Customer Reviews

Back to Mine (Aniv)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The "Back to Mine" series features remixes by well-known dance artists and/or remixers. Often the remixes are of somewhat obscure music to which the featured artist would like to attract attention. A number of amazing musicians have participated in this series, including New Order and Everything But the Girl. For years, there have been rumors that Pet Shop Boys would contribute; the wait is finally over. Furthermore, Chris and Neil have both contributed separate disks that reflect their individual music tastes. Neither of the disks sound radically remixed; they're both more like a mix tape.

Chris' disk is definitely more dance-oriented. Borrowing from the lyrics of their hit "Paninaro," Chris says that he selected songs about "Love. Friendship. Sex. Religion. Hope. And Despair." Ultimately, the disk is like an excursion through dark European nightclubs - the grimy underbelly of dance. I don't typically list each song on a CD in reviews, but because the listing here doesn't even include the artist names, I will.

1) Don't Cry Tonight by Savage - a terrific, propulsive Italo-Disco track from circa 1983; the group is actually Roberto Zanetti.

2) Take a Chance by Mr Flagio - another early 80s Italian dance track with nice robotic vocal effects; reminds me of early PSB with Bobby Orlando.

3) Dirty Talk by Klein & MBO - a mid-80s Italian song with female vocals produced by Tony Carrasco, a Latin dance music producer; a rather cheesy song but still fun.

4) Passion by The Flirts - a product of Bobby Orlando from the mid-80s; perhaps the best instrumental backing of any song on this disk; in fact, the lyrics don't kick in for almost 5 minutes!

5) Ti Sento by Matia Bazaar - can't find much info about this 80s Italian female dance artist; not one of my favorites on this disk.

6) Never Be Alone by Justice Vs Simian - Justice is a French duo; this song is very upbeat with nice lyrics; one of my favorites on Chris' disk, also the most recent selection - circa 2003.

7) The Show Must Go On by Queen - peaked at #16 on the UK chart in 1991; not a great Queen track but an interesting bridge between the dance-oriented first half of Chris' disk.

8) Stand on the Word by Celestial Choir - without doubt, my favorite track on either disk; I can't find much info about the group, but it sounds like a typical choir of English boys, put to a dance beat; the lyrics ("We must not question the good Lord.") also make an interesting segue to the next song.

9) I Was Born this Way by Carl Bean - a gay disco classic from 1977 released on the Motown label; sounds like Al Green singing a Village People song - in a good way; Bean later founded Unity Fellowship Church and several AIDS organizations.

10) I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love by Dusty Springfield - the only ballad on Chris' collection; a rather odd ending to the disk but a very pretty song from 1978.

Neil's disk focuses on "late-night listening" - mellow music, including some classical music. Overall, Neil's disk is more varied than Chris' disk, and I love the way it bleeds back and forth between techno, ambient, and classical music. The disk may strike some as pretentious, but repeated listenings grounds the music and makes it more accessible. Neil has said in several sources that he suspects that fans will prefer Chris' disk, but I actually like both of them.

1) Traum by Fairmont - a beautiful techno song with French lyrics; Fairmont is Jacob Fairley, a music producer from Toronto.

2) Pulse Pause Repeat by Harold Budd, Ruben Garcia and Daniel Lentz - a piano ambient track.

3) Microgravity by Biosphere - this group is Keir Jensen; the song is one of my favorites on Neil's disk; reminds me of "We Came from Outer Space" from their "Very Relentless" CD.

4) Come In! (II Movement) by Ensemble Opus Posth - a rendition of Russian composer Vladimir Martynov; very nice music with what sounds like a xylophone over violins.

5) Promenade Sentimentale by Vladimir Cosma - a haunting piano track from the French movie "Diva."

6) La Baie by Etienne Daho - a French singer; this song really reminds me of Air's "Moon Safari" CD; one of the poppier selections on Neil's disk.

7) Tiny by Vessel - an electronic song by Gavin Toomey; nice but not memorable.

8) Laura's Theme by Craig Armstrong - Armstrong is a well-known UK producer who's worked with Madonna and Massive Attack; a nice straight-forward piano selection.

9) One Two Three by Closer Musik - when I first heard this song, I thought that Neil was singing on it; a very mellow ambient track with nice vocals.

10) Goin' Back by Dusty Springfield - a beautiful song from the UK single of "Son of a Preacher Man."

11) Lunz by Lunz - another pleasant ambient song with piano.

