Behavior

by

Pet Shop Boys

Edit

Behaviour perfectly captures the other side of Pet Shop Boys. Considered. Quiet. Very introspective. Adult. This is an incredible set of songs, one I have yet to tire of. And it hasn't aged a bit like some of their earlier material. I think it is the best the Boys have to offer. In terms of consistant songwriting, lush, rich, layered instumentation and production, and some of Neil Tennant's best vocal performances. Incredibly heartfelt and full of nuances. Every song on this disc is a winner. Nothing here that can be called "camp" or "ironic" ( things PSB have often catered to ). Behaviour is, along with "Very", the peak of the Tennant/Lowe partnership. They have since come very close at times to capturing what is in spades on Behaviour, but they have yet to better it, and I don't think they ever will. Highly recommended.

I just picked up this 2CD "remastered" edition and although the packaging and the bonus CD with mixes/b-sides/rarities are top notch, the new mastering job is awful. Being a long-time PSB fan, I've owned the original edition of 'Behavior' (I.E. not remastered) for years and I've always thought that it, along with all the other albums, were very well produced and sounded just superb---and I still do. Unfortunately this edition's sound quality is notably inferior when you do a direct comparison to the original release. As with most music production today, this release has been highly compressed (louder overall volume at the cost of sound quality) which has resulted in a lackluster presentation.

In conclusion, if you're buying this edition for the extra mixes (yes, they really are great!) and are not too picky about audio quality, you'll be more than satisfied. If, on the other hand, you're buying it for the so-called 'remastering', move on and pick up he original release, it sounds far better.