Release (Pet Shop Boys album)
Release | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1 April 2002 | |||
Recorded | September 2000 – November 2001 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | Synth-pop | |||
Length | 44:53 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Producer |
| |||
Pet Shop Boys chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Release | ||||
|
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Hour | 3.5/5[6] |
NME | 4/10[7] |
Now | [8] |
Playlouder | 4/5[9] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
The Village Voice | Favourable[11] |
Release is the eighth studio album by English
Background
After the release of their previous studio album, Nightlife (1999), Pet Shop Boys originally planned to release a greatest hits collection in the autumn of 2000 with the two new tracks "Positive Role Model" and "Somebody Else's Business".[12] While recording the new songs for the hits collection, it was decided to produce a full-length studio album instead.
The album reached number seven in the United Kingdom and number three in Germany. On its first release, a limited run of metallic effect embossed sleeves were available in a choice of four colours: grey, blue, pink or red. In the US, this limited run also came with a bonus CD including remixes and new tracks. The artwork was designed by Greg Foley of the New York design group and magazine publishers Visionaire and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
The album marked a significant departure from previous work, being guitar- and piano-driven. However, the album was made like their previous albums with most tracks mainly programmed on computers; however, the sampled or synthesised guitars and drum sounds chosen often sound "real" and the synthesisers always present are sometimes used to sound like guitars (the solo in "Birthday Boy", for instance, or the opening figure of "
The original version of the album had eleven tracks but "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" was removed from the album before release and later became a bonus track on the 2004 single "Flamboyant". Other tracks recorded during the sessions for the album which ended up as B-sides are "Between Two Islands", "Searching for the Face of Jesus", "Sexy Northerner" and "Always".[12] Another track, "Time on My Hands", appeared on the 2003 release, Disco 3.
The
Perhaps partly because of the modest commercial success of this album, and perhaps partly because of the habit of distancing themselves musically from their most recent work, Tennant and Lowe have since returned to their dance roots. One year after the release of Release, Pet Shop Boys released Disco 3 which included remixes of some of the songs from Release along with new material that they were working on at the time of writing and producing material for Release.
The album re-entered the UK Albums Chart at number 30 in August 2017 following the Release/Further Listening 2001–2004 reissue.[13]
Track listing
All tracks are written by
- Tennant
- Lowe
- Chris Zippel
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Between Two Islands" |
| 5:10 | |
2. | "Searching for the Face of Jesus" | 3:25 | ||
3. | "Time on My Hands" | 3:52 | ||
4. | "Motoring" (demo) | 4:02 | ||
5. | "Love Life" | 3:44 | ||
6. | "Transparent" | 3:51 | ||
7. | "Sexy Northerner" | 3:39 | ||
8. | "The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are" (demo) | 3:52 | ||
9. | "Closer to Heaven" (slow version) | 6:27 | ||
10. | "Run, Girl, Run" (demo) | 3:48 | ||
11. | "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" |
| 3:37 | |
12. | "Always" | 5:02 | ||
13. | "Home and Dry" (ambient mix) | 5:29 | ||
14. | "Bright Young Things" (demo) | 4:26 | ||
15. | "Kazak" (demo) | 2:48 | ||
16. | "A Powerful Friend" (John Peel version) | Miti Adhikari | 3:16 | |
17. | "If Looks Could Kill" (John Peel version) | Adhikari | 4:24 | |
Total length: | 66:52 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Try It (I'm in Love with a Married Man)" | Bobby Orlando | 4:04 | |
2. | "Here" (PSB New Extended Mix) | 6:17 | ||
3. | "If Looks Could Kill" | 4:10 | ||
4. | "A Powerful Friend" | 3:22 | ||
5. | "Party Song" | 3:40 | ||
6. | "No Excuse" (demo) | 3:34 | ||
7. | "Blue on Blue" | 3:10 | ||
8. | "Jack and Jill Party" (demo) | 3:42 | ||
9. | "Baby" (demo) | 3:43 | ||
10. | "Flamboyant" (original demo) | 4:23 | ||
11. | "Miracles" |
|
| 3:55 |
12. | "Flamboyant" (7″ mix) |
| 3:37 | |
13. | "Numb" (demo) | Diane Warren | 3:38 | |
14. | "In Private" (featuring Elton John) |
| 4:10 | |
15. | "Alone Again, Naturally" (featuring Elton John) | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 3:24 |
16. | "Reunion" (electro mix) |
| 4:29 | |
17. | "Bright Young Things" |
| 4:55 | |
18. | "We're the Pet Shop Boys" | My Robot Friend |
| 4:55 |
19. | "It's a Sin" (Barfly version) | 3:58 | ||
Total length: | 77:06 |
Notes
Sample credits
- "Birthday Boy" features a sample from the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge performing "In the Bleak Midwinter", written by Harold Darke and Christina Rossetti.
