Behaviour

Generic

Quite the change from their previous masterpieces, but still very good in its own way.

Well written poignant songs with arrangements that aged like milk.

<sad synthesiser noise> A BITTERSWEET MASTERPIECE

Really good!! Listened to it twice, it’s good background music. I thought I’d have more to say about it but I guess I don’t, favourite song Being Boring.

My third and final Pet Shop Boys' album from this list. I've discovered my joy and interest in PSB as part of this project. To exactly no one's surprise, this album's still synth heavy, but there's a change in their tone. While they do have their more energy intensive songs, the consistent tone throughout is much more melancholy. Part of the tone change is due to lyrics. "Jealousy" has a great beat and describes the emotions and thoughts of a lonely, hurt, jealous lover in a one-sided conversation: "You didn't phone when you said you would". "To Face the Truth" seems like a follow-up, of bitter acceptance of the end of a relationship after not knowing where their lover is at night. But we still have "Nervously", which is an adorable, sickly-sweet song of young love, in contrast. "So Hard" reveals a couple's compromising efforts, but the lyrics lead us to believe that it's too difficult: "Why don't we try not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?" And of course there's a song with the title "The End of the World", though it's not so bleak or dramatic but about teenage heartbreak. "Only the Wind" uses weather imagery to show a relationship with difficulties, but at least one person is blind to the problems: "It's only the wind, they say it's getting worse" and "A storm blows itself out". "Being Boring," with a banger minute and a half instrumental to open the album, is anything but boring and is probably the album's song with the strongest significance. The world changed, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community, through the 1970s to the 1990s, and our main character grows older and opens the "closing door". From the chorus, we hear a recollection of the carefree times: "And we were never holding back or worried that time would come to an end." But soon, within the third verse, we see the fierce changes the main character went through: "All the people I was kissing, some are here and some are missing, in the 1990s". An impactful song to start off an album named Behaviour and a big reason for the album's somber tone. Immediately following is "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave", a song reminiscing not-so-fondly of returning to school and likening school to a strict dictatorship without protest or free expression. PSB went so far to include spoken Russian by prosecutor Andrei Vyshinsky during a 1938 Soviet treason trial as the outro. "My October Symphony" seems to reference the October Revolution and the Soviet Union--but also the disillusionment of its people. It's important to mention this album did release in 1990 when the USSR was going through major changes leading to its demise. To edit the lyrics for the sake of space: "Shall I [...] change the dedication [of my October symphony] from revolution to revelation?" "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?" seems more of a personal number for the duo to poke fun at themselves, like the Pet Shop Boys are using the second person POV to detail questions they receive but provide no answers. I couldn't help but love this line: "Do you think they'll put you in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame?" While the Rock Hall inducts musicians of other genres, PSB are not currently inducted. I heard more orchestral aspects on this album, too. "Only the Wind", "My October Symphony", "Jealousy". PSB use synth mostly, which is why their orchestral music is noteworthy. The pairing together is chef's kiss. There are some more electronic elements than usual, too, ("The End of the World") so it isn't synth by itself. To my ears, using an orchestra will allow music to become more emotional, which only adds to that melancholy tone.

My last remaining PSB album on this project, and easily my favorite of the bunch. The synth here is heavy and yet chill at the same time. It just has such a "cool" about it. The "heaviness" may come from what seems to be a slight lean toward industrial synth on this album. In any case, I really enjoy it. I don't have many thoughts on this album, but it was a great listen! 3.5-ish getting rounded up!

I just don't 'get' PSB. This is really bland. I get that they are trying to be 'knowing' but the lyrics don't draw me in at all. Gave up 4 tracks in. Not for me.

Warm, reassuring and sounding distinctly like the Pet Shop Boys. The PSB are always the PSB, decade in, decade out. It gets a little like a deep house lite compilation at times. Not remarkable, just likeable.

I like the pet shop boys I quite like this album Being Boring is the highlight. I'm going for a 4/5

I can't stand this album or this band. It's difficult to find any redeeming qualities here. The range is non-existent, the vocals are annoying, the songs are boring. The production wasn't atrocious, I guess. Not much else to say except that I never want to listen to this again. 2/5

Fair introspective PSB stuff, not as boisterous or memorable as their best but a decent sound anyway. Still underrated, including in my own head.

This is very different to the other Pet Shops Boys album we had, but I like it - it's a fair bit quieter, slower, and more understated. It's different music, for a different context, it's not for dancing, it's much more reflective and is actually pretty good for working to - when you need to focus on the work, you can, but when you need a distraction there's enough there (lyrically and musically) for it to be worth actively listening to. Soundwise it sounds a little bit dated (as does anything which uses that much of that type of synth), but the lyrics still resonate. 3/5.

The melodies might be good, but the drum machine and synthesizer effects detract from the songs, making them seem tedious.

"I need to listen to more Pet Shop Boys," I say to myself... Knowing that I actually listen to them quite a bit. But a fan though I may be, I hadn't listened to this one before. Look, these 2 are STILL making music, they're prolific af, I haven't heard most of their music tbh. But yeah, this is great. As expected.

Completely non descrip

Very calm and fun.

Pet Shop Boys are always great. Gold standard synth pop.

This is the first album/day of the project, and it is actually one I have listened to recently. I bought this when it came out in 1990, and I have always struggled to get into it compared to other PSB albums. After another listen: Best Tracks: Being Boring, My October Symphony, So Hard, The End Of The World

Being Boring- The intro track brings a chill vibe, but a bit sullen, as the topic is about a couple who repeatedly warned about being reckless but he claims that they were just living life the supposed way (7.5) This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave- A sad song about how he wishes that he wasn't placed in this world which he worked so ling to get out of (6.5) To Face The Truth- The singer loves his partner very much but she doesn’t return the attention, and he starts to comes to terms with it(8) How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?- The singer it talking to a famous person who doesn’t appeal to the public, calling her foolish and claiming no one will take her seriously (7.5) Only The Wind- A song about how the wind can suddenly start and take somebody by surprise, but he doesnt get scared as it dies down as soon as it starts (8) My October Symphony- A song about describing the festivities in October and what it means to the singer (9) So Hard- The singer talks about a relationship where both of them are unfaithful and not committed but he wants to try and fix it, but its just so hard (7.5) Nervously- The singer talks about a girl he likes and she notices, but he doesn’t to anything because he is too shy to make a move on her (6.5) The End Of The World- The singer is now facing a broken relationship, and says that no matter what happens his world is not over (8.5) Jealousy- His partner betrays his trust, and tries to make it up, but he cannot see her reasons because of his jealousy (7.5) Summary: A new wave album, with some chill and poppy beats. A new listening experience for me, and one of my best reactions to such an album so far; OVERALL: 7.7/10

I quite like the Pet Shop Boys songs that I’ve heard. Their cover of Always On My Mind (not on this album) is a banger. It makes me think of my dad because I remember him dusting off some old records as a kid and showing me Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Nervously, Jealousy I quite enjoyed this. It definitely feels like a time capsule of the 80’s as music doesn’t tend to sound like this any more (I miss the overuse of orchestral crashes in music!). There were no bad songs here in my opinion. Some were certainly stronger than others, but everything was still enjoyable. I can imagine the vocals being a little jarring for some people as the singer dies have a bit of an odd voice, but I liked it.

