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Disco 2

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This article is about the Pet Shop Boys album. For the Health remix album, see Health::Disco2. For the BBC TV programme, see Disco 2 (TV series).

Disco 2
Remix album by
Pet Shop Boys
Released12 September 1994 (1994-09-12)
Recorded1990–1994
Genre
Length47:58
LabelParlophone
Producer
Pet Shop Boys chronology
Very
(1993) 		Disco 2
(1994) 		Alternative
(1995)

Disco 2 is the second remix album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 12 September 1994 by Parlophone. It consists of remixes of songs from the duo's albums Behaviour (1990) and Very (1993), as well as B-sides from the time.

A "club-ready sequel" to Disco (1986),[1] as well as a "companion of sorts" to the Very/Relentless set of 1993,[1] Disco 2 was released to mixed reviews. It reached number six on the UK Albums Chart.

Background and composition

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The tracks on the CD were mixed into one long continuous megamix by DJ Danny Rampling. As a result, most of the tracks are in edited versions, having been cut off mid-way through in a crossfade into the following tracks (as a DJ might do while mixing music live). Some of the tracks were reduced by more than half of their original lengths in this way. In addition, some tracks were sped up or slowed down, in order to match the overall tempo of the mix.

A limited edition of the album was released in the United States which contained a second CD with B-sides and additional mixes.

Though the album is a DJ mix by Rampling, mention of this only appears on the inner sleeve.[2] Considered one of EMI's autumn 1994 highlights, Disco 2 was promoted from its September release through to Christmas.[3] An earlier remix album, also titled Disco 2, was due for release in 1988 following the release of Actually (1987) and was to contain extended versions of Pet Shop Boys songs. The duo cancelled the album in protest at EMI including their cover of "Always on My Mind" – intended for inclusion on Disco 2 – on Now That's What I Call Music 11, against the duo's wishes.[4]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Accrington Observer[6]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(dud)[7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[8]
The Great Rock Discography5/10[9]
Knoxville News Sentinel[10]
The Leader-Telegram[11]
NME4/10[12]
Select[13]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[14]

In his review of Disco 2, Johnny Dee of NME wrote that it "works as a party album, an album you can leave on for an hour of comedy dances, trancing and Italo house-style raving while you and your mates get drunk", and considered it passable as a budget-priced remix album. However, he believed it to be disappointing as a follow-up to Very, criticising how many of the tracks "endlessly repeat one stuttering phrase", and also considered the interspersed samples of Absolutely Fabulous characters Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone to be "very poor".[15] Believing that the Pet Shop Boys were the only popular pop act to treat their dancefloor remixes as "more than just something to stick on those CD2-out-next-Tuedsay things", Andrew Harrison of Select commented on the high expectations for Disco 2 – built by the first Disco album and Introspective (1988). Nonetheless, he deemed it more like a Pet Shop Boys edition of the Journeys by DJ mixtape series, and believed that Rampling had lost the drama and humour of the original tracks, as well as "the songs, which PSB remixes never normally fully abandon". He recommended that readers buy the Very twelve-inch singles instead.[13]

Douglas Wolk of CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that, on release, Disco 2 was the highest-profile DJ-centred mix CD available. He believed that the album's lengthy flow of "mixes and dubs" is "almost too smooth and clean to bear. You may move your hips, but you won't feel the urge to grind them into anything."[2] Music Week called it both a "belated follow-up" to Disco and a "47-minute megamix" which should sell well.[16] A reviewer for Accrington Observer called it the "second stomping disco album from the kings of the remixes" and believed that the Pet Shop Boys' distinctive sound had been reworked for a "must buy" set.[6] Reviewing Disco 2 for St. Louis Post-Dispatch, J.D. Considine enjoyed the inclusion of two songs unavailable of otherwise, and praised how the remixes are "more like re-inventions" than mere repackages of the original versions, "sometimes just changing the original's mood, sometimes reducing the whole to a few essential hooks". Though believing those who favour Tennant's dry tenor would feel let down, as his voice is wholly absent from some tracks, he concluded that the album's "beat-savvy production and disco-ready megamix format make it a party unto itself."[17]

