as it went on (and more on second listen than the first). The first half is fine, but for me it picks up at "My October Symphony" (appropriately for today). - From looking at some reviews, it seems like their other albums are closer in vibes to "So Hard," so I'm looking forward to those. Favorite track(s): My October Symphony, So Hard
Behaviour was definitely the weakest of the three Pet Shop Boys albums but that doesn't mean it was bad. This one is easily the cheesiest sounding of the three as Actually felt like a product of 1987 and Very did quite a fair bit to update their sound but this one definitely feels like it should have been released years earlier. On top of that, the songs don't really seem to go anywhere and just stay stagnant for far longer than they should. It's not all bad though, when the songs were good, they could be really good and the album manages to nail the atmosphere when it wants to. It just doesn't come anywhere close to the greatness of Actually or Very Best Song: This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave Worst Song: Being Boring Side note: Last Pet Shop Boys album, which means one thing: 1. Very 2. Actually 3. Behaviour
Okayish sound. Nothing too out of ordinary in Pet Shop Boys universe.
Very good
An average album from a band I really like. Certainly I would have picked another album from their repertoire.
Never really got the love for the Pet Shop Boys. There were a few strong singles in the mid-80s, but despite having a best mate who was a massive fan, I’ve never been persuaded (in fairness, my mate is also a huge fan of The Carpenters so we accepted long ago that our musical tastes will never mesh). This one has its moments, and I love the irony of opening with Being Boring being sung by one of the most boring and bored voices in pop (in my opinion). In fairness, there’s a sweet nostalgia to the song. The rest of the album feels solid delivering exactly what I would expect from them, but also confirming that they’re just not really for me. Not terrible, but not my thing.
Very synthy, but in a way that hasn’t aged the best. I did enjoy parts of this but it’s the opposite of the type of music that I would typically return to. Influential though, I prefer it to Actually.
Better than their other albums, but do we REALLY need 3 Pet Shop Boys albums?! 3/5
I dunno. I like some gay dorky shit and this was too gay and dorky even for me.
I don't have much to say other than that string section at the end of "My October Symphony" was the most beautiful thing I've heard in a long time
Much more relaxing and chilled than I expected. Nothing standing out but lovely background music
When will it end!?! I began the album with high hopes and even some enjoyment, then checked the track list when I thought it must almost be over and I was on track 4. A completionist at heart, I persevered but this became a trudging slog. This 80s-ass whiny crooning collection is not something I'll put on again. 4/10
casio slop
Awesome
Since I fucking hated Very, I'm hoping to give this one a fair shake. Hey guess what, this is about a million times better, but that's actually not that much when we're talking about fractions. It's still pretty by-the-numbers in terms of its synth sound (or maybe it's just aged into feeling rote) but it's introspective and melancholy in a way that I'm willing to forgive a sound I don't particularly care for. I can't forgive too much though - it feels weird to get that kind of internal monologuing that sounds like it's come out of tomodachi life. When the strings kick in it doesn't feel big, it feels discordant. It feels very plastic and inhuman, coupled with very human lyrics. I should like that, but instead it just makes me think about it and wonder why I don't like it.
hhahahahha put it in the bin! not all synth pop should live on
ok so this is another one where its an artist im familiar with but never just sat down with one of their albums. but in this case im pretty sure the reason is because i just find their music isn't quite what im after compared to other similar bands, yknow? and having listened to this, i feel a bit justified at least. maybe. theres plenty i do like about it. the soft, effeminate, borderline spoken word style of neil tennant's vocals feels good in my ears and the instrumentation is very atmospheric yet capable of becoming forceful when it wants to be, as it does on tracks like "this must be the place i waited years to leave" (which is also my favourite from this album). and god do i love those warm synth pads and crisp machine drums. but for me..... it's all just a bit too pop. i like my angsty synthpop to have a bit more edge to it, a little more bite. a recurring thought while listening to this was that it kind of sounds like soft cell with the sharp edges filed round. so i don't feel like i can give this a 5. even if tennant's voice does make me feel weird.