An excellent synth-pop album. Great tunes from start to finish: well-written and well-produced. None of my favourite songs by them were on this album but I’ve now discovered new favourites!

Man, this is dull. Insipid electro-doodling without an ounce of soul.

Interesting and fun sounds, was unsure about the vocals … was going to rate a 3 but then with My October Symphony, So Hard, and The End of the World…. solid 4 for me

Trademark vocals and classic synths doin it for me

Pet Shop Boys have always had a solid lock on 80's synthpop with their smooth, sensual approach to songwriting. Contrasting the energetic, often one-note approach to synthpop, Pet Shop Boys are content to explore a whole different mood. Pet Shop Boys made it okay to cry in the club, in a gay way. Music's good but not my jam.

Not bad. Catchy, but kinda boring.

Genres: Synth-pop, dance-pop Formed: London, England in 1981 Run time: 10 songs, 49 min, 5 sec The fourth studio album by English synth-pop duo. Spotify: Least popular song: over 600k Most popular song: almost 12.5M plays. I’ve never been a fan of the Pet Shop Boys and only recognised track 1, “Being Boring”. If you are a fan then there will be no surprises on this album. Each track tells its story, accompanied by calm reflective music and Neil Tennant’s dulcet tones. It is OK but nothing stands out as exceptional. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***

It was kind of cool. Pretty chill. I like how fussy they were over synth quality. But It's not something I'd have on regular rotation.

PSB is one of those bands that either you really dig an album or you don't. The band itself is not a major factor, but each album feels like it's aimed at a middle-aged, married, queer homemaker. This one just didn't appeal like other albums.

Not for me

5/10. Yeah you know an album is gonna be great when they open with a boring-ass song about how they aren't boring.

This is the eight album review in which I use the word "snooze". This is the sixty-first album review in which I use the word "boring". Nice. 5/10

Ontspannen, maar niet echt spannend.

Average.

I feel like swaiying back and fourth cooking in my members only jacket and perming my hair.

Some good atmospheric flow in the sound here, but not interesting enough to be memorable. My top pick is 'This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave'.

This was pretty bland considering that they have a lot of other great material. One great song and the rest all sort of sounded the same with a low energy output.

I just had a Simple Minds album this week, so there’s no way to not compare the synth sounds here. “This Must be the Place…” sounds like it could be an MGMT song. Another reviewer said a couple songs reminded them of Destroyer, and I definitely heard that. I didn’t dislike any of the songs, but I didn’t really dig it generally. Probably a little below 3 stars, but better than 2.

I feel like I'm shitting on every album I listen to... but c'mon... the Pet Shop Boys? Being boring taken to new heights. The one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail...fall... die trying.

I’m pretty lukewarm on this one. I can see the appeal, but this early 90s, shopping mall, Casio demo music sound doesn’t work for me. There are a few noteworthy tracks here, but kind of a snoozer overall.

Knowing nothing going in, I came out mostly swept off my feet by the melodic melancholy and emotional resonance of these decidedly-adult synth-pop soundscapes.

I’ll admit it, I had fun and love those dramatic keyboard crash sounds

Smooooth 80s sounds of the 90s 2/5

Sounds like the soundtrack to a cheesy 80s movie

Kinda love this band. The tunes are subtle but strong and all handgs together well. Not that chock full of hits but it doesn't really matter.

The Berlin Wall crumbles. The USSR folds. It’s the height of Madchester and yet these two release the most melancholy club kid record ever. I loved most of it. Bonus points for having Axel F impresario as the producer. I don’t understand the criticism of these guys as “wimpy”. I just think others don’t get them. Sad for those others.

I enjoy Pet Shop Boys but this is just fine.

Was never a huge fan of the PSBs. I find them a bit monotonous and the way their lyrics scan jars a little. But that’s just opinion. They always remind me of my brother because he likes them, so I will always have that connection to them.

Quite nice

I liked this! Maybe not the best Pet Shop Boys record, but definitely good.

It lacks the tracks I know of the Pet Shop Boys but I still like it. The faster songs are better than the ballads in my opinion.

Contrairement à ce que pourrait en dire Wikipedia, les Pet Shop Boys ont laissé la synthpop dans un tiroir et de ce fait perdu tout leur intérêt. Dommage.

Alors qu'ils se pointaient avec la cape de sauveur du générateur, les Pet Shop Boys se sont bien foutus de notre gueule sur cet album.

No

I could not get through it - once I got to Only the Wind, which sounded like it was made on a Casio keyboard, I had to stop.

I like it. Mostly chill, introspective album.

not bad

Pop electrónico. Me ha aburrido un tanto. Ni fu ni fa.

Escuchable. Sin pena ni gloria. Bien.

Anthony Fantono has this as one of his 'top albums to get into new wave', alongside OMD and Depeche Mode. I'm not sure though. Something just feels off about it - like it is never quite reaching its potential - but that might be because Father Snell has a deep dislike of Pet Shop Boys and it may have rubbed off.

i dont like how he sounds

This album is a dark atmospheric new wave album. The music makes extensive use of sequencers and drum machines, synthesized horns, orchestral hits, and even a choir in parts, and includes 80s R&B and club/dance music elements throughout. The vocals themselves are the focus and the nasally delivery soaked in reverb cut through the music. Though the elements on this album have been heard before, the Pet Shop Boys skillfully bring them together in a way only they can.

5th May 2023 Listened while driving to the supermarket for tart ingredients. Hannah round during the day, coronation weekend with street party on Friday st and RSC Saturday. Enjoyed this in parts, not as good as the other PSB album I had on here but I would say they've gone up in my general thoughts.

cool

cool

Disco de pop electrónico de principios de los 90, caracterizado por una voz característica. Ritmos suaves y con instrumentos electrónicos abundando

I wasn't a huge fan of the last Pet Shop Boys album that I got, so I thought this would be more of the same. However, I quite enjoyed this album. I like that they put a big focus on analogue synths in the production of the album. It's not an album that I'm likely to come back to, but I think the songs are well crafted overall, and the production is excellent 3/5

Great album

More Pet Shop Boys? I like them fine, at least the hits, but I've never taken the time to listen to a whole album (except the last one I was served) and am certainly not familiar with Behaviour, So Hard is the only song I recognize -- great song. Wow! This is a great album. Beautiful, chill, I love the vibe. Much more of a mood piece, super relatable. Thank you list, I'm glad I heard this album before I died.

