Concrete (In Concert At The Mermaid Theatre For Radio 2 With The BBC Concert Orchestra) - Pet Shop Boys

Advantages: Superb return to form, sublime production and insightful lyrics
Disadvantages: Poltically may alienate some, not bleeding edge

...Fundamental by the Pet Shop Boys was released in May 2006 and is probably their most overtly political album yet. The title itself sets out their outlook and almost certainly refers to fundamentalism, particularly in the American approach to world management. It is also a return to form after a couple of somewhat lacklustre albums but sadly didn't quite set the charts alight on release. Although it peaked in the UK album charts at number 5, it wasn't around too long and the singles didn't make a huge dent apart from the first one, "I'm With Stupid" Sound wise, the welcome return of producer Trevor Horn has a slightly retro effect and it sounds in many ways like their first couple of albums but with a sheen that shows how their craft has developed over the years plus of course the sort of orchestral additions that Trevor Horn is... Read review

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Advantages: The Boys Are Back In Town
Disadvantages: Couple of weak tracks but still an overall thumbs up from me

...a song,/About boys and girls,/You hear it/Playing all over the world...? I mean, come on: We?ve had ?Roll Over, Beethoven? ? we?ve had ?Rock Me, Amadeus? ? who says we are not now due for some sweet Nutcracker with the disco pips? Track three is Beautiful People, something of an obsession I think for this pop duo. ?Now I can see myself/Without a care in the world/ It's a sun shining, money-spending/Green and healthy new world Is it only a fantasy/Or could it be reality? I wanna/Live like beautiful people/ Give like beautiful people/with like beautiful people around? This wistful, orchestrated song sounds as though it could be an album track from a Dusty Springfield album of the mid-60s ? not that it?s old fashioned, but it is period. A nice track, that slightly haunting and yearning feel that a lot of the Pet Shop... Read review

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Advantages: Live music is usually better than on the cd
Disadvantages: Awful support bands

...Top 10 Bands I've Seen In Concert Be warned, this is a long review, so make sure you're comfortable! :-P For as long as I can remember I've been surrounded by music. My dad has a rather large cd collection with a wide variety of music from his love of 70s progressive rock (Yes, Genesis, Camel, King Crimson etc) to newer rock and pop artists (Mew, Robbie Williams, Ash, Stereophonics, White Stripes to name a few). My mum has strange taste too which again includes some 70s prog rock along with Scottish Folk Rock (Runrig, Wolfstone, Capercaillie, Dougie Maclean) and some newer stuff such as Dido, David Gray and U2. As soon as I was old enough to be put into bouncy chair that attached to the door frame, I've been bouncing along to Runrig and Pat Benetar. At the age of 3 I could work my dad's cd player and refused to go to bed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful