Pet Shop Boys, Back To Mine Reviews

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You've probably heard of the Pet Shop Boys: The two flamboyant Brits who defined the 80-s electro-pop era. The good folks at DMC Publishing approached them to ask them to make a Back To Mine compilation (this would be the 20th release). They agreed, on one condition: each of them would be allowed to mix a disc, no exceptions. This would be the first 2-disc set for the series.

And what a set it is! Chris Lowe's Back To Mine set is a warp back to the 80's. This upbeat CD is unlike any one of the other Back To Mine sets. Starting off with classic Italo-Disco and House, Savage gives us a funky number with 'Don't Cry Tonight', Mr. Flagio bends the robotic 'Take A Chance', and Klein & MBO's 'Dirty Talk' sends us on a late night groove. The next song, 'Passion' by NYC group The Flirts, was a reason for the chance meeting of the Boys. Matia Bazar's 'Ti Sento (I Feel You)' blends seamlessly into Justice's 'Never Be Alone', which was the basis for Justice's track 'We Are Your Friend'. All of a sudden, Queen appears with the legendary cinematic epic 'The Show Must Go On' and a gospel hit from the Celestial Choir is tweaked by the sadly deceased NYC house legend Larry Levan. The gem of the disk is next: 'I Was Born This Way' by Carl Bean; an inspirational soul/gospel crossover that you can't help smiling at. The CD ends with the sweet and emotive 'I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love', by Dusty Springfield.

Hold up, my friends, don't exit the page just yet! We still have Back To Mine: Neil Tennant! This CD sounds like the absolute polar opposite of the first disc: a gem that is very very relaxing. The CD starts with 'Traum' , a beautiful track by IDM master Fairmont that almost made me cry when I listened to it; it was that beautiful. Composers Harold Budd, Ruben Garcia, and Daniel Lentz use their creative geniuses on 'Pulse Pause Repeat'. Biosphere leads the masterpiece 'Microgravity'; it gives me chills when I hear it. Russian pianist Vladimir Martynov and Romanian composer Vladimir Cosma deliver two classical beauties: Come In! and Promenade Sentimentale, respectively. French folk/pop artist Etienne Daho strums along to 'La Baie', a piece that is on par with Serge Gainsbourg (sorry Serge!). More brain-massaging IDM is served in the form of 'Tiny' by Vessel. Craig Armstrong (who composed the music for the Baz Luhrmann adaptation of Romeo & Juliet (the one with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes)) plays 'Laura's Theme', and Dettinger sends us on a mind-trip. The lovely voice of Dusty Springfield harmonizes with ' Goin' Back', which segues into Lunz's self-titled ambient piano/clarinet soundscape. Victorian-era composer Edward Elgar's 'Sospiri Op.70' drifts aimlessly into the beautiful 'DD.Rhodes' by the bizarrely named www.jz-arkh.co.uk (you can guess their website). Video Kid, a New Zealand group, serves up a self-titled folk piece with IDM synths swimming in the background. Manchester IDM weirdos Lobe give us the contemplative 'Movement', whilst John Surman's 'At Dusk' drones its sweet melodies in the background. The CD closes with the classical piece 'Melodie Op.47 N.3', a little-known piece by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (of Peer Gynt fame) and recorded by Frenchman Emil Gilels.

This is probably the most epic of the Back To Mine releases. Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, if you read this (which is possible), I salute you for your first-class effort on the compilation. Bravo!

TRACKLISTING (Back To Mine: Chris Lowe)
01 Savage / Don't Cry Tonight
02 Mr. Flagio / Take A Chance
03 Klein & MBO / Dirty Talk
04 The Flirts / Passion
05 Matia Bazaar / Ti Sento
06 Justice vs. Simian / Never Be Alone
07 Queen / The Show Must Go On
08 Celestial Choir / Stand On The Word
09 Carl Bean / I Was Born This Way
10 Dusty Springfield / I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love

TRACKLISTING (Back To Mine: Neil Tennant)
01 Fairmont / Traum
02 Harold Budd / Pulse. Pause. Repeat.
03 Biosphere / Microgravity
04 Vladimir Martynov / Come In!
05 Vladimir Cosma / Promenade Sentimentale
06 Etienne Daho / La Baie
07 Vessel / Tiny
08 Craig Armstrong / Laura's Theme
09 Dettinger / One+Two+Three=No Gravity!
10 Dusty Springfield / Goin' Back
11 Lunz / Lunz
12 The New Philharmonic Orchestra / Sospiri Op. 70
13 www.jz-arkh.co.uk / DD.Rhodes
14 Video Kid / Video Kid
15 Lobe / Movement
16 John Surman / At Dusk
17 Emil Gilels / Melodie Op.47 N.3