A good listen - 80s party electronic vibe

I liked this more than I anticipated. It sounded VERY '80s (as I expected from Pet Shop Boys) but the songs were well-written and compelling. A lot of beautiful melodies. I think this is the type of album that would continue to unravel with additional listens.

there's better psb songs

Not the worst but I probably wont listen to this album again unless I am depressed

This is the kind of CD you’d get to show off your HiFi system in the early 90s

Got some slappers on here, some not so much. This was the first album on this list I can say that I enjoyed a decent handful of songs. Gave me some Depeche Mode mixed with Flight Facilties feelings.

This fucking slaps. Can see the influence on modern indie especially groups like Destroyer.

Particolare

Slower than their other albums. Enjoyed it at the start with never boring, then it got a bit boring to be honest 2

Really Good 8/10

Not a single radio single from a pet shop boys album in 1990? 1990 was wasted by the pet shop boys.

I like the grand orchestral sound filtered through synth pop, it has an ethereal quality that is incredibly of the time. The gentle singing also provides a somewhat inhuman feeling, like a detached observer reflecting on the past.

Theres a couple of enjoyable pet shop boys songs but they are not on this album!

Lacking any of the fun or joy of some of their better stuff

Meh

Introspective melancholic pop. It was fine, but I wasn't too fussed with it.

Meh

this feels like yoga studio meets modern hotel lobby meets 80s rom com. synthy, reminds me of depeche mode!

Not much to say about this bore. I award it two ears. One for where the music went in, and one for where it went out. 👂👂

Really enjoyed the music instrumental intro, and at first I thought this would be a pleasant surprise. But as the album continued, I felt that the lyrics and the vocals were just okay. First two songs were decent, next four kind of drug on, and the last four were decent. I can't help but hear Fred Armisen singing some made up song in Documentary Now! when listening to this album. Overall, this is fine as background music but it just isn't anything more than that for me. I wish the ratings were out of 10 because this is a 5/10 to me, but I'll give it 2/5.

fucking yawn.

It grew on me more than I was expecting, but still never hit any great heights. High two/low three.

i like the Pet Shop Boys, but I cannot underscore enough how unremarkable this album is. Recycled, dated beats with nothing special. Yet another terrible choice by the listmaker!

I think this guy likes PSB more than Elvis Costello, but it's close.

An album that was not super memorable, but overall not bad

Apparently it's depressing annoying voice week.

Not my favorite Pet Shop Boys, but still nice.

Meh

This is a good album, but not essential. Kinda wierd to see it here.

Bland, too gleeful, sucky vocals. 2 out of 10

So mellow

Listened Before? N I know some of these songs from the past, but this is a little different from PSB's dancier things they released earlier in their career. Much more mellow. They claim it was influenced by Violator and I believe it. I liked it but longed for some of their harder dance beats the whole time. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Being Boring

The entire album felt like it could be on a Café Del Mar compilation before they were a thing, so ahead of it's time?

stylish. good stuff.. some excellent HITS ... but, I cant listen to a whole album of them, as much I *want to*.... and the tinny drum machine just grates and lacks the warmth I like for techno - a distinct & unique sound though for the 80s and 90s. Please, just the hits.

What I'd like to say to these two is: How can you expect to be taken seriously when you are so busy being boring. This must be the place I've waited years to avoid as it is so hard listening to this it feels like the end of the world. 49 minutes worth of this appalling drivel, come back Stephen Stills all is forgiven (not!). They should be locked in a room with Napalm Death and made to play each others record. Listen Dimery, if you are out there, I'm 60 man, I can't waste 49 precious minutes on something like this, I want to see my boys have children. Please, please please, I said pet ,I said love, I said pet, please can we have a good record? I'll take a boy band album, as long as its upbeat, what about those guys that did that Billy Joel cover, whoever they were? Or what about that Chumbawumba ? Joe Dolce? Just no more of this stuff.

Yes, it’s the Pet Shop Boys alright. A bit more “mature” than their earlier stuff, but neither dance-y enough to get me moving nor interesting enough to move me (or even to make me listen closely, truth be told). Not sure why it’s on the list. 2.5 stars.

I was never a fan of Pet Shop Boys. I’d never listened to any of their albums before. And I never expected to enjoy listening to this. But, somehow, it wormed its way into my consciousness while I was desperately trying to ignore it. Johnny Marr’s guitar on tracks 2 & 6 was a welcome surprise, as was the part Angelo Badalamenti played on tracks 2 & 5 - amazing that he was working on this album at the same time that he was creating the soundtrack for Twin Peaks. So by the time they got to So Hard, I was almost singing along. Almost. Somehow I enjoyed this album.

It's all terribly tasteful and melancholic and polished and... sorry, just drifted off there for a minute. Why are there three Pet Shop Boys albums on this list? And of those three, this is probably the most soporific. I guess you could understand this as an elegy at the end of the worst of the AIDS crisis, mourning for friends and lovers lost. Apparently, Neil Tennant didn't come out until 1994 (four years after this album). I'm not quite sure how that was a secret... This album really is incredibly well done, and the singles are OK, but the whole thing is really not my bag.

ну ничего такие)

I've been listening to Pet Shop Boys' singles from the '80's for as long as I can remember. I love "West End Girls" and "Opportunities," but their rendition of "Always on my Mind" is my absolute favorite of theirs. I've never listened to a whole album of theirs, and I'm completely unfamiliar with their work from 1990 and on. That should suffice as an lead-in to the fact that this album was completely different from what I expected to hear. Gone are the synth pop dance tunes of their earlier discography, replaced with a smoother and more subdued sound that was becoming present as the eighties became the nineties. Gone are the dancey beats, replaced with silky synth-pop ballads. The vocals on this album are great, and Tennant still shines as one of the best singers of his synth-forward contemporaries. Musically, Pet Shop Boys do a great job of keeping the uniqueness of their sound, while changing with the times. This isn't the sort of album I would listen to again (their dance hits will still stay in heavy rotation for me), but I can appreciate this album as being a great work.

A pretty good album, but certainly not essential.

Pretty flippin' great. Nice U2 cover. 4 stars.

just not for me. i like jealousy best.

