Introspective (album)
Encyclopedia
Introspective is the third studio album by the English electronic music
group Pet Shop Boys
. It was first released in 1988 and is the Pet Shop Boys' second-best-selling album, selling over 4.5 million copies worldwide. (Their fifth studio album, Very, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.)
It is so named because "all the songs, although it's a dance album, are introspective". Perhaps the biggest changes in Pet Shop Boys' sound evident on this album are an increasing attention to orchestration using real orchestras, particularly so on the Trevor Horn
-produced "Left to My Own Devices", which took months to produce.
The album was also unusual in that it completely reversed the typical process by which pop/dance acts released singles. Instead of releasing an album of regular-length (3-5 minute) songs, then releasing more lengthy remixes of those songs on subsequent singles, Introspective was released as an LP consisting of songs that all lasted six minutes or more. Songs from the album that were released as singles were released as shorter, more radio-friendly mixes. Of the four tracks on the album that were released as singles—"Left to My Own Devices", "Domino Dancing", "Always on My Mind", (which was released prior to the album) and "It's Alright"—none of them were released as radio singles in the same form that they appeared on the album.
It is also notable that, of the six tracks on the album, only two were actually written specifically for this project—those being "Left to My Own Devices" and "Domino Dancing". "Always on My Mind" & "It's Alright" are both cover versions, "I Want a Dog" is a song that previously appeared as B-side of the single "Rent
" & "I'm Not Scared" is their own version of a song they had previously written for Patsy Kensit
's pop group, Eighth Wonder
. "Always on My Mind" was re-recorded for this album, and mixed with "In My House", a new acid-house track on the album which expanded the lyrics to the former song.
Introspective was re-released in 2001 (as were the group's first six albums) as Introspective/Further Listening. The re-released version was digitally remastered and came with a second disc of B-side
s and previously unreleased material from around the time of the album's original release. Yet another re-release followed on 9 February 2009, under the title of Introspective: Remastered. This version contains only the 6 tracks on the original.
Neil Tennant, in a speech he later gave to the Oxford Union
, said that he regretted releasing Introspective so soon after Actually as he felt that the 12" nature of the songs may have put some fans off the band, and that this probably impacted on the sales of Behaviour, the subsequent album which is critically regarded to be the Pet Shop Boys' finest album but commercially one of their least successful. Nevertheless, Introspective remains, according to Neil Tennant, the best-selling Pet Shop Boys album internationally. It peaked at #2 in the UK Albums Chart, behind U2
's Rattle and Hum
.
Guest musicians
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
group Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. It was first released in 1988 and is the Pet Shop Boys' second-best-selling album, selling over 4.5 million copies worldwide. (Their fifth studio album, Very, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.)
It is so named because "all the songs, although it's a dance album, are introspective". Perhaps the biggest changes in Pet Shop Boys' sound evident on this album are an increasing attention to orchestration using real orchestras, particularly so on the Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
-produced "Left to My Own Devices", which took months to produce.
The album was also unusual in that it completely reversed the typical process by which pop/dance acts released singles. Instead of releasing an album of regular-length (3-5 minute) songs, then releasing more lengthy remixes of those songs on subsequent singles, Introspective was released as an LP consisting of songs that all lasted six minutes or more. Songs from the album that were released as singles were released as shorter, more radio-friendly mixes. Of the four tracks on the album that were released as singles—"Left to My Own Devices", "Domino Dancing", "Always on My Mind", (which was released prior to the album) and "It's Alright"—none of them were released as radio singles in the same form that they appeared on the album.
It is also notable that, of the six tracks on the album, only two were actually written specifically for this project—those being "Left to My Own Devices" and "Domino Dancing". "Always on My Mind" & "It's Alright" are both cover versions, "I Want a Dog" is a song that previously appeared as B-side of the single "Rent
Rent (song)
"Rent" is a 1987 single by the Pet Shop Boys. It was released in the UK by Parlophone on 12 October 1987. The lyrics deal with a financially one-sided relationship, i.e...
" & "I'm Not Scared" is their own version of a song they had previously written for Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
's pop group, Eighth Wonder
Eighth Wonder
Eighth Wonder were a British pop band in the 1980s. They formed in 1983 and enjoyed major success in Japan and Italy between 1985 and 1987, before having hit singles in the UK and across Europe in 1988.-Early years:...
. "Always on My Mind" was re-recorded for this album, and mixed with "In My House", a new acid-house track on the album which expanded the lyrics to the former song.
Introspective was re-released in 2001 (as were the group's first six albums) as Introspective/Further Listening. The re-released version was digitally remastered and came with a second disc of B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
s and previously unreleased material from around the time of the album's original release. Yet another re-release followed on 9 February 2009, under the title of Introspective: Remastered. This version contains only the 6 tracks on the original.
Neil Tennant, in a speech he later gave to the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
, said that he regretted releasing Introspective so soon after Actually as he felt that the 12" nature of the songs may have put some fans off the band, and that this probably impacted on the sales of Behaviour, the subsequent album which is critically regarded to be the Pet Shop Boys' finest album but commercially one of their least successful. Nevertheless, Introspective remains, according to Neil Tennant, the best-selling Pet Shop Boys album internationally. It peaked at #2 in the UK Albums Chart, behind U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's Rattle and Hum
Rattle and Hum
Rattle and Hum is the sixth studio album by rock band U2 and companion rockumentary directed by Phil Joanou, both released in 1988. The film and the album feature live recordings, covers, and new songs...