12) Sospiri Op. 70 by Sir John Barbirolli Conducts the New Philharmonic Orchestra - very nice rendition of a piece by Edward Elgar; sospiri means "sighs," which is quite appropriate for this piece.

13) DD Rhodes (...), the act gave itself a url address for a name; rather non-descript music though.

14) Video Kid by Video Kid - a highlight of Neil's disk; a New Zealand artist (nee Bret McKenzie) with his backing band, The Astronautz; a strange song about a boy "half kid, half machine."

15) Movement by Lobe - a late 90s techno song by Ian Hartley; a nicely textured song.

16) At Dusk by John Surman - a baroque-sounding song from the acclaimed reed instrumentalist.

17) Melodie Opus 47 No. 3 by Emil Gilels - Neil's disk leaves off with a haunting take on Edvard Grieg's classical piece.

Overall, "Back to Mine" is a really great collection. Fans of PSB shouldn't expect a collection of songs that sound like the Boys. However, if you have an open mind, you are likely to really enjoy these CDs. I don't prefer one of these disks to the other, although Chris' disk is far more accessible, and I find myself listening to "Stand on the Word" again and again. Just a few quibbles to note about this collection. First, the packaging is sub-par; the two disks have separate cardboard sleeves that slip into a flimsy holder. Second, I wish that the Boys had included more information about the tracks and artists. Many of these songs are not widely available, so it's hard to find out whether the artists have other material or when the songs were originally released (only copyright date is listed). I had to search the net for more information.

The first disk is very disco'ey and the second is very mellow, spacey...I don't know where Chris found such great recordings of these great old and new tunes, but they sound great...They all flow together really great but it is NOT a DJ remix set...The Neil part is very classically oriented and listenable but the part that makes me smile is that they BOTH used a Dusty Springfield song!!! HOORAY!...

The two reviews slamming this collection obviously have never heard of the 'Back to Mine' series before...Poor things...They've missed a lot of great CD's...

Neil's disk is tranquil but he even states on the back cover that it was music intended for listening during the latest hours before going to bed. An understated non-pretentious collection of fine artistry, in perfect and elegant presentation.

Chris's disk on the other hand is an opposite of sorts to the mood of Neil's. The music is timeless and high quality, very much like the PSB's music. You can hear how this music was influential to Neil and Chris. It's definitely fun to listen to and now one of my favorites, if not the favorite.

These CDs are great because they provide a foundation for which to build an entire collection of other similar artists.

The songs chosen by British pop stars Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe represent a fascinating mix of new wave, electro-ambient, and classical musics. Disc One, compiled by Lowe, will speak most directly to the gay generation that discovered its culture in the 80's and 90's. The drum machine clicks away until Dusty Springfield's "I'd rather leave while I'm in love," ends the disc, bringing back high school memories of roller-rink slow songs and high-school close dancing (which was dreadfully awful if you were in love with your same-sex best friend). Tennants disc is a lush, kaleidoscopic mix of electronic moods, and digital dreaminess, interspersed with modern symphonic works. The violin solo in "Come In!" captures the flying spirit of 20th century Russian high art - ever reaching skyward, yet never allowed to fly free. How Tennant ever managed the segue between Springfield's "I'm going back" to the next track is worthy of a Grammy, itself. The two discs are likely to be overlooked because of the price. But in this case, you get infinitely more than you pay for.

This is a good collection, but many purchase it thinking that it is a new collection of Pet Shop Boys performances, or at least compositions. This is, however, part of a series that gets artists to compile collections of music that have been of influence, or that are in ways indicative of their favourite styles.

In this collection, one disc is done by Neil Tennant and the other is done by Chris Lowe. The collections are very different. Tennant's collection involves a lot of orchestrated music, not technically classical but classically oriented and inspired. Lowe's collection is very pop oriented, disco and hip hop. I recall an interview with Chris Lowe back in the 1980s in which he listed all the kinds of music that he didn't like - after a very long list, he laughed a bit and said 'I don't like much, do I. But what I love, I love passionately.' This interview clip was used on some edits of the song 'Paninaro'.

Both Pet Shop Boys pay tribute to Dusty Springfield, with whom they had a number one duet (top of the pops) in the mid 1980s, 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?' Even the differences in these two songs show some of the differences in their respective tastes. It is somewhat of a wonder that they were able to come together and produce music for as long (and at as high a quality) as they did - this was a good synthesis.

For those looking for new PSB music, this is not that kind of album. However, for those who are looking for a 'behind the scenes' take on influences and favourites, this is a great collection to have.