It was good but not as good as their earlier albums

Popular music in the 80s and early 90s really sucked huh. Does not belong on this list imo.

Electro pop like a robot from 1984

So very British

How many memories listening to this album...

I remember one or two songs from their hits in the 80s, but really don't know them or their music, so I was glad to see one of their albums appear in the rotation. Because I don't listen to a lot of synth-pop, and I tended to avoid it in the 80s and 90s, I like it more than I expected. It's still very much a product of its time, so there are plenty of moments when my brain hears theme songs to 80s tv shows, but that's to be expected of most albums as they tend to reflect and sound like their own time and context. I let my mind transpose these tracks over to acoustic or less-synth-y instruments, and that's fun.

It's really good, not my favorite by the boys, but still good. 3.5

It sounds like generic 80's music. The second half of the album is miles better than the first though.

Kanske meningen att det ska vara lite distanserat och avmätt, men jag blir bara lätt blasé.

Hurra hurra bra pop! Sämsta låten är ändå bättre än Gessles bästa.

Loved loved lived the synths

There are some bands who are frozen in their first flush of teenage youth for decades (think the Ramones), and other bands who appear middle-aged from the start. The National come to mind, but the daddies of the prematurely middle-aged pop star vibe are the Pet Shop Boys. So it is that this album is told mainly in the past tense. The adventures of youth (Being Boring) are events that happened years, perhaps decades ago. Though they were around before the phrase 'sad banger' was invented, they took the melancholia melodies at the heart of Kraftwerk and married them with lyrics focusing on failed romances, youths lost to AIDS, regrets at poor choices and misunderstandings. It's all very adult and amazing that they could do all this and sell millions of albums. There's a much quoted comment from Neil Tennant that once Domino Dancing went in the charts at 7 he knew their imperial period was over. This, the first album they made after that, is them staking out a more adult territory that would sustain them for decades. Is it five stars? Definitely 4.5 and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, if just for Being Boring which is perhaps their greatest ever piece of songwriting.

I looked at the tracklist, only to find that "West End Girls" is not on this album. It was only downhill after that.

"Being Boring" is a great way to describe this album.

The PSB album with no hits on it

Love PSB so not hard to listen to. Not my favourite album of theirs but still very enjoyable. It's perfect dance pop with an intelligent ironic slant. Complex layers of co-ordinated sound.

First track would've been a better album name.

Another Pet Shop Boys. Joy. The sheer chutzpah of Neil Tennant to record a track called "Being Boring" when his vocal style is so close to monotone. The things about it - the damn thing about it - is that his voice is as close to perfect as it can be for these synths. The synths are great.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, the production and sound is too notch, a bit dreary in parts but ultimately very solid Favourite song: Track 1 - Being Boring

J'aime bien le côté ambiant, mais la voix entre autres ne me revient pas. Un peu ennuyeux à mon goût

Having owned this album and having listened to it quite a lot in the early 90s, this was a lovely revisit of an old friend. This might well be my exhibit A for folks that look down on synth-pop as somehow robotic or mechanical. Listening to this I realize how masterfully the synthesizers are used to craft really interesting sounds and music. A couple of these songs have amazing bridges. There are authentic emotions and clever social commentary. And it begins and ends with harp flourishes! Bravo!

Not at all familiar with this album, but I fell in love with it immediately and hoped the feeling would last…it did!

More subdued than the Pet Shop Boys I'm used to. Sophisticated class.

Today was the perfect, gloomy day for a wistful, deeply reflective album that over the years has grown to mean more and more to me. I haven’t listened to this from beginning to end in some time, though, so it was on this rainy day that I revisited this well-worn album. Every note is so familiar and yet I am still discovering new emotions and meaning in these songs. This is arguably the best from a duo that has given me a lot of bests. While I loved every moment of my multiple listens to this today, the quiet parts really stood out to me today. “Being Boring”, “This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave,” “To Face The Truth,” “My October Symphony,” “Nervously,” “The End Of The World” capture so many important moments in my life. All without forgoing the dance floor masterpieces like “So Hard”. What an incredible album.

I liked this, but I wanted a few more upbeat songs-- this album is pretty ballad-heavy.

For a duo fresh out of the imperial phase, Pet Shop Boys sure do have a knack for remaining dignified and composed as opposed to looking in complete shambles. Behaviour is Chris and Neil at their most reflective, their most vulnerable and their most (for lack of a better term) mature. Remaining as ambitiously baroque as ever, but with loss and melancholy on their tails, the duo would enter the 90s not as kings of their field but as astute observers of an increasingly changing landscape. Favorites: Being Boring, This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave, To Face the Truth, How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?, So Hard, Nervously, Jealousy.

It's the second album by Pet Shop Boys in the span of less than a week! And honestly, it's more of the same. There was, apparently, a change of styles between "Very" and "Behaviour", but I feel like there is one, big issue that overshadows the instrumental parts of those albums - and it is Neil Tennant's vocal. As I already explained on the review for "Very", Pet Shop Boys has a really intriguing and interesting music, but listening to the whole album in one sitting is excruciatingly painful. And now I know why. Neil's singing, or rather his style and voice, is very specific. It works perfectly on some of the most known singles, like "Always On My Mind". Their hits, as standalone songs, are really great and timeless. But listening to 15 songs, some without those catchy beats and melodies, but always with the same constant and monotonous voice by Neil is just too much. "Behaviour" is just another example of this. To make things worse, I don't really think there is any outstanding single on this album at all. Every song just mashed into a big pile of puree, and trying to distinguish every little potato is almost impossible. I decided to rate both albums as one, even though it's not possible on this list. I gave 3 stars for "Very", so I think it will be fair to give 2 for "Behaviour". In this case we will have a nice 2,5 stars average, which should perfectly show how I feel about those albums.

Piirrän tälläkin hetkellä tulevaa sarjakuva-albumiani, joka on (jälleen kerran) novellikokoelma. Jokainen tarina viittaa yhteen tärkeään biisiin, yhteensä 12 niitä ihan tärkeimpiä biisejä on kokoelmassa (albumissa?) mukana. Being Boring on yksi näistä.

Not as bad as I expected. Wish it was somebody else singing, though. Best track: So Hard

there are honestly some really interesting beats mixed into Kraftwerk-type songs 3.5

Repetitive

enjoyable. i need to listen more.

Not great. Slow Pet Shop Boys are not the Pet Shop Boys i want to listen to

Normal Pet Shop Boys - nothing exceptional on this album. They are good at what they do, but it is not my thing with occasional exceptions, and there were no exceptions here.

Enjoyable - sensitive, sometimes melancholy, has that sort of early housey synthy beat that proliferated gay clubs in the 80s and 90s. Still, somewhat relieved it's over.

