Fundamental [LP]

by Pet Shop Boys

Overview

Working together for the first time since the 1988 single "Left to My Own Devices," the Pet Shop Boys and producer Trevor Horn partner together for Fundamental, an extremely well-crafted effort that is more of its time message-wise than any previous PSB album. Fundamental is heavily influenced by Tony Blair's allegiance to George W. Bush and his dragging of the U.K. into the Iraq War, which has left previously Labour Party-loving vocalist Neil Tennant bitter and disillusioned. Fully aware that the Pet Shop Boys would sound ridiculous if angry and punkish, Tennant and partner Chris Lowe show restraint, putting their venom on simmer on the most riveting songs and searching for a reason not to stick their head in the sand elsewhere. Surprisingly, the usually extravagant Horn follows suit, and while he gives the album a very modern, slick sheen, the production is well designed instead of gloriously decorated. Beautifully polished by Horn, "Luna Park" lazily strolls through a holiday where fortune tellers and fire breathers divert attention from the slowly developing storm. Giving up hope entirely is "Numb," an insular ballad that songwriter Diane Warren originally gave to the duo for the hits collection PopArt that's much more at home here. Better still is infectious and uptempo "I'm with Stupid," which casts Blair and Bush as irresponsible lovers who grin and pose while having their way with the world. It's not the only instantly gripping track -- the paranoid "Integral" speaks out for personal freedom with a wicked hook while the New Order-esque "Minimal" ranks with their best club cuts -- but the majority of Fundamental is like the majority of their great album Behavior in that repeat listens are required to do these rich songs justice. For Pet Shop Boys fans who lean to the left and are skeptical about the future, this is as close to heaven as they want to be. [A remastered vinyl LP edition of Fundamental was released in 2017.] ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	07/28/2017
Label:	Parlophone / Rhino
UPC:	0190295944032

Tracks

1. Psychological
2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show
3. I Made My Excuses and Left
4. Minimal
5. Numb
6. God Willing
7. Luna Park
8. I'm with Stupid
9. Casanova in Hell
10. Twentieth Century
11. Indefinite Leave to Remain
12. Integral

