Everything about Fundamental Pet Shop Boys Album totally explained
Fundamental is the sixteenth
album, the ninth of entirely new music, by the
British band Pet Shop Boys. It was released in
May 2006 in the United Kingdom,
Europe,
Japan, and
Canada, and was released in late
June 2006 in the
United States. The album entered the
UK Albums Chart at number five on
28 May 2006 (see
2006 in British music).
The album was produced by the Pet Shop Boys and
Trevor Horn and it features eleven new Pet Shop Boys compositions, and "Numb," written by
Diane Warren (Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe originally planned to have "Numb" be one of two new tracks on, but opted instead for "Miracles" and "Flamboyant").
The
liner notes show that the album is dedicated to two executed
Iranian teenagers,
Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni, who were hanged on July 19, 2005. Some reports have suggested the two may have been executed for engaging in homosexual behavior, though others indicate they were hanged for raping a 13 year-old boy.
Overview
Subject matter
The album has been noted for being more political than any other of the duo's albums to date; even the title, in one sense, is a reference to religious
fundamentalism — portrayed here in a light, critical manner, which singer
Neil Tennant attributes to the relatively relaxed
status of religious freedom in the United Kingdom.
Specific contemporary issues discussed in the lyrics include tensions and fears in the United States caused by the
War on Terrorism, addressed in songs such as "Psychological" and "Luna Park". ("Luna Park" being the name of various
amusement parks around the world; see
Luna Park for a list of such places). Other songs refer to the politics of the band's home country; "
Indefinite leave to remain" refers to an immigration status in the United Kingdom, while "Integral" criticizes the
British national identity card plans. (A statement from a band spokesman cites the issue as the reason that Tennant ceased his well-publicized support of
Tony Blair's
Labour Party.) The lyrics are fully masked and converted to the homage to
Yevgeny Zamyatin's legendary dystopian book "
We", in which the inhabitants of the future One State try to build The Integral in order to solve the cosmic equation and resolve all the problems in their One State. "
I'm with Stupid", meanwhile, touches upon both countries by satirizing Blair's
alliance with
George W. Bush. (See also
special relationship.)
Other subject matters are dealt with as well. "Casanova in Hell" is about the 18th century historical figure
Giacomo Casanova, and how he immortalized himself by writing
memoirs about his history of
sexual seduction of numerous women. Tennant refers to, specifically, the book
Casanova's Homecoming by
Arthur Schnitzler as his inspiration for the song. "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" references two of the biblical cities of sin,
Sodom and Gomorrah, in saying that to learn to 'go where angels fear to tread' (ie. to sin) is to learn to live freely.
Music
The album is Pet Shop Boys' first collaboration with
Trevor Horn since the 1988 single "Left to My Own Devices". Its sound bears the producer's heavily
orchestral style (also present on that song), most frequently associated with the 1982
ABC album
The Lexicon of Love as well as the 1984
Frankie Goes to Hollywood single "
Two Tribes" and subsequent album
Welcome to the Pleasuredome. Horn was also musical director for the Radio 2 concert, which featured the
BBC Concert Orchestra.
Fundamentalism
"In Private", here presented as a duet with
Elton John, was originally a
Dusty Springfield song written and produced by the Pet Shop Boys. First released as a single in 1989, it was later included on the 1991 album
Reputation.
Track listing
» all songs written by Neil Tennant/Chris Lowe except where noted.
Fundamental
"Psychological" — 4:10
"The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" — 5:19
"I made my excuses and left" — 4:53
"Minimal" — 4:21
"Numb" — 4:43 (Diane Warren)
"God willing" — 1:17
"Luna Park" — 5:31
"I'm with Stupid" — 3:24
"Casanova in Hell" — 3:13
"Twentieth Century" — 4:39
"Indefinite leave to remain" — 3:08
"Integral" — 3:53
Fundamentalism
"Fugitive" (Richard X extended mix) — 6:06
"Sodom" (Trentemøller remix) — 7:24
"Psychological" (Alter Ego remix) — 7:13
"Flamboyant" (Michael Mayer Kompakt mix) — 7:58
"I'm with Stupid" (Melnyk Heavy Petting mix) — 6:07
"In Private" (Stuart Crichton club mix) (featuring Elton John) — 5:07
"Minimal" (Lobe remix) — 4:47
"Gomorrah" (Dettinger remix) — 5:39
"I'm with Stupid" (PSB maxi-mix) (Japan bonus track) — 8:12
"Minimal" (Tiga's M-I-N-I-M-A-L remix) (Japan bonus track) — 5:40
"The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" (demo version) (iTunes Store bonus track) — 5:02
"I'm with Stupid" (demo version) (iTunes Store bonus track) — 3:38
Fundamental (original track listing)
On December 22 2005, the official Pet Shop Boys website announced an early track listing for the album and gave a release date of April 17 2006 with new single "Minimal" arriving a few weeks beforehand. This was quickly followed up on December 23, when pop music fansite Popjustice gave the first review of the album (External Link
).
On February 13 2006, it was announced that the release date of Fundamental had been pushed back to May 22, because EMI needed "more set-up time". At the same time "I'm with Stupid" was announced to be the revised lead single. This was followed on April 4 2006, with news that there would be a limited edition of the new album that would include a bonus CD called Fundamentalism.
Singles
"Psychological" — In December 2005, a limited 12-inch white label of "Psychological" was released. This one-track promo single featured an instrumental mix of the track, clocking in at 4:05.
"I'm with Stupid" — the first commercially available single from Fundamental released 8 May 2006 in the UK.
"Minimal" — released 24 July 2006, "Minimal" was announced by the Pet Shop Boys on 6 May as the second commercially available single from Fundamental in the UK.
"Numb" - released on 16 October 2006, announced on the official website on 4 September.
"Integral" - a new version of this song was released to promote the album Disco 4.
B-sides and other released songs
"Fugitive" (Fundamentalism)
"In private" (featuring Elton John) (Fundamentalism remix and "Minimal" original b-side)
"The Resurrectionist ("I'm with Stupid" b-side)
"Girls don't cry ("I'm with Stupid" b-side)
"Blue on blue ("Minimal" b-side)
"No time for tears (Battleship Potemkin original, "Minimal" b-side)
"Party song ("Numb" b-side)
"Bright young things ("Numb" b-side)
"Psychological (Ewan Pearson remix) (Fundamental original, "Numb" remix)
Unreleased songs
These were written/recorded during the writing for Fundamental and are yet to be released:
"Ring road"
"The former enfant terrible"
"China"
"Dirty tricks"
"One way street"
"The performance of my life"
"After the event"
There is also a demo of a song called "Dancing in the Dusk" that Sondre Lerche asked them to record.
Release details
The album was released in various countries:
Chart information
Notes and references
Further Information
Get more info on 'Fundamental Pet Shop Boys Album'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://fundamental__pet_shop_boys_album.totallyexplained.com">Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys album) Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