- "Between Two Islands" contains an excerpt of "I Want You", written by Leon Ware and T-Boy Ross.
- "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" includes a sample from "Father's Name Is Dad", written by Dave Lambert and performed by Fire.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Release.[15]
Pet Shop Boys
- Neil Tennant – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Chris Lowe – keyboards, drum programming
Additional musicians
- Pete Gleadall – programming (tracks 1–3, 5–10)
- Johnny Marr – guitars (tracks 1–3, 5, 7, 9, 10)
- Jody Linscott – percussion (tracks 1–3, 5, 7–10)
- Steve Walters – bass guitar (tracks 2, 3, 9)
- Chris Zippel – keyboards (track 4); spoken idea (track 5)
- "Little Mike" – guitar, bass (track 4)
- Richard Niles – string arrangement, string conducting (track 5)
Technical
- Pet Shop Boys – production (tracks 1–3, 5–10)
- Pete Gleadall – engineering (tracks 1–3, 5–10)
- Michael Brauer – mixing[c]
- Rick Chavarria – mix assistance
- Chris Zippel – production, engineering (track 4)
- Kai Diener – premix (track 4)
- Florian Richter – premix (track 4)
- Mike Ross – string recording (track 5)
- Andrew Nichols – recording assistance at Sony Music Studios
- Philippe Rose – mixing assistance[c]
- Greg Calbi – mastering[d]
- Steve Fallone – mastering assistance[d]
Artwork
- Dan Forbes – photography
- Pennie Smith – portrait
- Greg Foley – art direction
- Jake McCabe – design production
- Tatiana Gaz – design associate
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States | — | 73,000[40] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Notes
- ^ Additional recording
- ^ "London"
- ^ a b Mixed at Olympic Studios (London)
- ^ Sterling Sound(New York City)
References
- ^ "Release by Pet Shop Boys". Metacritic.
- AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ Hodges, Jacqueline (20 November 2002). "Pet Shop Boys Release Review". BBC Music. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ISSN 0042-6180. Archived from the originalon 22 June 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ Reed, Graham (11 April 2002). "Pet Shop Boys: Release". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- Hour. Montreal. Archived from the originalon 3 March 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ Robinson, Peter (5 April 2002). "Pet Shop Boys : Release". NME. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ISSN 0712-1326. Archived from the originalon 4 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ Bee, Sarah (8 April 2002). "Release: Pet Shop Boys". Playlouder. Archived from the original on 10 July 2003.
- ^ Walters, Barry (23 April 2002). "Pet Shop Boys: Release". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008.
- ISSN 0042-6180. Archived from the originalon 19 February 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Literally Issue 25 Diary". Retrieved 30 September 2011 – via Absolutely Pet Shop Boys.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ "Release". Pet Shop Boys Discography. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ Release (liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 2002. 7243 5 38150 2 8.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - The ARIA Report. No. 635. 29 April 2002. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Release" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Release" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Oficiální česká hitparáda IFPI ČR – 16. týden 2002". Marketing & Media (in Czech). 12 April 2002. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Release" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- OCLC 29800226– via World Radio History.
- Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2002. 17. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Pet Shop Boys". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ ペット・ショップ・ボーイズのアルバム売り上げランキング [Pet Shop Boys album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Release". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2002" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "British album certifications – Pet Shop Boys – Release". British Phonographic Industry. 5 April 2002. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (23 May 2006). "Ask Billboard: Pet Shop Shopping". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.