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With their second album, Actually, the Pet Shop Boys perfected their melodic, detached dance-pop. Where most of Please was dominated by the beats, the rhythms on Actually are part of a series of intricate arrangements that create a glamorous but disposable backdrop for Neil Tennant's tales of isolation, boredom, money, and loneliness. Not only are the arrangements more accomplished, but the songs themselves are more striking, incorporating a strong sense of melody, as evidenced by "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," a duet with Dusty Springfield. Tennant's lyrics are clever and direct, chronicling the lives and times of urban, lonely, and bored yuppies of the late '80s. And the fact that dance-pop is considered a disposable medium by most mainstream critics and listeners only increases the reserved emotional undercurrent of Actually, as well as its irony.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer - Bobby Orlando, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Producer - Dusty Springfield, FeaturedArtist, With Vocals - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, MixingEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Programmer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Allee Willis, Writer - David Jacob, Engineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Writer - Gary Maughan, Additional Programmer - J. J. Jeczalik, Programmer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, MixingEngineer - Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Angelo Badalamenti, Orchestral Arranger - Ennio Morricone, Writer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - David Jacob, Producer, Engineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Production, MixingEngineer - Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Composer, Vocals - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Composer, Vocals - David Jacob, MixingEngineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Shep Pettibone, Producer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Dave Meegan, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Adrien Cook, Programmer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Andy Richards, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - TONY PHILLIPS, Engineer - Julian Mendelsohn, MixingEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Producer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer - David Jacob, Engineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
DISC 2
Shep Pettibone, Producer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Dave Meegan, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Junior Vasquez, Editor - Shep Pettibone, Producer, Remix - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Dave Meegan, AdditionalEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer - Adrien Cook, Keyboards
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Shep Pettibone, Producer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Dave Meegan, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer - Helena Springs, Additional Vocals, Additional Vocals Producer - Adrien Cook, Programmer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Remix - Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, Remix, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals, Writer - David Jacob, MixingEngineer - Bobby Orlando, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Remix - Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Composer, Vocals - Julian Mendelsohn, Additional Producer, AdditionalEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Remix, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Producer - Dusty Springfield, FeaturedArtist, With Vocals - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, MixingEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Programmer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Writer - Allee Willis, Writer - David Jacob, Engineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Andy Richards, Producer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - TONY PHILLIPS, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - J J Belle, Guitar
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Helena Springs, Writer - David Jacob, Producer, Engineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Wayne Carson Thompson, Composer - Mark James, Composer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Vocals - Johnny Christopher, Composer - David Jacob, MixingEngineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Stephen Hague, Editor, MixingEngineer - Andy Richards, Keyboards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Engineer - Pet Shop Boys, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - David Jacob, MixingEngineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Josh Milan, Solo Piano - John Poppo, MixingEngineer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - David Jacob, Engineer - Mike Nielson, Engineer - Frankie Knuckles, Additional Production, MixingEngineer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1988, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Wayne Carson Thompson, Composer - Mark James, Composer - Andy Richards, Programmer - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals - Julian Mendelsohn, Additional Producer, Remix - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals - Johnny Christopher, Composer - David Jacob, Additional Producer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 1987, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals, Writer - Bob Kraushaar, MixingEngineer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Wayne Carson Thompson, Composer - Mark James, Composer - Andy Richards, Samples - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer - NEIL TENNANT, Vocals - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer - Pet Shop Boys, Producer, Remix, MainArtist - Chris Lowe, Keyboards, Vocals - Johnny Christopher, Composer - David Jacob, Producer
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2001, 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Album review
With their second album, Actually, the Pet Shop Boys perfected their melodic, detached dance-pop. Where most of Please was dominated by the beats, the rhythms on Actually are part of a series of intricate arrangements that create a glamorous but disposable backdrop for Neil Tennant's tales of isolation, boredom, money, and loneliness. Not only are the arrangements more accomplished, but the songs themselves are more striking, incorporating a strong sense of melody, as evidenced by "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," a duet with Dusty Springfield. Tennant's lyrics are clever and direct, chronicling the lives and times of urban, lonely, and bored yuppies of the late '80s. And the fact that dance-pop is considered a disposable medium by most mainstream critics and listeners only increases the reserved emotional undercurrent of Actually, as well as its irony.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 24 track(s)
- Total length: 02:04:16
- Main artists: Pet Shop Boys
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rhino
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2018 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
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