| Release | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 April 2002 | |||
| Recorded | September 2000 – November 2001 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | Pop[3] | |||
| Length | 44:53 | |||
| Label | Parlophone/EMI | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Pet Shop Boys chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Release | ||||
| ||||
Release is the eighth studio album by Englishsynth-pop duoPet Shop Boys, released on 1 April 2002 byParlophone/EMI. It was recorded between 2000 and 2001, primarily written and produced by the duo, with the exception of the song "London", which was co-written and produced by Chris Zippel. The album produced three singles: "Home and Dry", "I Get Along", and "London", the latter of which was only released in continental Europe.Release reached number seven on theUK Albums Chart and number three in Germany, and it received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.
After their previous studio album,Nightlife (1999), Pet Shop Boys originally planned to release a greatest hits collection in the autumn of 2000 with two new tracks, "Positive Role Model" and "Somebody Else's Business". "London" was also recorded at this time, with producer Chris Zippel in Berlin in March 2000. Over the summer, they decided to produce a full-length studio album instead.[4]
Work on the album began in September 2000 atNeil Tennant's home studio inCounty Durham.[1] Most of the album was recorded there over the next year.Chris Lowe commented that the album reflects theNorth East of England:
I don't think we'd have made this album in London. We were very remote — it's on the edge of the moors, the weather's more extreme, you're more isolated and you're contemplative. I think that all comes across in the music.[5]
The album marked a significant departure from their previous work, being guitar-driven rather than dance-oriented, at Lowe's suggestion.[1] However,Release was made like their previous albums, with most tracks mainly programmed on computers, using sampled or synthesised guitars and drum sounds chosen to sound realistic.[5] On "Love Is a Catastrophe", for instance, the part that sounds like a guitar solo was played on a keyboard, while ex-Smiths guitaristJohnny Marr played along with a keyboardarpeggio.[6]
Marr was brought in to play electric and acoustic guitar on seven of the album's ten tracks later on in the sessions, both in Durham and at Sony Music Studios in London, where additional recording was done in September and October 2001. Twosession musicians were also brought in, percussionistJody Linscott and bass guitarist Steve Walters. Pet Shop Boys decided not to use an outside producer. They commissionedMichael Brauer to mix the album atOlympic Studios in London from October to November 2001.[7]
The original version of the album had eleven tracks, but "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" was removed from the album before release and later became a bonus track on the 2004 single "Flamboyant". Other tracks recorded during the sessions for the album which ended up as B-sides are "Between Two Islands", "Searching for the Face of Jesus", "Sexy Northerner", and "Always".[8]
Partly in response to the modest commercial success of this album, and partly because of the habit of distancing themselves musically from their most recent work, Pet Shop Boys returned to their dance roots one year later withDisco 3 (2003), which included remixes of some of the songs fromRelease along with material that they had worked on at the same time, such as "Time on My Hands", "Positive Role Model", and "Somebody Else's Business".[9]
The album title was suggested byWolfgang Tillmans, director of the "Home and Dry" video, in place of the duo's initial thought to name itHome as a contrast toNightlife.Release refers to both a record release and an emotional release.[10]
Release came out in the UK on 1 April 2002, selling 18,000 copies its first week. Debuting at number seven, it was the duo's tenth consecutive Top 10 album.[11]Release entered theEuropean Top 100 Albums chart at number five, reaching the Top 10 in Germany at number three and Denmark at number nine.[12]
In the United States, the album was released bySanctuary Records on 23 April 2002.[1] It opened at number one onBillboard magazine'sTop Electronic Albums chart, and it peaked at number 73 on theBillboard 200 as the duo's twelfth chart entry in a span of nearly 16 years. It also reached number nine on their Internet Album Sales chart.[13] As of 2006,Release had sold 73,000 copies in the US.[14]
In 2017, the album was reissued asRelease: Further Listening 2001–2004. The new version was digitally remastered and came with two bonus discs of B-sides and previously unreleased material from around the time of the album's original release.[15]Release re-entered theUK Albums Chart at number 30 in August 2017 following the reissue.[16] In the US,Release: Further Listening placed at number 15 on theBillboardTop Dance/Electronic Albums chart and reentered the Internet Albums chart at number 19, selling around 2,000 copies the week of its release, with half of those purchased online.[17]