.
Track listing
- "Left to My Own DevicesLeft to My Own Devices"Left to My Own Devices" is a song recorded by Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their third studio album, Introspective. It was also the first track of the album. It is their 9th best selling-hit....
" – 8:16 - "I Want a Dog" – 6:15
- "Domino DancingDomino Dancing"Domino Dancing" is a song recorded by the British synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys which reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released as the lead single from their 1988 album, Introspective.-Song:...
" – 7:40 - "I'm Not ScaredI'm Not Scared (song)"I'm Not Scared" is a 1988 song recorded by British pop band Eighth Wonder. It was the first single from the album Fearless and group's fifth single, and was released in 1988. It achieved success in France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and UK, where it was a top ten hit. Written by the Pet Shop...
" – 7:23 - "Always on My Mind/In My House" – 9:05
- "It's AlrightIt's Alright (Pet Shop Boys song)"It's Alright" is the 13th single from Pet Shop Boys and was released in the UK by Parlophone Records on 26 June 1989.The lyrics list a wide variety of serious political issues in the headlines at the time , and then offers the positive message of the title—that on its "timeless wavelength", "music...
" – 9:24
Further Listening 1988–1989
- "I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)" – 5:35
- "Don Juan" (demo version) – 4:22
- "Domino Dancing" (demo version) – 4:47
- "Domino Dancing" (alternative version) – 4:52
- "The sound of the atom splitting" – 5:13
- "What keeps mankind alive?" – 3:26
- "Don Juan" (disco mix) – 7:35
- "Losing my mindLosing My Mind"Losing My Mind" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim for the 1971 musical Follies for the character of a former showgirl Sally Durant Plummer.-Follies:...
" (disco mix) – 6:09 - "Nothing has been provedNothing Has Been Proved"Nothing Has Been Proved" is a song and a single release by British singer Dusty Springfield, produced by the Pet Shop Boys. The song was the second collaboration between Springfield and Pet Shop Boys, following their UK #2 and US #2 hit duet "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" in 1987...
" (demo for DustyDusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
) – 4:51 - "So sorry, I saidSo Sorry, I SaidSo Sorry, I Said is the third single from Liza Minnelli's Results album. The single was released by Epic Records in December 1989.The single stalled in the charts just outside the top 60 at #62...
" (demo for LizaLiza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
) – 3:26 - "Left to my own devices" (seven-inch mix) – 4:47
- "It's alright" (ten-inch version) – 4:47
- "One of the crowd" – 3:56
- "It's alright" (seven-inch version) – 4:20
- "Your funny uncle" – 2:18
Chart performance
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Argentinean Albums Chart | 1 | 50 |
| Australian Albums Chart | 44 | 11 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 8 | 6 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 68 | 24 |
| German Albums Chart | 2 | |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 15 | 6 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 14 | 4 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 5 | 8 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 2 | 15 |
| UK Albums Chart | 2 | 39 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 34 | 21 |
Personnel
- Neil TennantNeil TennantNeil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
- Chris LoweChris LoweChris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
Guest musicians
- Richard NilesRichard NilesRichard Niles is an American composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, broadcaster and journalist. He has lived in London since 1975. Because of his extensive work across many genres Sound on Sound magazine referred to him as "one of the most versatile men in modern music".-Early years:Niles was...
– orchestra arrangement and conduction on track 1 - Sally Bradshaw – additional vocals on track 1
- Frankie KnucklesFrankie KnucklesFrankie Knuckles is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer...
– mix and additional production on track 2 - Josh Milian – piano solo on track 2
- Fro Sossa and Mike Bast – additional keyboards on track 3
- Nestor GomezNestor GomezNestor Gomez was a Brazilian politician. He was state representative in Espirito Santo's Chamber of Representatives, president of Espirito Santo, and Senator of Espirito Santo on Brazilian Senate.Although he was elected by the people for governor of Espirito Santo in early 1920, Jerônimo...
– guitar on track 3 - Tony Conception, Kenneth William Faulk, Dana Tebor and Ed CalleEd CalleEd Calle is a musician from Miami, Florida. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela.Calle plays the saxophone, flute, clarinet, EWI, keyboards, and vocals. He also composes and arranges music. Dr. Eduardo J...
– brass on track 3 - The Voice in Fashion – backing vocals on track 3
- Blue WeaverBlue WeaverBlue Weaver is a British keyboard player, session musician, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
– Fairlight programming on track 4 - Andy Richards and Gary Maughan – Fairlight programming on track 5
- Judy Bennett, Sharon Blackwell, H Robert Carr, Mario Friendo, Derek GreenDerek GreenDerek Green is a Canadian jurist and current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.Green was a rumoured candidate to replace Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache.-References:...
, Michael Hoyte, Herbie Joseph, Paul LeePaul LeePaul Lee may refer to:* Paul Lee * Paul Lee * Paul Lee * Paul Lee...
, Gee Morris, Dee Ricketts, Iris Sutherland and Yvonne White – additional vocals on track 6