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pet Shop Boys   Primary Artist,Viola,Vocals
Chris Lowe   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Sondre Lerche   Primary Artist
Neil Tennant   Primary Artist,Vocals,Keyboards
Elton John   Primary Artist
Dresdner Sinfoniker   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Everton Nelson   Violin
Patrick Kiernan   Violin
Andy Caine   Vocals (Background)
Ben Chappell   Cello
Simon Chamberlain   Keyboards
Stuart Brooks   Cornet,Trumpet
Virgil Howe   Drums,Percussion
Caroline Dale   Cello
Luis Jardim   Percussion
Garfield Jackson   Viola
Nick Ingman   Conductor
Steve Sidwell   Conductor
Earl Harvin   Bass,Drums,Marimba,Vibraphone,Drums (Electric),Electronic Drums
Rachel Bolt   Viola
Nigel Black   Horn
Mark Nightingale   Trombone,Euphonium
Jim Rattigan   Horn
Phil Palmer   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Pete Murray   Keyboards
Cathy Thompson   Violin
Julian Leaper   Violin
Warren Zielinski   Violin
Mark Berrow   Violin
Isobel Griffiths   Orchestra
Andrew Parker   Viola
Anne Dudley   Conductor
Owen Slade   Tuba
Tim Pierce   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Tom Stephan   Vocals
John Barclay   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Bruce White   Viola
Sarah Eyden   Vocals (Background)
Frank Schaefer   Cello
Gavyn Wright   Viola,Violin,Orchestra Leader
Peter Lale   Viola
Martin Loveday   Cello
Trevor Horn   Guitar (Electric),Bass,Brass,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Rita Manning   Violin
Tessa Niles   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Skaila Kanga   Harp
Stephen Lipson   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Chris Cowie   Oboe,Cornet
Richard Edwards   Trombone
Liz Edwards   Violin
Helen Parker   Vocals (Background),Vocals (Background)
Anthony Pleeth   Cello
Torsten Rasch   Orchestra Leader
Emlyn Singleton   Violin
Bruce Woolley   Vocals (Background)
Richard Berry   Horn
Mary Scully   Bass
Richard Watkins   Horn
Laura Edwards   Vocals (Background)
David Clayton   Keyboards
David Emanuel   Violin
Cliff Hewitt   Drums,Percussion,Drums (Electric),Electronic Drums
Sam Taylor-Wood   Vocals
Pete Gleadall   Vocals
Derek Watkins   Cornet,Trumpet
Robert Orton   Shaker
Lucinda Barry   Vocals,Vocals (Background),Harp
Juliane Heinze   Violin
Katrin Meingast   Cello
Jonathan Stockhammer   Conductor
Debi Doss   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mike Thompson   Horn
Peter Hanson   Violin
Phillip Eastop   Horn,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Jonathan Rees   Violin
Christopher Windass   Violin
Jonathan Williams   Cello
Halina Deutschmann-Huett   Violin
Christiane Thiele   Violin
Franziska Weiss   Viola
Matthias Morche   Double Bass
Lalo Creme   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Morven Bryce   Violin
Johannes Keltsch   Cello
Branislaw Blatny   Violin
Perry Montague-Mason   Violin
Florian Mayer   Violin
Eva Oppl   Viola
Steffen Gaitzsch   Violin
Kirstin Maria Pientka   Viola
Victor Meister   Cello
Tilman Baubkus   Violin
Tom Bruhn   Double Bass
Markus Schwind   Trumpet
Luca Baldini   Keyboards
Sonia Slany   Violin
Patrick Lannigan   Bass
Pete Beachill   Trombone,Euphonium
Chris Laurence   Double Bass
Kate Musker   Viola
Boguslav Kostecki   Violin
Gustav Clarkson   Viola
David Daniels   Cello
Jackie Shave   Violin
Emma Brain-Gabbott   Vocals (Background)
John Henley   Cello
Steve Morris   Violin
Dave Stewart   Trombone
Robert Hartung   Viola
Christian Kuestermann   Violin
Marian Krae   Violin
Meta Hueper   Violin
Tom Goetze   Double Bass
David Woodcock   Violin
Christopher Tombling   Violin
Benjamin Schwarz   Cello
Paul Gardham   Horn
Andy Mackintosh   Saxophone
Julia Doyle   Vocals (Background)
Dave Clayton   Keyboards
Debbie Doss   Vocals (Background)
Frank Ricotti   Percussion
Jamie Muhoberac   Bass,Keyboards
Dave Daniels   Cello
Katie Wilkinson   Viola
Miguel Mateo-Garcia   Vocals
Rob Leggatt   Director
Laurence Davies   Horn
Antje Loehr   Violin
Sabine Gruener   Cello
Katrin Koesler   Violin
Annegret Meder   Viola
Alanna Tavernier   Vocals (Background)
Oliver Pouliot   Vocals

Technical Credits

Pete Gleadall   Audio Engineer,Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Robert Orton   Audio Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Tim Weidner   Audio Engineer,Mixing,Engineer,Recording,Remix Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Trevor Horn   Audio Production,Original Album Producer,Producer,Programming
Sondre Lerche   Composer
Bob Kraushaar   Mixing
Chris Athens   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Nick Ingman   Arranger,Orchestral Arrangements
Steve Sidwell   Arranger,Orchestral Arrangements
Pet Shop Boys   Mixing,Producer,Remixing,Remix Engineer,Additional Production
Richard X   Engineer,Producer,Vocal Engineer
Pete Hofmann   Mixing,Engineer
Chris Lowe   Composer,Producer
Isobel Griffiths   Orchestra Contractor
Taz Mattar   Engineer,Recording
Anne Dudley   Arranger,Brass Arrangement,Orchestral Arrangements
Diane Warren   Composer
Tony Cousins   Mastering
Allee Willis   Composer
Rob Smith   Assistant Engineer,Engineer,Recording,Assistant Engineer,Engineer
Neil Tennant   Composer,Producer
Torsten Rasch   Orchestration
Robert Smith   Engineer
David Clayton   Programming
Dave Farrow   Design,Art Direction
Goetz Botzenhardt   Mixing,Engineer
Tim Weider   Mixing
Fred Applegate   Narrator
Phil Tyreman   Assistant Engineer,Personal Assistant,Engineer,Assistant
Tim Lambert   Engineer
Holger Schwark   Pro-Tools
Delaina Sepko   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer,Personal Assistant
Luca Baldini   Programming
John Ross   Photography
Tim Young   Engineer,Mastering,Digital Remastering,Remastering Engineer
Chris Waugh   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Jay "Buju" Blatch   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Joerg Surrey   Pro-Tools
Sven Helbig   Producer
Dave Clayton   Programming
Joel Iwataki   Engineer,Musician