On its first release, a limited run of CDs in foil-effect,debossed slipcases were available in a choice of four colours, each featuring a different flower in the style of an oldbotanical print: greypoppy, turquoisedaisy, pinkrose, and rediris. The vinyl LP came with the grey cover and a full-colour version on the inner sleeve, and the Japanese CD had the full-colour poppy as its cover.[18] The limited edition CD was also released in the US, with a bonus disc including remixes and new tracks.[19] The artwork was designed by Greg Foley of the New York design group and magazine publisherVisionaire and was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Recording Package.[20]
Thedirectors for all three music videos for the album's singles are photographers by trade:Wolfgang Tillmans directed "Home and Dry",Bruce Weber directed "I Get Along" (following his previous work on the "Being Boring" and "Se a vida é" videos), andMartin Parr directed "London". The "Home and Dry" video consisted almost entirely of footage of mice filmed atTottenham Court Road station in theLondon Underground and was deemed unplayable by MTV and other music video channels, although it was given high rotation onVIVA Plus in Germany.[18][21] The video was considered by some[who?] to have significantly undermined the commercial potential of thelead single.[citation needed]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 77/100[22] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [23] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[24] |
| Drowned in Sound | 6/10[25] |
| Hour | 3.5/5[26] |
| NME | 4/10[27] |
| Now | [28] |
| Playlouder | 4/5[29] |
| Rolling Stone |  [30] |
Release received generally favourable reviews according toMetacritic, which gave it aweighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 13 reviews.[22]
Music Week named it their "Album of the Week", stating: "This seventh studio album from Pet Shop Boys sees a dramatic change in style without compromising their much-loved signature sound".[31] Michael Paoletta ofBillboard called the album, "a career highpoint" that "couldn't be more lovely if it tried".[3]
Dennis Lim ofThe Village Voice observed, "Release sounds at once like a last gasp and a reinvention, which makes it all the more moving".[32] Paul Schrodt ofSlant Magazine wrote: "with all due respect to the Boys's fabulous '80s output, it's Release that deserves the most attention, because it's both their most underrated masterpiece and an unflinching evocation of post-9/11 heartache".[33] Keith Phipps ofThe A.V. Club felt, "the album features some of Tennant and Chris Lowe's subtlest, most affecting work, detailing a culture in which the gulf between people, whether heartbroken lovers or the ... immigrants of "London," can deepen even as their world shrinks".[34]
Peter Robinson ofNME calledRelease "their worst album to date".[27] TheBBC Music review by Jacqueline Hodges noted: "With an established career spanning so long, taking such a change of direction and become an ageing rock band is bound to be a gamble but this is one that failed to pay off".[35] Graham Reed ofDrowned in Sound rated it 6 out of 10, concluding: "Ultimately, 'Release' is the most disappointing Pet Shop Boys album in a long long time, and is their least consistent, least rewarding album yet; a badly judged commercial and artistic step sideways, if not backwards".[25]
Release was supported by the University Tour and the Release Tour in 2002. Pet Shop Boys previewed the album with a short tour of British universities from 8–13 February, visiting theUniversity of Bristol,Keele University, theUniversity of East Anglia,Teesside University, andDe Montfort University, followed by a headline appearance at a show celebrating the 50th anniversary ofNME at theLondon Astoria on Valentine's Day and a concert in Cologne, Germany, on 16 February.[36][37]
Pet Shop Boys played two concerts for broadcast: one forBBC Radio 2 that aired on 6 April during the week of the album's release,[38][39] and another atGruenspan in Hamburg, Germany, shown on theArte television channel on 7 May.[40] The Release Tour ran from 14 May to 2 August.[41] It started in Miami and covered North America and Europe, with additional dates in the UK, and ended in Asia.[19][42]
The University Tour was inspired by the 1972Wings University Tour byPaul McCartney and Wings.[43] The intimate venues were a change from the arenas on the previous Nightlife Tour (1999–2000). The performers were in close proximity to the audience, and backlighting allowed them to see the crowd.[39] Carl Burnett, who later worked on theFundamental Tour (2006–07), designed the lighting and the set, which featured horizontalblinds as a backdrop.[41]
The performances were lowkey in contrast to the duo's usual elaborate stage productions. Tennant commented: "We've always presented ourselves within a visual context on stage, which has been what we've become well-known for, and all of a sudden we thought it would be quite interesting to present ourselves as musicians".[37] Additional musicians came on tour, including guitaristsBic Hayes andMark Refoy.[44] Tennant also played acoustic guitar,[45] while Lowe played live keyboards.[46]Jody Linscott, who played percussion on the album, was on the University Tour,[47][45] while Dawne Adams was percussionist on the Release Tour. Pet Shop Boys programmer Pete Gleadall was also part of the ensemble.[44]
