Fundamental

A couple of weeks ago I went to see Pet Shop Boys(again). Good show although I think the one before this one had a more adventurous setlist. Still, a good show and a good time was had by all.

I was invited to go to the show the morning of the gig. So the afternoon of the concert I purchased their latest album 'Fundamental' to listen to a taste of what I would hear that night. Some weeks passed and I put the album on again, this time to really listen to it. Now I have been a fan from Day One, always thought these guys did something no one else did. And boy did these guys write some great songs; from 'It's a sin' via 'Miserabilism' to 'Can you forgive her?'. All brilliant in my opinion.

So now I catch myself putting the album on and on and on and on... Fundamental is really what it says: a return to the fundamentals of what makes Pet Shop Boys. There is a song that has the same sound-balance and feel as 'It's a sin'. There is one that sounds almost but not entirely like 'Euroboy', and the list goes on. But mind you; they're all new songs and they are all very good to absolutely brilliant. And for the first time as far as I know, the guys actually put in some criticism of society in their lyrics. Not just in the Blair-Bush-Poodle song 'I'm with Stupid' :

"No one understands me
Where I'm coming from
Why would I be with someone
who's obviously so dumb?"

or :

"Before we ever met
I thought like everybody did
you were just a moron
a billion-dollar kid"

but also(and more so) in the gem that is "Integral" :

"If you've done nothing wrong
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here

Long live us
The persuaded we
Integral
Collectively
To the whole project
It's brand new
Conceived solely
To protect you

One world
One reason
Unchanging
One season

If you've done nothing wrong
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here
You've had your chance
Now we've got the mandate
If you've changed your mind
I'm afraid it's too late
We're concerned
You're a threat
You're not integral
To the project

Sterile
Immaculate
Rational
Perfect

Everyone has
Their own number
In the system that
We operate under
We're moving to
A situation
Where your lives exist
As information
One world
One life
One chance
One reason
All under
One sky
Unchanging
One season

If you've done nothing wrong
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here
You've had your chance
Now we've got the mandate
If you've changed your mind
I'm afraid it's too late
We're concerned
You're a threat
You're not integral
To the project

Sterile
Immaculate
Rational
Perfect"

Oh, and you're right guys: 'I learned a lesson from the 20th century I think that we should not dismiss'. Indeed.