Customer Reviews

Love etc. (remixes)

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4 star:		(1)
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I'm a long-time Pet Shop Boys fan, and I can say that they are truly my favorite band of all time. They have a very loyal fan base who will buy just about anything, and I'm in that crowd. So be warned...

The mixes on this CD all offer something unique. Clever dance grooves abound; this makes a great addition to my collection. I will say that none of the mixes compare to the album (single) version, but if you are a PSB addict, you should pick up this CD. For the rest of the world, you should probably pass and just pick up the new album "Yes" instead.

Pet Shop Boy's new single is the upbeat "Love Etc." The song is about the hollowness of living the material life without love; certainly a well-worn topic, but the boys manage to craft a solid single. The song has a catchy if repetitive chorus - You need more/ you need more/ you need more/ you need loooooove. I prefer the verses, with background singers chanting phrases like "don't have to have" leading into Neil enumerating various trappings of money, such as "a house in Beverly Hills." In terms of style, "Love Etc." would have sounded very much at home on their last CD, "Fundamental," and reminds me more than a little of a cross between "Minimal" and "Psychological." I have to admit that I don't find "Love Etc." to be the most original PSB single, but I still like it.

This single features 5 remixes of "Love Etc." The first mix is the best one and was done by PSBs themselves. They really elevate the song, and I think it's one of their best remixes in years. Whereas the original single is bubbly pop, their remix is pure throbbing electronica. The background vocals are different from the original; they either rerecorded them or pared them down. The song also changes midway through, becoming darker and fuzzier. The second mix is by Gui Borrato, a talented Brazilian remixer who has worked with the likes of Goldfrapp. He chops up the beats resulting in a sexy syncopated sound. It's arguably the most cutting-edge of the remixes. The Kurd Maverick mix is the quirkiest. Most of Neil's vocals are stripped from the song, with the background singers repeating "don't have to" almost chant-like. It's totally unlike the original single, with a decidedly 90s feel - lots of swirling synths and a Spanish-style guitar. The Kurd Maverick dub is pretty much the same but without any of Neil's vocals - it's a bit unnecessary. The Frankmusik Star & Garter dub focuses on lots of blippy-sounding synth lines. This one is the weakest mix and doesn't really stand out even after repeated listens.

In the U.K., the boys continue to have solid success. "Love Etc." debuted at #14 on the singles charts, continuing their trend of top 20 hits (only two of their singles have ever peaked lower - Was It Worth It in 1991 and Numb in 2006). "Love Etc." is a very good single that is likely to be a huge hit on the U.S. dance charts, due largely to these terrific remixes.

If you only have $0.99 (or international equivalent), get the Gui Boratto mix. Otherwise, purchase the whole thing. All the mixes are quite good, but the Gui Boratto mix is the clear winner here.

When I heard that PSB were coming out with a new album I was seriously hoping there would be mixes from Gui Boratto, especially after hearing his version of Sam Taylor-Wood & PSB's "I'm In Love with a German Film Star," and I'm very pleased that they delivered. I highly recommend his other works as well (like "Chromophobia" and "Take My Breath Away" on Kompakt).

Like I said, the other mixes are decent as well, but I was a little disappointed that the Frankmusik Star & Garter Dub was only 3:22 in length, since that was one of the more interesting tracks in the collection.