Not quite my thing, but definitely some enjoyable tracks.

Reminds me of British food - bland, monotonous, and lacking in any discernible punch or taste

Pretty enjoyable, mostly chill vibes

Great dance album

It was such a disappointment when it was released what is now regarded as best Pet Shop Boys album ever... it was received with kind of disgust from band's fans of the first era like myself. We had enjoyed uplifting hits like 'It's a Sin', 'Domino Dancing', 'Suburbia', 'Rent' or 'West End Girls' and did not embrace their new mature direction. 'My October Symphony'? Come on. 'Only the Wind'? Bleh. 'Jealousy'? Booring. 'To Face the Truth'? Give me a break! Even the singles. 'Being Boring' and 'So Hard' were good, but far too serious compared with previous radio hits. Luckily, time has been on its side and we can see now how well they showed a new face, which was going to be developed in the years to come and eventually made of PSB a long-term entity in the History of pop

The Pet Shop Boys dive into New-Wave Electronica and Synth Pop on this album that is very much a product of its time. If you are looking for an example of British Radio Electronica of the Late 80s / Early 90s then look no further than Behaviour. The most lacking part of the album is that is lacking any major single or lasting ear worm.

Dang Bri'ish people adding u's to words

Äntligen lite elektroniskt. Tyvärr är det ju inte Depeche Mode.

Inte min grej

This album is so bad and cheesy. It came out in 1990 and still uses the most basic electric piano tones and oontz oontz rhythms. Why is this on this list? Hot can of waste. This album was so close to being fun, but they hammed every moment of it with their tacky approach to music creation. This tried soooooo hard to be commercial dogshit. And it suceeded. Down to the damn auto strings on this casio keyboard, fuck, it is bad.

The Boys take a trip into ambient space, breaking apart proto-house to build a quieter album. It doesn't quite work for me, though the highs are very affecting and there's something for everyone here. My wife heard Toto in the opening track, I caught something like video game music: Hits and misses. Still like the band, had a good time.

This record was not as good as their other on this list. The electronic instruments sound hollow in 2022. The songs themselves are pretty good. But they have not aged well.

Pretty good

27-Oct-2022 TLDR; Aged like milk, would not listen to this one again. I went into this album knowing Pet Shop Boys' biggest singles only. I've often heard good things about them and based on the scene and era they fit into, I vaguely assumed I would like them, but never got around to listening to them. Surprisingly, I had a fairly visceral negative reaction to this album. I thought the first song was ok, but the songs immediately after had me cringing and squirming. I thought the second half might turn it around with the passable "My October Symphony", but alas, no. I could only listen to half of "Nervously", and I'm not usually a skipper. After that, I was dying for the album to end. Its hard to put my finger on what exactly I dislike about the album (because there were so many things), but the vocals are definitely a big part of it. I like Neil Tennant's singing in small doses, but on this I found his whiny cabaret style grating. The lyrics are also quite trite in places. Musically, I found this very repetitive, with similar drum and bass beats the whole way through. It's also very dated overall, and not in a fun nostalgic way, since I have no emotional connection to any of these songs. I like a lot of similar music from this era (New Order, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, etc.), but this sounds like a sort of death knell of 80s synthetic pop to me now. Its interesting to read that this was heavily influenced by "Violator". I love that album and don't find it dated at all. I see some similarities I suppose, but this is definitely "Violator-lite", if anything.

Surprisingly enjoyable

Crap

Identifying Pet Shop Boys

Like every other PSB album I’ve listened to, I found it pretty enjoyable. It overstays its welcome, and the first few tracks are by far the strongest.

No. English pop. Sounds ugly.

Electrónica elegante y en este caso sin mucho beat para bailar. Lleno de baladas, se siente tranquilo, lento y a ratos un poco aburrido. No está mal, tampoco está súper. 2.5 estrellas que voy a bajar a 2 porque seguramente mañana no voy a recordarlo.

No logro tomar en serio a Pet Shop Boys. La voz nasal y los sintetizadores tan electrónicos no dejan de sonarme a que el inicio de esto fue un chiste local que se volvió algo en serio. El disco, como los otros suyos que hemos oído, me pasa sin pena ni gloria. No me molesta escucharlos, pero no lo pondría voluntariamente y me cuesta trabajo encontrar algo rescatable. Le doy 2.5 estrellas que sube a 3 solo por cuates.

I find my generousity waning the further I get in to this list. When music from Pet Shop Boys was new, I wasn't sure what to do with it. After listening to a second full album, Behaviour has me convinced that I don't need to listen to an Pet Shop Boys. I knew three of the songs off of this album. "So Hard" is the one track that verges on a potential re-listen, but there are also tracks that I for sure do not want to hear again ("Only the Wind", "My October Sympohony"). By that point in the alubm I felt like I had had enough of Pet Shop Boys' odd electronic synth symphony backing music and hushed semi-spoken lyrics. In the past, I would have rounded up saying "I guess I got through it". Today I am rounding down, admitting that I was done with the album before the album was done playing.

This was an awesome album. REALLY unexpected. The 2nd song was so fucking good I was legit shocked. I was really just lost in this album and soaked it in. So hard is a fantastic song. Jealousy is a great closer to this record. This would probably get a 5 on the relisten. Awesome! 8/10

This album just came and went really. Nothing very memorable about it aside from occasionally being irritated.

Sympas mais parfois ça manque un peu de peps. 3,5/5

nice sound, just not my thing

Forgot to rate this one after I listened to it some while ago. Couldn't remember a single track; after a relisten I remember why. Nothing here that really spikes my interest.

What a pulp. Hard to listen to. I love synths, but even they are annoying me in some of the songs. In the end, some song were more bearable, but enjoying any of them I hardly did.

Enjoyed

Honestly too new for my tastebuds didnt hate just not sure i have heard enough of it😅

3.5 - There's a Broadway-like attention to lyrics that communicate broadly relatable messages. "The End of the World" reminds us that "there are other fish in the sea." "Being Boring" laments the loss of innocence and the wonder of youth. As always Neil Tennant is an effective vocalist. I also like the way they incorporate so many different synth sounds. But as I'm listening I'm reminded of MIDI files I used to download off of AOL in 1992 that tried to knock of huge dance hits like "Enjoy the Silence."

Favourite track(s): Being Boring; How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously It seems kind of emblematic that I only knew a few songs by the Pet Shop Boys before listening to the album - and I really liked them a lot. However, I did never listen to much else made by the band. This album seems to show why. The sound is pleasent but the tracks are all quite similar. Expect for my favourites, they do not stay in the ear. The lyrics do not make up for that. While I absolutely like the vocals, this seems like an album of tracks which did not make it onto a better record.

