Hotspot

As a massive PSB fan I've always loved their music. I was hoping yet knowing I was going to like this album. The released singles so far suggested a mix of styles. I didn't know that I was looking for it but I found it... The album I've been waiting from them for so long! The missing PSB album that should have been released so long ago. Amazing end to the Stuart Price trilogy. 'Will O the wist' should be the big single we have been waiting for so long.

Hotspot is the final part of the Stuart Price-produced trilogy of Pet Shop Boys records. 2013's Electric was the first, commencing with an album totally committed to the tiles like Madonna's similarly assisted by Price, Confessions on a Dancefloor. 2016's Super continued in this style but was more song-based in structure after the more Introspective/Relentless-like predecessor. Apart from a 2019 EP and the B-sides on the first two Hotspot singles, Petheads have had to wait almost four years for this to arrive - nearly as long as the biggest ever previous gap between Pet Shop Boys albums (2002’s Release and 2006’s Fundamental) - so have Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe produced something special to make up for this longer hiatus this time?There had previously been some gossip that the third act was going to be a quieter, reflective album and that Super had been the bridge between the two styles and pleasingly Hotspot is for the most part not that. Six of the tracks are glorious bangers and it is pleasing that the duo has continued in this style - apart from this time using warm, atmospheric analogue synthesizers - because if they had made a more peaceful record then it might have been no Behaviour and instead Elysium part 2. Crucially though, the main reason that this is an astute decision is that making a record completely in a style like e.g. Elysium, Release would not have suited Stuart Price strengths of being typically more of a dance producer.Opener Will-O-The-Wisp is infinitely better than the cheesy Rednex-like Super first track, Happiness. Complete with frenetic beats/hi-hat and throbbing, tuneful synths it continues the winning dance formula of the two previous Price-produced records. About seeing a love interest for the first time in years and with its 80s/90s synth-pop feel it begins Hotspot with aplomb and is one of the standout tracks. Happy People is in a similar vein - full of sizzling hi-hat and catchy, house keyboards - and is simply classic Pet Shop Boys and one of the finest tracks on the album and sounds similarly somewhere between the band's 80s and 90s output, particularly sounding like it could have fitted on 1993's Very. Fourth track, Dreamland, is another dance-able song with Tennant returning to politics with its anti-Brexit and pro-immigration sentiments. It was a wise choice as lead single as it is another of the strongest songs with such an anthemic quality and the welcome vocals of Years and Years' Olly Alexander which fits the duo alongside the latest pop stars.The second side of the record commences with I Don't Wanna which is another fantastic selection from Hotspot and concerns a shy individual who prefers to be alone and not venture out to the tiles and socialise. It is another banger with some gentler but still propulsive beats and the squelchy but melodic, analogue synths provide it with an 80s vintage Depeche Mode feeling. The following track and third single, Monkey Business, must be Hotspot at the peak of its powers as it concerns hedonism with Tennant and Lowe channelling their inner Daft Punk (slightly Jamiroquai too) with a funky 70s/80s sounding cut.Although Hotspot for the most part comprises of dance-themed tracks it does move away from that style for four of its songs and so does mean that this final part of the trilogy is indeed slightly more ballad-based than Electric and Super. You are the One is a very good, tranquil and pleasant synth pop song clearly about a lover, while Only the Dark is similarly very strong with its gorgeous, analogue Human League/Heaven 17 sound. The finest of Hotspot's quieter almost-half of the record is Hoping for a Miracle which is yet another brilliant Tony Blair-referencing (according to Tennant, though Boris Johnson could be interchangeable) Pet Shop Boys song with the duo's trademark, majestic electro-pop melancholy. Ironically due to Tennant joking that acoustic guitars "should be banned," another decent song from the album is Burning the Heather with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler providing the Johnny Marr-esque guitar. It is extremely like a long lost track from their more fundamental (no pun intended) 2002 record, Release, and although it is not like a typical Stuart Price production it has beautiful, background electronic effects - particularly impressive after the second chorus - that provide the song with a deeper soundscape. Although it stands out from the other more strictly electronic songs it is welcome and another strong track, providing Hotspot with variety that was perhaps slightly missing from Electric and Super.The closing track, Wedding in Berlin, is possibly the only slightly weaker one present on Hotspot. Although it is another dance anthem, the usage of that classical piece, The Wedding March, makes it a bit too formulaic and sounds a bit incongruous. However, although it is certainly half poor it is half likeable too at the same time as the pulsating beats and pounding synths are like a fitting finale to the Stuart Price-era.Skilfully sounding retro and futuristic all at once, Hotspot is undoubtedly the third and final thrilling part of the Stuart-Price produced Pet Shop Boys trilogy. Although last year's EP Agenda had two great tracks in On Social Media and The Forgotten Child, the other two were cliched, unsubtle and too brash and this resolves any of that disappointment. Although the Dreamland and Burning the Heather singles' An Open Mind and Decide were excellent - like the duo's average B-side - Hotspot has the correct selection of tracks as they fit together best and provide the album with a coherence and balance. In fact, although thankfully this 2020 Pet Shop Boys record is not an Elysium-like affair and instead mostly comprised of bangers which suits the usage of Price as producer, with its four more ballad-like tracks - one including a prominent guitar for the first time since 2012 - it is surely the most diverse of the three albums. Apart from maybe Wedding in Berlin they are all very powerful songs and Will-O-The-Wisp, Happy People, Dreamland, Hoping for a Miracle, I Don't Wanna and Monkey Business are certain Pet Shop Boys classics. The vinyl version of this record is particularly noteworthy in its quality as it has such a crisp, wide range of sound and the background electronic sounds/effects on each song are clearly audible really showing off the depth of Price's production skills. Hotspot has been really well promoted this week and hopefully it can chart highly again like Electric and Super did and the imminent "greatest hits" tour sounds like it will be another enthralling Pet Shop Boys live show. Stuart Price will now part ways with the most successful duo of all time and although it would be nice to see Tennant and Lowe continue, they will have to choose really carefully a producer for another record as he has been one of the finest in their long and glorious thirty five year history, revitalising them with the trilogy of Electric, Super and Hotspot being their first genuinely great ones since 1999's Nightlife.