Album #205: Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour ⭐⭐ When I went to study music technology in college, Pet Shop Boys were pretty revered. And I can understand why. What they can get out of a synthesizer is pretty amazing. They have lovely, beautiful, lush tones, and they’re able to create a whole band’s worth of sound out of a synth. They create these kind of orchestral movements through some of these songs. So I get it. I think that’s all great. It’s not for me, though. It’s all a little bit too soft. It’s too twee. The lead singer’s voice is awful to me. I don’t know how I’m supposed to take that voice seriously. It’s so soft, so overwrought with sensitivity, but strangely lacking in emotion. It’s all very humourless. Diary-penning stuff. I can understand why some people would relate a lot to it. I mean, I probably relate to some of the themes too, but it’s the way it’s delivered and the way it’s packaged that doesn’t do much for me. There are a few good songs on it. Nervously is a decent tune. October Symphony, where you’ve got Johnny Marr’s guitar and stuff like that, and a bit more acoustic instrumentation, actually works best for me, which probably says a lot about my taste for this kind of music. I will say this, though: for 1990, a lot of this sounds very ahead of its time. If you listen to Only The Wind, that’s got a real trip-hop kind of drum beat to it. And I could easily hear that on something like Dummy by Portishead. And I think that’s really cool because I think this predates that whole movement. So I do think they were a bit ahead of their time. It’s got a mix of the ’80s and the ’90s style here, and it is impressive how orchestrated some of the songs are. They just don’t sound good to me. I didn’t add a single one of these songs to my personal playlist, and I won’t be coming back to this one.
Yawn
This was some of the better electronica created at this time era. By now these guys had reached the pinnacle of their craft. I thoroughly enjoyed listening and relaxing to these cuts.
Aight
You can't get anymore beige than this.
I liked it, but it felt too 'casio' keyboard and the sparsh production makes all the sounds stand out as cheap. I wish it was crunchier. I listened to some club remixes afterwards and liked those more. That said, it's my type of music and was enjoyable. 4 out of 5.
Not bad, but I thought it repeated several times before it was actually over once. A lot of it sounded the same to me. 2/5
There are highs and there are mediums, the mediums are just far more common than the highs.
I was hoping this was another Pet Shop Boys album. Shame.
Not Pet Shop Boys at their most exciting, but fine for chilling.
80’s pop
New wave
3.5
3.5
Not my favorite album group more song by song but pretty solid
RATING: 7/10 HIGHLIGHT: Jealousy LOWLIGHT: Only the Wind
Good singles band. Like his voice but this is very samey.
Basen och melodierna. Inte hört den här skivan, den kom efter jag slutade lyssna på sån musik, men den är vad man förväntar sig av Pet Shop Boys. En skön upplevelse. En fyra
didn't pique my interest really at all
Some rather catchy ditties.
A lovely album. I felt like it captured the transition from 80s influences to the 90s over the course of the album. Wasn't familiar with any of the tracks going into it. My favourites were Being Boring and Only the Wind.
I have a two-year-old puppy that I’m having a terrible time getting to sit still. Getting this album was an act of mercy cause I played this album and he immediately went to sleep. Rating it snooze out of 10.
Some songs weren’t amazing but the vibe was great throughout
iwie nervig
Not as horrific as I was expecting
Great album loved this
I do love their weird thing - what if a guy whispered with incredible enunciation over some casio keyboards. Definitely solid but I know there's more Pet Shop Boys on this list so not gonna just rate their thing. No incredible songs and not so distinct from their other stuff, but fun.
I guess this is the PSB's version of a ballad album. upon first listen I got annoyed by this 3 tracks in. but upon 2nd listen I enjoyed things the whole time there's something so compelling about these Playstation 1 game cutscene music tracks and eloquently sung LGBT lyrics. hits me with massive nostalgic yearning the same way Japanese citypop does. 4.5/5
would rate it 3.5 if I could. first few songs are pretty good, there are a couple duds here and there but the closer is great
This was ok. I prefer the more upbeat stuff from Pet Shop Boys. ⭐⭐⭐
Easy to listen to. I wasn't sure what to expect. Nice synth pop, not the best but it sounded good.
This was a pretty good album. I enjoyed the sound and vibes. I felt like was transported to a different space. I think I would come back for another listen so it was an overall positive experience.
Super weak sauce. 2.9
I really liked this—synth-pop/new wave/alternative crossover music. Kind of sounded proto-MGMT, which naturally, I loved. I listened to it a couple times through, and found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Definitely an album I'll keep coming back to, and an artist I look forward to exploring further!
Ok, here we go, this is the first entry for me from these guys on the list. So Pet Shop Boys is one of those acts I feel pretty neutral about- I am not crazy about them but don't dislike them either. A few tracks in and surprised how atmospheric and mellow this sounds, very enjoyable so far and easy 3 stars if it keeps on like this. Ok so def 3.5 on RYM and I might want to revisit these guys
I could just copypasta my review of Actually. Very well made music that I don't particularly enjoy.