2 good songs The end of the world How can you expect to be taken seriously

Bellos los sintetizadores, bellas las letras. El synthpop de ahorita tiene mucho que agradecerle a Pet Shop Boys.

Pretty mellow synth pop. Didn't love it and didn't hate it. Nice but didn't leave much of an impression.

Not really my thing but I can see why it would be someone's thing.

A few good songs on here. I liked Being Borning, How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? So Hard and To Face the Truth. 3.5/5

Familiar with pet shop boys bigger hits? But nothing on this album, was ok but nothing special

I could get into it. Listened to their first album after this and thought that was much better.

The video for being boring is very erotic! The song is also good. The album overall is a bit uneven. Some very catchy tunes, but some are less "danceable."

Disappointed. I like the voice and the vibe in general, but there is nothing that really stands out positively in this track list and if anything, key parts of it are really sounding dated. Since there are things i know i like by the Pet Shop Boys, i was expecting a positive experience, but ended up being really let down by this album.

Eh, not my cup of tea.

When you press the demo button on the keyboard at school

Slap album, echt niet van deze tijd

Solid pop album with really catchy melodies and lyrics. Probably pretty influential in the electro music scene.

sonido agradable, suena curiosamente a una mezcla de los 80s y 90s, tiene sentido al ser de 1990, justo en medio de ambas épocas. no soy fan profundamente pero no me disgustó nada. en una palabra: gustoso

Being boring is ironically apt

Still not as good as very 3

Some nice songs, some boring ones. Johnny Marr and Badalamenti are on this?

Seriously, if this album came out this year, it would be considered as a joke. The best example of synth-pop that didn't age well (and I'm a big fan of synth-pop)

Almost fall asleep while listening to it...zzzzzzzzzz

The album contains nice moments, but it is very long-winded for an album with barely no mood variations. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it either. Glad to know better this group that I only knew by name.

Если вам 30, вы напились и хотите погрустить ночью - этот альбом отличное решение. В противном случае тупо уныло и скучно.

Dark and ominous.

Kind of boring. It's pretty emotionless, with weird and kind of boring techno beats. I guess it's not bad though.

Not so bad as the other One, but still...

boring as every PTB

No me gusta mucho pet shop boys

Interesting music. Scratches an itch in my brain.

A vibe hour, but nothing much I can get into. All a bit overproduced and underwhelming

so 90s but not the good 90s.

Poor effort from the Pet Shop Men.

Not one of their best, Pet Shop Boys by numbers and too many wet ballads.

The background synth sounds and guitars are much cooler than the lead vocals and forward sounds.

I've listened to Pet Shop Boys previously, and I can tell by this point they have mastered their signature Synthpop sound. I might have to come back to this to see if I think more highly of it due to how many quality dance bops it has. Favorites: "Being Boring", "To Face the Truth", "So Hard"

Weichgespülte, ideenlose Audiorrhoe. Unerträglich, daher beim fünften Song ausgemacht, nachdem ich bereits ab dem ersten nur noch durchgeskippt habe. Diese tongewordene Banalität macht mich aggressiv.

Pet Shop Boys are very much in my musical wheelhouse so I was excited about this album. I’m not sure what it is about PSB, though, because they just don’t do it for me. I listened to a mix of their stuff recently and just didn’t connect with it, much like this album. I feel like they take themselves too seriously or something. I did really like the song “To Face the Truth.” I listened to this a second time and liked it a little more, but was still overall left feeling “meh.”

Tecno pop

You know...it's not my favorite album on this list, but I get the appeal. The aggressively 90s synth is delightful and I really thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't say I'd re-listen to every single track, but the majority were enjoyable. I can't complain about this one, it was genuinely fun. Fave track: This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave. Has a wonderful driving-down-the-road sound to it.

This was extremely pretty and I enjoyed listening to it at the time, but now it's over I cannot remember a single note.

Oh boy. More synth-pop. Mellow, bland, poor lyrics, too-quiet voices. Apt that the first song is titled 'Being Boring.' This just isn't for me. Couldn't make it through a full three songs.

I've always felt that the Pet Shop Boys would benefit a little bit from being less serious, but their undoubted ear for memorable pop is on full display here. The problem is that the whole album feels too long and self indulgent.

This album contains two of my favourite Pet Shop Boys singles, 'So Hard' and 'Being Boring', so it seems a good place to start for a deeper dive into their discography. Pleasingly, the rest of the album lives up to the standard of those singles and continues the wistful and introspective themes. Chock full of glorious melodies, sad lyrics and catchy hooks, this is total Bill-bait. Two thirds of the tracks on the album could have been a singles, with only a small dip in quality in the middle third of the record. The album mixes of 'Being Boring' and 'Jealousy' are also superior to the single edits and add to the overall feel of the piece. Looking forward to the other two PSB albums on the list. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: So Hard Date listened: 17/05/22

I had a friend who was a huge fan. I've always found them interesting but never really got into them. Being Boring starts out strong, How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? is a standout for me and the rest is just pleasant enougn synth pop.

Great

I mostly enjoyed what Pet Shop Boys I had heard before getting this album. So Hard was the only song I knew prior and maybe its because of this reason thats it the only one I really enjoyed. I was hoping for something more like New Order and was a bit let down. It's not terrible but I don't know that I'd ever want to hear this again.

The opener, Being Boring, takes me back to high school even though I was graduated eight years before the album was released. It feels like a concept album about reminiscing.

Pop electrónico. Me ha aburrido un tanto. Ni fu ni fa.

This was not what I expected the album to sound like given the few pet shop boys songs i know- it was so slooooow. Maybe I was in a bad mood but I couldn't decide if it was interesting or boring tbh. There were some nice moments, and October symphony was a nice break from the sad boi synths, but overall I found this album to be a bit wet.

Pretty nice to listen to with some catchy hooks, fun grooves, and enough instrumental variation to keep things interesting (the orchestra at the end of Jealousy sounds amazing!)

Sophisticated pop. The occasional talking vocals really show the contrasts when Tennant sings. I always really liked Jealousy and some of the others are also polished pop with good hooks. Not as catchy as Actually, but more sophisticated.

Prefs: Being Boring, This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave, The End of the World, Jealousy Moins pref: Only the Wind.

I do love the pet shop boys, but without the big standout singles, this does tend to merge into the background a little. There are a couple of bits that grab your interest, but it's not one I'll be rushing back to.

Highlights: This Must be the Place I've Waited Years to Leave, Only the Wind, Nervously. - I didn't vibe with this album. It's good, well made, and with a few songs I enjoyed, but I just couldn't connect with it the way I wanted to.

