Yes

The Pet Shop Boys are of course comprised of Neil Tennant (brilliant vocals) and Chris Lowe (equally brilliant keyboards and music). The reality is that both are incredibly talented musicians, but with the quality of their productions, it takes more than two to tango. Let me tell you as a very long-time fan that the Pet Shop Boys are really a multi-person band with two consistent members. And in the case of "Yes", the very best of the previous band members are back, along with some fresh new faces.First, let me specifically mention another incredibly gifted programmer / engineer / producer / DJ by the name of Pete Gleadall. His work with the Boys is outstanding - you will hear his influence within their music since the early 90's. His involvement isn't always obvious, but he can take a great song and make it spine-tingling. And his work on this album is quite evident, and pays off big-time. The other artists who worked with the Boys on this album are also outstanding in their own right.But on to the songs ... I'll start with Disk 1, which is what everyone gets when they buy any version of the album.Disk 11. Love Etc - This is a catchy song and an appropriate first single on the disk. A nice beat, haunting melody and chord progressions, yet somehow bright and grand - a classic that any PSB-tuned ears will love.2. All Over The World - At first listen I hated this one. The classic music sampling and chanting opening chorus had me pressing the "next" button in a hurry. But of course (as has happened with many PSB songs for me), after a few listens I came to appreciate this track as something a little different, and brilliant in its own way. It is somehow inspirational in a "worldly" manner - I can see this being a track in a movie that shows slaves uprising, children being fed, and people helping one another. I'm absolutely not saying that is the point of the song - I'll leave that analysis for much more brilliant minds than mine - but I will say this song will also become a beloved track for you.3. Beautiful People - OK - not all the tracks on this CD are fantastic, even after a few listens. This one isn't bad, but sounds too much like it is from a cowboy movie, as strange as that sounds. This is definitely a more musically "experimental" track - not for me, but I can still appreciate it.4. Did You See Me Coming? - Possibly the best track on the CD. You will not be able to get this one out of your head. Nice Johnny Marr guitar, but very light - just perfect. Completely "poppy" and catchy - the kind of tune that makes a good summer theme song.5. Vulnerable - Another classic track - sounds like something that could have come from their Release album, but more mature and catchy - a fast beat, nice bass line, excellent programming and musical touches, and lyrically a listening pleasure. Any PSB fan will love this one.6. More Than A Dream - This one strikes me as the best track that is not a typical PSB sounding production. The collaborative efforts come into play and once again pay off. Another great beat, a pop classic, and the type of song that you'll find yourself nodding your head to in a dorky "oh yeah" fashion, until you realize the person next to you at the stoplight is laughing at you. This is another song that I cannot stop playing - a bit different, but wonderful.7. Building A Wall - This reminds me a bit of the old Electronic sound - probably due to a bit heavier guitar from Johnny Marr. There are some chanting parts of the song that don't quite sit well with me, but overall this is a decent track - very easy to listen to, but more of a B-side type.8. King Of Rome - this reminds me a little of their "Confidential" demo that they did for Tina Turner in the 90s. Also reminiscent of "View From the Balcony" - not necessary something that jumps out at you at first listen, but you grow to appreciate it. Nice, smooth, relaxing, and beautiful. Every PSB album seems to having something like this, and is a long-term gem for sure.9. Pandemonium - At first you'll swear you accidentally popped in your old Depeche Mode "Reach Out and Touch Faith" track. But after a few bars this turns to another classic PSB anthem. Quick pacing, very "singable" for those karaoke heroes. It is hard to not find a smile creeping on your face when you listen to this song - another brilliant production!10. The Way It Used To Be - Another nice beat, but a bit more subdued than some of the other entries on the CD. More great chord progressions and vocals that you have come to expect - this type of song is what the listeners crave and why the Boys have such a loyal following.11. Legacy - OK, there is one song that I just completely dislike, and this is the one. It sounds like a demo from the early 90s, complete with inferior midi orchestra "instruments". I love the Boys, and I suppose this is another "experiment", but for me was an experiment gone awry. Too bad the album ends on this note, but the rest of it is so incredible, who cares!And on to Disk 2. This is what you get when you pay the extra few bucks. Look, the PSBs won't be around forever (although I wish they would) - just splurge, skip that value meal that you don't need, and pick up the special edition while it is still available. You'll get some extra enjoyment from some remixes that are worthy for the collection. But to be brutally honest, I don't see as much offered on this as the bonus disk from "Fundamental", so I would not say the extra disk is a "must have". Here is the rundown:Disk 21. This Used To Be The Future - The only song that is not just a remix of a song on Disc 1, this is an interesting track in that this is possibly the most significant set of vocals performed by Chris Lowe to date. I enjoy the balance between Neil and Chris on this track. It is something of a "B" side - as many of the more memorable PSB gems are. Not my favorite, but I'm glad to have it in the collection.2. More Than A Dream (Magical Dub) - Primarily an instrumental remix with some expected additional musical segments. Great for background music around the house - sure, not a "must own" but more like a "nice to have".3. Pandemonium (The Stars And The Sun Dub) - I had high hopes for this mix since I love the original track so much. But it falls a bit short in my opinion - it a few "robot voice" vocals instead of Neil's normal voice - a big mistake in my opinion, but hey, it is danceable and another track that plays fine as background music.4. The Way It Used To Be (Left Of Love Dub) - This one varies enough from the album version that I feel like I truly got another song. Has some nice vocals from Neil (reduced amount from the album), and some nice instrumental piano to supplement. A very nice mix, very well engineered.5. All Over The World (This Is A Dub) - More "robot" voices. If you like those you'll like this remix. I don't care for "robot" voices though - heck I can do that on my home computer, but I certainly will never sound like Neil Tennant. Let the man sing! But I will say again - not a bad background music track.6. Vulnerable (Public Eye Dub) - A more classic style remix - vocals are filtered, but it works for this mix. There are some abrupt variances from the album version that are fun - not a bad track at all - but certainly not an improvement over the original.7. Love Etc. (Beautiful Dub) - This one lives up to the "Beautiful Dub" name. Very nice - very smooth - very polished. Superior to the album version? Again I say "no", but close - just a bit different, but this one helped make me feel like me extra dollars spent on the special edition were worth it.In summary - YES - get this album - YES - you will love it. Thank you PSBs (and others) for this - keep up the great work!