This has to be the best Pet Shop Boys album ever. And to me the best in the trilogy with Stuart Price. They want to have their first Number 1 album in the UK Album Charts in 27 years next Friday. So let's make their dream come true everyone.

As a lifelong Pet Shop Boys fans I just had to buy "Hotspot". Pity there's no limited double-disc release with more B-Sides though.I think "Hotspot" is going to be a grower as, after the 1st listen, there's a few tracks which I wasn't too sure about (although to be fair, I did think to myself that they'll get better with more listens - the same thing happened with their "Behaviour" album, which I now count as one of my PSB favourites).Album highlight for me has to be "Will-o-the-wisp" - it makes it worth the price of the CD alone. I know a few people don't like "Dreamland", but again, I love this track.Finally, the "weirdest track of the year" award (and we're only January!) has to go to "Wedding in Berlin". Not sure I'll ever get into that one - although "The Sound of the Atom Splitting" was much the same and I ended up liking that one too...!Pity about the lack of "AutoRip". First it wasn't listed as having it, then it was, and now it's disappeared again (looks like Amazon have sold out their allocation and it's left to the 3rd party suppliers).

I’d read two reviews prior to buying this and both gave the album 5 stars. Having bought virtually everything they’ve ever done I was looking forward to another top PSB production. I’m not sure what the other reviewers were on but I’m sorry to say this not a 5 star album. In my opinion it’s bland and severely lacking in emotion. Notable exceptions being You are the one and Wedding in Berlin. Both pretty good. The standout track which seems out of place is the single release Burning the heather. A beautiful And moving song. Sad to say this won’t be a regular on my playlist. Just hoping a few more listens brings out something I’ve missed. UPDATE 03.02.20. Yes it’s a grower. Up from 3 stars to 4. Oh and search out the Hoping for a miracle - Blade extended mastermix on YT. It’s a moving masterpiece. Please release on cd or vinyl.