I got about six songs in, really not my jam. Overproduced synths and drums sound kind of cheesy. Meh

Neat 90s electronica.

Never been a fan of the Pet Shop Boys and probably never will be. Listening to most of the album is the most I've listened to them in one sitting and though it was fine, couldn't really keep my attention. Some songs had a nice beat to it and could get into it, but most of the music had a sameness and blah appeal for me. Blah...

I thought this one was nice. The sprinkling of guitar was a pleasant surprise. The production was also great here. Ultimately though I didn’t find the album massively interesting. Again this is an album that could maybe do with being about 10-15 minutes shorter. Overall I think this is another 2.5 stars.

Where as "Actually" sounded very advanced and ahead of it's time, "Behavior" sounds a bit dated. I blame the late 80s/early 90s style of production I despise. I like the lyrical messages and choices on this record, just not the fake keyboard orchestra stabs. Favorite tracks: "Being Boring", "This Must Be the Place I Waited to Leave"

They seem to have settled in a mid-tempo groove at this point. Not as exciting as Actually.

I thought it was beautiful.

I came across a cache of old photos And invitations to teenage parties "Dress in white" one said, with quotations From someone's wife, a famous writer In the nineteen-twenties

standard synth pop

first listen very 80s, kinda sleepy

Sound very muchof its era, but nevertheless still stands up well.

like a more moody bowie

Wouldn't listen to again

Boff

Absolutely not.

Shit slaps

Sylt med smör på bröd fr 🥖 🧈

Synth dance with a certain atmospheric sensibility. I does make me wish the orchestral stab preset was never invented

Banger... inget är lika bra som första sången dock.

Me gustó de principio a fin y pues nunca había escuchado un disco completo de los Pet Shop Boys. 9/10

I'd never heard a full album by Pet Shop Boys and was feeling optimistic going into this one- I thought they were notorious for infectious dance-pop, a late 80's take on disco classics, and a camp sense of humour. "Behaviour" felt different. By all accounts, it's their "time to grow up" album with a more mature attempt at their sound. As a first listen with no investment in their evolution, it just seemed to fall flat. Right from the get go, "Being Boring" takes as its subject the idea of looking back, growing up and reflecting. It's a universal theme with undeniable personal weight for Tennant, but it's very introspective, bordering on self-important. Together with the maudlin "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave" and "To Face the Truth", one can hear the songs dragging themselves down with their own weight. It's fine to place more focus on the subject matter, but the lyrics here are patchy. Over-baked, in the case of "This Must Be The Place..."'s forced rhymes, and under-baked in the case of "To Face the Truth" ("If you don't believe what I have said; take a look, my eyes are red"). Tennant's vocals are delivered in a soft, hushed tone, occasionally double-tracked in octaves (frustratingly, never in harmony). They're fine, but they're not showstopping by any means. Together, lyrics and vocals are not enough to carry the material, and focus has to turn to the instrumentals. It's interesting listening to this album and distinguishing between synth sounds enjoying a current revival, those which are forgivably of their time, and those which are so dated as to damage the listening experience. In the top group, we have a lot of the drum sounds here. Perhaps often sampled in the years since, they feel like they still would have a place in lo-fi or retro- leaning dance pop. The ethereal pads are timeless and have been a mainstay of electronic music, often used here to add another subtle layer of atmosphere. In the middle are most of the bass sounds: spluttering, bouncing, bubbling... they're determinedly 80's, but often the most addictive part of the track (see "Being Boring"). On the lowest end are the terribly naff orchestra hits which plague and drag down the already interminable "Only the Wind". They're also used in "So Hard" along with an equally dated choir effect, but because the same song holds the album's best chorus, I can get past it. Incidentally, "So Hard" was the lead single and I wasn't surprised to hear it: there's a clear hook, sense of drama and magnitude to it. There's an occasional exception from the synths: the acoustic string section in "My October Symphony" is a pleasant addition to the mix, but it doesn't salvage the song's bland hook. "Jealousy" is a gentle ballad to take us out, with simulated wave effects, and some brass patches coming in for the outro. The song itself is just as po-faced as the rest of the album and doesn't allow itself to be emotional or danceable. "Behaviour" is a deeply flawed effort with little to make me want to revisit it. It doesn't seem to fulfil Pet Shop Boy's reputation for making floor-fillers, but the emotion within it feels detached, and the lyrical quality renders any claim these songs can stake as being mature and cerebral rather flawed.

Big improvement on Actually

meh

Not shit, but not god enough. First track title of the album says it all.

Like their upbeat stuff more. Not really a fan of the synth-pop ballads on here.

Tää on must PSB:n paras levykokonaisuus. Siinä missä aikasemmilla levyil on megahittejä (its a sin, domino dancing jne), tää keskittyy jotenkin ehkä aikuisempaan ja vakavampaan ilmaisuun. Miten sitä vielä kuvailis, ehkä tää on vähemmän överi. Tykkään kovasti. Ihan siitä 3 ja 4 tähtee välistä. Menköön tällä kertaa neljän puolelle koska koko bändi on hienoo poppii, jolla on iso kulttuurillinen merkitys. 4/5

Aikamoista löristelyä ysärisyntikka-orchestra-hiteillä ja muilla kämäsoundeilla, tuntuu lähinnä koomiselta. Ja siihen päälle vielä PSB:n ärsyttävä valittava lauluääni ja mukahaikea poppismeininki, niin en kyllä osaa sanoa että nautinko tästä oikeestaan ollenkaan.

Onpas hyvä. Ihanaa myöhäisillan melankoliapoppia. Ehkä pari biisiä turhan imeliä, mutta pääosin nautin tyylistä ja soundeista. Being Boring on kyl mielettömän kova, olin joskus kuullut ja onneksi löytyi taas. PSB:n isot hitit ei oo ollut suurimpia suosikkeja niin tää oli kiva yllätys. Alkoi kaduttaa, että kävelin aikoinaan Flowssa kylmästi ohi.