1.) Back in 1990, I bought a Pet Shop Boys CD and a Peter Tchaikovsky CD simultaneously at a record store. The cashier said, "Whoa! I never thought I'd see someone buy music from such totally different artists at once!" I didn't say it, but I was thinking, "You obviously don't know that they share the same sexual orientation."2.) Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys once said, "What are you going to remember more: 'Smalltown Boy' or 'Tainted Love'?" Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" was not the phenomenal success in the US that it was in mid-1980s Britain. However, Tennant's point was that pop songs with homoerotic undertones, like Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," go over better than blantant pro-gay anthems. It's implied that the Pet Shop Boys would always take the second path, rather than the first.I bring these two anecdotes up to bring up the standout feature of "Yes": on the second song of the CD, "All over the World," the Boys sample Tchaikovsky's "Danse des Merlitants." Americans in my age group would recognize this as the Smurfberry Crunch cereal song. I highly doubt the Boys sampled this ditty coincidentally: I think they were trying to pay homage to a gay musical elder.In the mid-1990s, Out magazine had an article on the Boys titled, "They Are Out ACTUALLY, just not VERY" [my emphasis], in reference to the Boys' previous album titles. Please note though: the Pet Shop Boys have often dabbled in gay subtlety. In the video for "DJ Culture," Tennant dressed up like Oscar Wilde. In their Performance tour, two same-sex couples of both genders kissed each other. Even notice how the title "Yes" is similar to the title "Yes I Am" by out musician Melissa Etheridge.Neil and Chris can blow whistles, throw they fists up, and fight da power when they choose to.

"Yes", the 10th studio album from the Pet Shop Boys, is a solid album and a pleasant surprise after the somewhat disappointing "Release" and "Fundamental". Is it the best thing since "Very"? Quite possibly. There really isn't a bad song in the bunch. Politics take a back seat this time around, and the lyrics focus on more personal issues - love and relationships (both the successful and failed variety) Johnny Marr returns to contribute some guitar (and harmonica) work. Some of you may be disappointed to hear that there is no huge, overblown production like "Go West" this time around (I confess to being mildly disappointed myself).My personal favorites (so far): "All Over The World" (reminds me of a more beat-heavy "Se A Vida E"), "King of Rome" (a somber ballad in the vein of "Do I Have To?"), "Pandemonium" (an upbeat stomper) and the odd closer, "Legacy" (as another reviewer noted, similar in feel to something off of "Behaviour"). I was a little disappointed with "This Used To Be The Future" on the bonus disc - it's nice to hear from Phil Oakey, but something about the song just didn't work for me. The dub mixes are pretty much what you'd expect.A couple of notes about the package itself: the set comes in a folding glossy cardboard case that - for some reason - is 6" long rather than the standard 5.5", as I discovered when I tried to put it into the storage compartment in my car's dashboard and it wouldn't fit. I can tell that the extra half-inch is going to cause me annoyance. It also comes with a booklet containing the lyrics to all of the songs and the production credits.If you have stuck with the Pet Shop Boys to this point, I don't have to urge you to pick this one up - you probably already have. If you are new to the Pet Shop Boys, you could do worse than start with "Yes". Thanks Neil and Chris!

やっぱり名盤だと思う。

Here's a thought... perhaps the PSB's should call an album "Bi-Polar", because that's what they REALLY are. Up and down like a tart's knickers. For every "Bilingual" there's a "Nightlife", for every "Yes" there's a "Fundamental". This is one hell of an UP album from the boys, so the usual melancholic tones are pretty muted. In fact the first four tracks "Love etc.", "All Over The World", "Beautiful People" and "Did You See Me Coming" are relentlessly upbeat for the boys. OK, so "Vulnerable" is solipsistic, but it may also be a companion/answer piece to go on the mantlepiece along with Robbie Williams' "Strong". "More Than A Dream" bounces back up again, "Building A Wall" is about being young and gay in England "'Oo d'you think you are - Captain Britain??". "King of Rome" slips a bit into melancholy, "Pandemonium" stomps right back into High NRG, with "The Way It Used to Be" following wistfully, before a grand finale and follow up to "Left to my Own Devices" in "Legacy" a pumping last track that would be a killer onstage (although requiring a Mahler-sized orchestra!). If nothing else, this album proves the band are producing albums that are at least as good,if not several times BETTER than their earlier ones. Go on, lam out a few quid and have something to bop to in the car!

Brilliant CD, all the songs are great but in my opinion the best on the CD are Love etc, Building A Wall and King Of Rome. If you are a Pet Shop Boys fan or even if you just fancy good pop music then you won't be disappointed by this CD.

Very good cd.

one of their best studio albums every track a winner especially vunerable five stars to the petshop boys for still producing great songs after all these years i remember when they first came out