Introspective (album)

''Introspective'' is the third studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 10 October 1988 by Parlophone. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Background

The album was unusual in that it 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 lengthy remixes of those songs on subsequent singles, ''Introspective'' was released as an LP consisting of songs that all lasted six minutes or more. Tracks released as singles like " Always on My Mind" and "Domino Dancing" had been issued as shorter, more radio-friendly mixes prior to the album. None was released as a radio single in the same form as it appeared on the album. It was also the case for the two other singles "Left to My Own Devices" and "It's Alright".

Of the six tracks on the album, only two were written specifically for the album—"Left to My Own Devices" and "Domino Dancing". "Always on My Mind" and "It's Alright" are cover versions, "I Want a Dog" is a song that previously appeared as B-side of the single "Rent", and " I'm Not Scared" is their own version of a song they had 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 lyric.

''Introspective'' was re-released in 2001 (as were the duo's first six albums) as ''Introspective/Further Listening 1988–1989''. The re-released version was digitally remastered and came with a second disc of B-sides 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 ''Introspective: Remastered''. This version contains only the six tracks on the original. With the 2009 re-release, the 2001 two-disc re-release was discontinued. On 2 March 2018, the two-disc version of the album was re-released, this time featuring newly remastered versions of the tracks. It was also released as a digital download and on vinyl.

Neil Tennant, in a speech he gave to the Oxford Union, said he regretted releasing ''Introspective'' so soon after ''Actually'' as he felt the 12-inch nature of the songs may have put some fans off the band and this probably impacted on the sales of ''Behaviour'', the subsequent album critically regarded as the Pet Shop Boys' finest album but commercially one of their least successful. Nevertheless, ''Introspective'' remains, according to Tennant, the best-selling Pet Shop Boys album internationally. It peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, behind U2's ''Rattle and Hum''.

Track listing

Notes

* Only Sterling Void is credited as a songwriter on original pressings of ''Introspective'' and the "It's Alright" single. Starting in 2001, Pet Shop Boys releases featuring "It's Alright" also credit Marshall Jefferson and Paris Brightledge for songwriting.
* signifies an additional producer
* signifies an associate producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Introspective''.

Pet Shop Boys

* Neil Tennant
* Chris Lowe

Additional musicians

* Richard Niles – orchestra arrangement and conducting
* Sally Bradshaw – additional vocals
* Josh Milan – piano solo
* Fro Sossa – additional keyboards
* Mike Bakst – additional keyboards, brass score
* Nestor Gomez – guitar
* Tony Concepción – brass, trumpet solo
* Kenneth William Faulk, Dana Tebor, Ed Calle – brass
* Lewis A. Martineé – brass arrangements
* The Voice in Fashion – backing vocals
* Blue Weaver – Fairlight programming
* Andy Richards, Gary Maughan – Fairlight programming
* Judy Bennett, Sharon Blackwell, H. Robert Carr, Mario Friendo, Derek Green, Michael Hoyte, Herbie Joseph, Paul Lee, Gee Morris, Dee Ricketts, Iris Sutherland, Yvonne White – additional vocals

Technical

* Trevor Horn – production
* Stephen Lipson – production, engineering
* Pet Shop Boys – production ; associate production
* David Jacob – engineering ; production
* Mike Nielsen – engineering
* Frankie Knuckles – mix, additional production
* John Poppo – mix engineering
* Lewis A. Martineé – production, engineering, mixing
* Mike Couzzi – engineering
* César Sogbe – engineering assistance
* Julian Mendelsohn – production, engineering

Artwork

* Mark Farrow – cover design
* Pet Shop Boys – cover design
* Eric Watson – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

References

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1988 albums
Albums produced by Stephen Lipson
Albums produced by Trevor Horn
Parlophone albums
Pet Shop Boys albums