Best Track - "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?"
Nothing overly exciting or offensive here for me.
Another day, another confusing album selection. 1001 Albums to Slog Through Before You Die.
Behaviour is not quite the nightmare before the very gorgeous, & very, very sexually overcoming record that arrived after this one, really now one of my favorites, that Calamus-explosion called Very, but this is certainly darker & bitterer. I love Very for its bravery & its melodies, its sincerity & its ability to turn fantasy into clear-as-day reality - you're simply not stumbling on lines such as the following: 'Living a law just short of delusion / When we fall in love, there's confusion.' It's all good tho - I know there's no ravishing light w/o a ravaging dark - & for what it's worth, Behaviour's still very good, just not Very otherworldly. The Pet Shop Boys are masters of baroque pop w/ a electro-twist, & their songwriting chops are second to none. A great band.
It. Was. Not. Without. Its. Charms.
I was surprised, I thought u wouldn’t like this album but it was actually really good, it had memorable melodies, some are lowkey stuck in my head, the vibe was their too, good album
Nice chill vibe on this album. Maybe disappointing for someone looking for the dance club energetic stuff but I'll listen to this one again.
The third Pet Shop Boys album I've received. And still none of them have been the Boys' well-known records. Being Boring teeters dangerously close to doing just that. The texture almost doesn't change for the entire 6:50 duration, giving the passing appearance of yet another bland electronic project. Fortunately, the vocals make it a little more engaging. And the soundscape itself isn't bad – it just doesn't take many risks. Then we get the monstrous title "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave". The song itself is pretty unassuming in comparison (I expected something along the lines of Arctic Monkeys debut post-punk, or at least a U2 homage). Still, more interesting than the track preceding it, particularly in the synthwork. To Face the Truth bumps up the musical intrigue again: we now get an interesting 8-bit drum line, some cool chords, and a semi-falsetto vocal delivery that wouldn't be out of place on a Bee Gees record. Another crazy title, "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?", also manages to be pretty darn catchy. The ultra-80s production does start to get on one's nerves around this point in the album, but no matter, because the music still bops. The singer pronounces "taken" as "tay-kawn" though, which doesn't help matters. Next we get Only the Wind, a goofy little song with too much brash disco-era piano and 80s mannerisms to really be worth thinking much about. Like some of the other songs, it doesn't change much internally. Passing the halfway point, we start side 2 with My October Symphony, which despite having similar instrumentation than the previous song, is simply more interesting and memorable. So Hard uses string hits in its main hook – a very questionable decision, but in the end I think it just barely works in the song's favour. Nervously makes the mistake of being a ballad that is technically good on paper, but lacks any sort of real punch – at least not until the synths start perking up at around 2:10. The End of the World is pretty good but unmemorable. Jealousy employs maybe the most interesting instrument melodies thus far (particularly in the strings) and sends us off on a strange yet cinematic note. Nice harps and trumpets in the outro. I do wish there'd been a proper ending instead of a fadeout. 3/5 Key tracks: This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave, To Face the Truth, My October Symphony
Yeah it's a little bland but idk I kind of rock with it, 3.5/5
cool cool cool
Good vibe to this, would happily listen again
I have not heard this before. I’ve heard at least one of these songs before but I don’t think this got much play on the local radio stations when it came out. I’m not familiar with later Pet Shop Boys as it is so this seems like a big departure from their earlier mid 80s stuff that I know and love. Once you get past that, the songs are all really good. I ended up listening twice because I was distracted first time through so I might have given this a lower rating otherwise
Kyllä muuten maistuu nää kasarin lopun syntikkasoundit hyvälle!! Hyvä levy, hyvän mielen levy.
Gillar!
Synthesizers and drum machines. Quite a few mellow songs. It's pretty good, but not great.
Good toons
Kinda a bad period of music transitioning from the 80s to the 90s. Dated sound and not enough enthusiasm
Not for me, I really don’t like this album
This was written entirely about Len Houmous. 2.3 10/10 Jealousy
Immediate impression is that this was hugely inspired by Depeche Mode from earlier the same year. A lot of the sound of the first couple tracks draws heavily from Violator. It's a decent album that I need to look more into.
While this kind of music with this level of synthesizers and sampling etc. isn't necessarily my thing, it was extremely well done and easy to listen to, and felt like I could have it on in a variety of settings to either set the mood or to dig in deeper to hear the depth of sound.
на любителя.