Saturday, October 9, 2010

together forever



Together, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe slide into the 25th anniversary of "West End Girls", Pet Shop Boys' very first hit, with their 43rd single, "Together". It all comes full circle, kittens. Actually, - (Did you see what I just did there?) - it's their 42nd if you don't count "Absolutely Fabulous".

"Together" will hit the "shops" on November 29 across two CD singles and a digital bundle. Each configuration will feature a few little added gems. You can always count on PSB to deliver the goods.

There will be the requisite mixes of the lead track as well as an extended version. How very 80s of them. They are one of the few acts that still produces an extended excursion on the version for their singles. However, they did go off them a bit in 90s when it was de rigueur to issue dull, soulless dance remixes that had SFA to do with the original recording. Thank goodness they came to their senses in the naughties.

Also included in the single "package" will be two covers. First up is "Glad All Over" which was originally a hit for The Dave Clark Five way back in 1963. It hit #1 in the UK and #6 on American shores. Apparently, the song has become a footie terrace anthem for Blackpool FC. "Glad All Over", like "Together", is produced by ex-Xenomania knob twiddler, Tim Powell.

The other cover is "I Cried For Us", which was originally recorded by Kate and Anna McGarrigle. Kate is the mother of Rufus Wainwright. Neil sang the song at Kate's memorial concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London last June. PSB produced a studio version which was mixed by Pete Gleadall.

There you have it.

2 comments:

  1. EXCELLENT news. I will take any PSB I can get

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  2. Interesting to hear they later continued with quaint "extended versions." Because it was after forking over $20 for "Liberation" discs 1 & 2 that I thought to myself, "maybe collecting every mix of the Pet Shop Boys really isn't worth my time and money?" At which point I stopped buying them cold. All or nothing, baby.

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