This CD set comprises two separate BTM collections, one compiled by Chris Lowe and another by Neil Tennant, and the two of them couldn't be more different. Chris' CD is absolutely stunning, an amazing collection of dance music, mainly 80s electronic and italo-disco. Even though the names may sound obscure, the collection is truly outstanding if you like this type of music, and very close to what may be described as the "traditional" PSB sound. .
Neil's collection on the other hand is rather pretentious. (Btw "Pretentious" should be a PSB song title, shouldn't it?), very ambient, with some classical pieces, and the occasional pop song (Etienne Daho, Dusty). Even though Neil's CD is interesting, it is probably not something that you will often listen to (unless, probably you are Brian Eno ;-) ).

The Back to Mine series is designed to allows artists to create a mix that mirrors what they would play at home after a night out, or in the case of the Pet Shop Boys, what they would play before and after. Artists like Danny Tenaglia, Everything But the Girl, The Orb, and Groove Armada have all contributed mixes which vary widely in style, source music, and vibe. The Pet Shop Boys compilation, chosen in celebration of the 20th release of the Back to Mine Series, is a solid compilation of pre-club energetic house and late night ambient classical chill.

Chris Lowe starts the party with one of the better party discs I have heard in this series, the perfect mix of uptempo beats and anthemic songs to get you ready for a night out. The only flaw in his mix is the odd placement of Show Must Go On by Queen, which smacks a somber note in the middle of his high energy mix. Highlights include fast paced Ti Sento and Carl Bean's anthemic mix of I Was Born This Way.

Neil Tennant's disc is good, but much more relaxed and downbeat than Lowe. Tennant mixes soft ambient house beats and some haunting classical pieces into a soft, relaxing lullaby that brings you down from the high of Chris Lowe. Tennant's disc feels much longer than Lowe's, and is probably better suited as a stand alone disc.

Overall though, this is a solid addition to the BTM series and an interesting insight into the musical tastes of the Boys. Chris Lowe's disc alone would have been 4 stars, but taken as a whole the 2-disc set is more like 3.5. This album is a nice addition to my BTM collection and to my personal BTM fave by Groove Armada.

Anyone who bought this thinking it was PET SHOP BOYS music is . . . well, stupid. READ before you buy! It's an entire series ("Back to Mine") featuring various bands' choices of OTHER artists' material. Your own fault, folks.

The BACK TO MINE series is an on going collection of CDs which are artists picking their favorite songs for a dance CD. New Order and Everything But the Girl have done this previously with great results. The Pet Shop Boys are perfect candidates to do this sort of thing, because they have backgrounds as music critics and both can deejay very well. None of the tracks are Pet Shop Boys songs, this is just a collection of songs they love and would want to share with you.

Chris Lowe spins his disco magic over CD 1. It's peppy fun with Italian disco classics and grand anthems such as Queen's "The Show Must Go On". It will have you dancing around the room like a maniac, and it is full of high energy beats designed to get you moving.

Neil Tennant's disc is more a chill out affair with a lot of classical and soft electronic music. It's wonderful to relax to. All of it is lyric and pretty. It blew me away with its mellow collection of strings and pianos that wash over you for an hour.

Awesome collection! A must have for any fans of the Boys.

Wow! What an incredible collection of songs this cd is. This cd is for all of us, music lovers, as if we would have asked The Pet Shop Boys, like asking it to a friend, to recommend "new" music to explore. Of course, they wouldn't be like "any" friend but a very savvy friend with excellent knowledge and taste. Chris Lowe's selections are fine, almost like a retrospective of different dance music styles over the years. Neil Tennant's selections on the other hand, are an entrance to a whole new world of musical experience. All the songs are extraordinary good, hidden gems for many of us. As I said before, Neil Tennant as the well respected musician he is must have access to a lot of music not instantly accesible to the common fan. From the first moment you play Neil's cd you notice this is "new" "never heard before" music (except for the classicals) but excellent nevertheless. I was playing different cds in my house one day and once I played Neil's selections everyone in the house was asking me what was that music playing, showing great interest. I have learned about great music I didn't know existed and now am beginning to get more stuff from this artists. New and different music abound nowadays, but good new and different music is hard to find. Neil did us a favor and also showed us what a refined taste in music he has. Thank you Neil!

P.S. To truly get the experience in Neil's cd, be sure to hear it in your bedroom/listening room in a relaxed way. The musical experience will be even better.