Ei sillä että mulla olis mitään varsinaisesti synapoppia vastaan mutta Pet Shop Boys on monesti niin lässyttävää ettei vaan jaksa. Tää levy ainakin menee tähän kategoriaan. 2/5

I apologize for anyone whose first exposure to Pet Shop Boys this is. It's an outlier. Compared to their dance crazy hits before and after, this is a mature, melancholic entry best met with a glass of brandy in the study. Some may accuse it for being pretentious, with its openly cryptic album cover and title, and the overtly serious content matter, which is a criticism not a member of my entertainment factors. The direct, confrontational lyrics paint the narrator as a man of action, a vivid storyteller, full of dreams and regrets, ideas of change and resolve. Combined with its unique subject matter and clear, soothing vocals, it makes for one of the more engaging listens out there. Synths are top of the notch... this is Pet Shop Boys we're talking about. No one has a more refined sound in the genre besides maybe Depeche Mode. It's also PSB's most consistent effort. There's a range of synth sounds here, but yet the mood remains the same. The most discoesque song is probably "My October Symphony," yet even then I'm not sure I'd dance to - especially with that classical symphony sound - just groove out to. Maybe "So Hard" is a better candidate with that laser solo. No song feels out of place, and there are some pretty sweet transitions.

not for me

Smooth

Niet echt mijn ding. Wel aangename achtergrondmuziek

Meh, This is a low-3 for me. I am okay with the beats / layering / vibe here, but not a fan of the singer. Tempted to give a 2 here, but a little more impressive there's only 2 people here doing this.

Eh.

Czy to sezon na recyklingowany kontent, bo kolejna banda duetowa, ktora juz miala swoja reprezentacje na liscie i znowu katuje tym samym, dawno takiego uczucia deja vu nie mialem niz podczas tego odsluchu, wiec sprawdzilem rowniez poprzedni album i kawalki maja tak podobna linie melodyczna, ale czego sie spodziewac po ultra synthowym duecie, nawet gosci zbyt wielu nie ma tutaj, wiec komputrowe brzmienia dominuja, traki odroznia poziom mialkosci lirycznej, jak przystalo na pop latwy odsluch i 49 minut z glowy rozbite na 10 kawalkow, pet szopowe bojsy utwierdzaja mnie kolejny raz w tym, ze synthowy pop, to nie moj gatunek muzyczny, ale na elektrowom plejke dodam otwierajacy utwor o intrygujacym tytule, being boring, ktory swietnie podsumowuje moje odczucia po odsluchu krazka behaviour

Another pleasant surprise! I really enjoyed this one. I had always heard the name Pet Shop Boys, but never knew what kind of music they played. I guess I'm a fan now!

First time with anything other than “West End Girls.” Good stuff.

* I hated every second of this

I had heard of the Pet Shop Boys, but wasn’t familiar with their music. I loved this. I loved the vocals, but I especially loved the music and the use of the synth (is that a thing? A synth? If not, don’t @ me). Kind of like a more lounge UB40 vibe without being cringe 😬 I really dug this. Being Boring could literally be my theme song (except I am literally boring lol). Great album!

SO. I clearly have at least one Pet Shop Boys song that I know, and yet I've never listened to any others. That voice is not one to spend much time with. How Can You Be... was the moment at which I knew PSB were not going to be a band for me. Went downhill from there. How was *this* the "must listen to" album???? It was getting annoying at the end (the voice, the balladry, the lack of pop hits...). I'm between a one and two stars, so it's gonna be one. :(

Never listened to a whole PSBs album before. Enjoyed the first half more than the second. I'm pretty sure that Being Boring is a New Order song in disguise. Altogether the album is a bit of a downer. Also, I know they like retro synths, but stop it with the Orchestra Hit, it doesn't improve any song.

Liked this more than I expected to. 2.5/5

Synth pop was probably dying at this point. This album, "Behaviour", released a year before Nirvana stormed the scene, sounds like a final groove, a last dance. The overall atmosphere seems melancholic and vulnerable. I guess switching to analog synths contributed to it. I don't mind the British accent, but the vocals are irritating most of the time. It doesn't go well with the synth tunes. It's not really bad, but it surely didn't age well. While the synth lines and the melodies are catchy sometimes, the songs just pass by without leaving anything remarkable. This is far from a must listen.

Daft Punk i gamle dager. Sanger med mer sang, og gammel tekno, men allikevel kult nok

Good music, chill vibes

total crap

A really nice, more mature outing by the Pet Shop Boys. I think the Pet Shop Boys were always among the best of their genre, with smarter lyrics and better arrangements than a lot of their peers. But this is some next level Pet Shop Boys. Some really rich, elegant arrangements. Love the presence of Johnny Marr on guitar, which adds a nice additional texture you don't always get in electronic music. It teeters on the line of being a little overly torchy, but thank goodness for that. Otherwise it would be another drab synth album of the period. It feels a touch dated musically at times, but overall a really strong collection of songs. Fave Songs: Jealousy, The End of the World, To Face the Truth, This Must Be the Place I've Waited to Leave, Nervously, Being Boring, My October Symphony

Not a bad album - easy to listen to. Very 80s sound still. 6/10.

The opening song, Being Boring is quintessentially Pet Shop Boys. Suprisingly industrial feel in some of the tracks that synchs well with the synth pop tones. How can You Expect to be Taken Seriously is strangely 80's poppy again with a drumbeat that kind of resembles Sledgehammer. A little too samey for my taste - the songs run together so seamlessly that it is an awful lot of something that's only okay. The goods - Being Boring

Not my favorite

Solid

Sad boy late 80s early 90s music. Lead singer has one of the more unique voices. Also the electro effects in this album just make me smile, stereotype era

This album is so unabashedly 80s/90s fusion. Holy synth bass, Batman. Pet Shop Boys walked so others could run. Not my cup of tea but a lot of the songs have fire sample potential.

Mah...

Terrible 80s music

Average. I liked a few songs but not all.

Mediocre, all of the songs are pretty forgettable, not my style.

// Favs: Being Boring Score: Decent to Strong 3

53. Behaviour - Pet Shop Boys 10 tracks. I think this was the PSB's working out what worked and what didn't work. This is the "Didn't work" pile. It's really not good. 2/5

I have an unconscious bias against the Pet Shop Boys - every track sounds the same. Not dull or bad, but i've listened through this album twice now and didn't even notice it was on. Couldn't differentiate between this and any other Pet Shop Boys album.

The 4th Pet Shop Boys album. I thought that this one would be more interesting. But only 3 stars of 5. Interesting facts about this one is that they used analog synthesizers instead of digital. Tennant stated the album was inspired by fellow synth-pop group Depeche Mode's album Violator released that same year.

not my fave. skipped the last few

I wasn’t prepared for how much I would love this!

Chill BG music, def 80s sound seeping into the 90s decade. 3.5

Pretty nice tunes. Not the biggest fan of his voice, but the music slaps!

Tyyppien soundi on jotenkin mieltä rauhoittava. Ei tosin silti mikään tajuntaan iskevä teos ja ennestään tutu biisit on toisilla levyillä. 2,5*

Ikinä en oo ymmärtäny. En tainnut edes skippailemalla päästä loppuun