16) The Pet Shop Boys: 'Yes'

Many simply dismiss The Pet Shop Boys as gay synth-poppers from the 80’s. However, finally they seem to be getting the recognition they so rightly deserve; as crafters of some of the best pop music of any given generation. The instantly recognizable vocals of Neil Tennant’s sit perfectly with his intelligent and poignant lyrics which also mesh effortlessly alongside detailed and catchy melodies. From their glory days in the 80’s they have continuously had hit after hit. ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’, ‘Herat’, ‘West End Girls’, ‘Rent’; the list just goes on and on. Not only this, but they are kings of the cover versions too. ‘Go West’, ‘Always on My Mind’, and ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ are all definitive versions of the originals. Admittedly their output in the 90s was not quite as stratospheric as during the 80s but in saying this, Bilingual was an excellent album and their remix albums simply entitled Disco are superb.

Therefore in 2009 one would not expect the Pet Shop Boys to be making groundbreaking albums. This album had no right to be as good as it was. This is the time they should be cashing in on bygone glories; yet they have created one of the best albums of their career with Yes. Working with Xenomania was the key move which, arguably, resulted in them finding their winning sound again. They start as they mean to go on with the epic opener Love etc’ which is probably one of the best singles of 2009 with its sardonic skewering of the rich and famous. They then decide to sample Tchaikovsky against rave beats on All Over the World which evolves into a magnificent orchestral cacophony. Beautiful People is a solid album track which is not as great as other songs on here but perfectly listenable nonetheless. Did You See Me Coming is a great party song and is truly uplifting, sure to make you feel good when feeling blue. Vulnerable has great lyrics and leads nicely into my favorite song on the album More Than A Dream. This song is truly awesome and I could dance to this all night long given the chance. Building a Wall continues in the same uplifting and energetic tone but then slows down for King of Rome. Why Kylie rejected the next song written for her by the boys is beyond me, Pandemonium would have been up there with some of her greatest work if she took this one on board, instead we are presented with probably a better version than one envisioned. The Way it Use to be is another solid track but unfortunately doesn’t end well with Legacy. It lasts a little too long and your left wishing it will end after a few minutes. However, this album is pure class, an amazing feat from a band at the height of success in the 1980s. I cannot think of any pop bands from the 80’s producing anything even close to this level in 2009. At number 16, The Pet Shop Boys ‘Yes’.