The set list featured a number of songs fromRelease: the three singles—"Home and Dry", "I Get Along", and "London"—as well as "Birthday Boy", "Love Is a Catastrophe", "You Choose", and B-side "Sexy Northerner". They also played a range of hits like "West End Girls" (1985), "Love Comes Quickly" (1986), "Always On My Mind" (1987), "Being Boring" (1990), "Go West" (1993), "A Red Letter Day" (1996), "New York City Boy" (1999), and "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk" (1999).[48][44][49][50] Occasional cover versions included "Do Anything You Wanna Do" (1977) byEddie and the Hot Rods and "Philadelphia" (1994) byNeil Young.[37]
As with the album, the new direction of the Pet Shop Boys' performance met with mixed reviews. Dorian Lynskey ofThe Guardian observed: "The only reason this incarnation doesn't qualify as back to basics is because they have never actually tried the basics before, and it is perhaps their boldest move yet".[49] Gavin Martin ofThe Independent commented: "Previous live shows were costume-changing carnivals, alive with mischief and tongue-in-cheek theatrics; the present spectacle is an altogether more sombre and mature affair".[50] Samuel Baker ofHouston Music Review noticed a number of fans leaving early: "It was a shame to see the audience unwilling to accept the duo's venture into a more creative and artistic realm, but sometimes you cannot push your audience too far without receiving a backlash".[51] Ernesto Lechner ofVariety felt, "The new songs proved that, if anything, the duo's ability to use the genre's conventions to their advantage has only increased with time".[44]
All tracks are written byNeil Tennant andChris Lowe, except where noted. All tracks are produced byPet Shop Boys, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Home and Dry" | 4:21 | ||
| 2. | "I Get Along" | 5:49 | ||
| 3. | "Birthday Boy" | 6:26 | ||
| 4. | "London" |
| Zippel | 3:46 |
| 5. | "E-Mail" | 3:55 | ||
| 6. | "The Samurai in Autumn" | 4:17 | ||
| 7. | "Love Is a Catastrophe" | 4:50 | ||
| 8. | "Here" | 3:15 | ||
| 9. | "The Night I Fell in Love" | 5:04 | ||
| 10. | "You Choose" | 3:10 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Home and Dry" (ambient mix) | 5:29 | ||
| 2. | "Sexy Northerner" | 3:40 | ||
| 3. | "Always" | 5:06 | ||
| 4. | "Closer to Heaven" (slow version) | 6:30 | ||
| 5. | "Nightlife" |
| 3:56 | |
| 6. | "Friendly Fire" |
| 3:26 | |
| 7. | "Break 4 Love" (US Radio Edit) (Pet Shop Boys +Peter Rauhofer =The Collaboration) | Vaughan Mason | Rauhofer | 3:28 |
| 8. | "Home and Dry" (Blank & Jones mix) | 6:38 | ||
| 9. | "Home and Dry" (music video) |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Between Two Islands" |
| 5:10 | |
| 2. | "Searching for the Face of Jesus" | 3:25 | ||
| 3. | "Time on My Hands" | 3:52 | ||
| 4. | "Motoring" (demo) | 4:02 | ||
| 5. | "Love Life" | 3:44 | ||
| 6. | "Transparent" | 3:51 | ||
| 7. | "Sexy Northerner" | 3:39 | ||
| 8. | "The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are" (demo) | 3:52 | ||
| 9. | "Closer to Heaven" (slow version) | 6:27 | ||
| 10. | "Run, Girl, Run" (demo) | 3:48 | ||
| 11. | "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" |
| 3:37 | |
| 12. | "Always" | 5:02 | ||
| 13. | "Home and Dry" (ambient mix) | 5:29 | ||
| 14. | "Bright Young Things" (demo) | 4:26 | ||
| 15. | "Kazak" (demo) | 2:48 | ||
| 16. | "A Powerful Friend" (John Peel version) | Miti Adhikari | 3:16 | |
| 17. | "If Looks Could Kill" (John Peel version) | Adhikari | 4:24 | |
| Total length: | 71:15 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Try It (I'm in Love with a Married Man)" | Bobby Orlando | 4:04 | |
| 2. | "Here" (PSB New Extended Mix) | 6:17 | ||
| 3. | "If Looks Could Kill" | 4:10 | ||
| 4. | "A Powerful Friend" | 3:22 | ||
| 5. | "Party Song" | 3:40 | ||
| 6. | "No Excuse" (demo) | 3:34 | ||
| 7. | "Blue on Blue" | 3:10 | ||
| 8. | "Jack and Jill Party" (demo) | 3:42 | ||
| 9. | "Baby" (demo) | 3:43 | ||
| 10. | "Flamboyant" (original demo) | 4:23 | ||
| 11. | "Miracles" |
|
| 3:55 |
| 12. | "Flamboyant" (7″ mix) |
| 3:37 | |
| 13. | "Numb" (demo) | Diane Warren | 3:38 | |
| 14. | "In Private" (featuringElton John) |
| 4:10 | |
| 15. | "Alone Again, Naturally" (featuring Elton John) | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 3:24 |
| 16. | "Reunion" (electro mix) |
| 4:29 | |
| 17. | "Bright Young Things" |
| 4:55 | |
| 18. | "We're the Pet Shop Boys" | My Robot Friend |
| 4:55 |
| 19. | "It's a Sin" (Barfly version) | 3:58 | ||
| Total length: | 77:06 | |||
Credits adapted from the liner notes ofRelease.[53]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[77] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States | — | 73,000[14] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