In The Herald-Sun, Howard Cohen said the album's lengthy mix of "techno, Eurodisco and house" remixes was "perfect for clubs but can be stultifying at home", adding that some remixes rendered the original versions unrecognisable. Ultimately, he wrote that Disco 2 is "fine for the young and energetic who can keep up with the mega-beats-per-minute mixes".[1] The Leader-Telegram reviewer Chuck Campbell opines that it proves the duo's "post-'88 viality and their adaptability to change with fashion", and commented on how DJs could play the album and "take a 47 minute break", due to the lack of segues. However, he believed some fans may be "overwhelmed by Tennant's nasal singing" over such a length.[11] In a short review, Jonathan Takiff of The Philadelphia Daily News included Disco 2 in a list of albums to ignore and quipped: "Don't quit your night job, boys."[18] Reviewing the "Yesterday I Was Mad at You" single, released to promote the remix album, Hitmakers described Disco 2 as "ultra hip" and added that Junior Vasquez' remix is "on fire," while the Jam & Spoon mix is "totally cool".[19]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described Disco 2 as "more long-winded" than the first Disco album, "suffering not only from too many pointless remixes, but a surprising lack of cohesiveness, making it for devoted fans only."[20] In a review of its follow-up Disco 3 (2003), Drowned in Sound's Mark Reed dismissed Disco 2 as an "unimaginatively-titled medley" of techno remixes.[21] Martin C. Strong, writing in The Great Rock Discography (2006), commented that Disco 2 and the B-sides collection Alternative (1995) mark period in which the duo kept a "fairly low profile" following the release of Very. He rated Disco 2 five out of ten, the same as Disco and higher than Disco 3.[9] In Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s (2000), Robert Christgau rated the album a "dud".[22]

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Absolutely Fabulous" (Rollo Our Tribe Tongue-In Cheek Mix) – 0:29
  2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters Extended Nude Mix) – 4:15
  3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (DJ Pierre Wild Pitch Mix) – 2:59
  4. "Go West" (Heller & Farley Project Mix) – 3:40
  5. "Liberation" (E Smoove 12" Mix) – 6:09
  6. "So Hard" (Morales Red Zone Mix) – 2:48
  7. "Can You Forgive Her?" (Rollo Dub) – 4:03
  8. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Junior Vasquez Fabulous Dub) – 4:54
  9. "Absolutely Fabulous" (Rollo Our Tribe Tongue-In Cheek Mix) – 6:01
  10. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Coconut 1 12" Mix) – 2:12
  11. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (Jam & Spoon Mix) – 5:01
  12. "We All Feel Better in the Dark" (Brothers in Rhythm After Hours Climax Mix) – 5:21 *Mislabeled. This is actually the Ambient Mix

US limited edition bonus CD

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  1. "Decadence" – 3:55
  2. "Some Speculation" – 6:33
  3. "Euroboy" – 4:28
  4. "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (RAF Zone Dub Mix) – 5:37
  5. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (7" Mix) – 4:45[23]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Disco 2
Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 181
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[25] 35
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 54
European Albums (Music & Media)[27] 28
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 15
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 47
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[30] 23
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] 15
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 21
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 33
UK Albums (OCC)[34] 6
US Billboard 200[35] 75

Sales

[edit]
Sales for Disco 2
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil — 50,000[36]
United States — 131,000[37]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Cohen, Howard (30 October 1994). "Pet Shop Boys want you to tap your feet". The Herald-Sun: 45. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b Wolk, Douglas (January 1995). "Reviews" (PDF). CMJ New Music Monthly: 39. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. ^ "EMI's Autumn Highlights" (PDF). Music Week: 28. 24 September 1994. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  4. ^ Jones, Alan (2 April 1988). "This Week's Chart" (PDF). Record Mirror: 46. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pet Shop Boys: Disco 2" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Record reviews...record reviews". Accrington Observer: 35. 16 September 1994. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  7. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Pet Shop Boys". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  8. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Pet Shop Boys". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th edn). London, UK: Omnibus Press.
  9. ^ a b Strong, Martin C. (2006). "Pet Shop Boys". The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 813. ISBN 1-84195-827-1.
  10. ^ Campbell, Chuck (14 October 1994). "Pet Shop Boys Mix Up Hits On 'Disco 2'". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  11. ^ a b Campbell, Chuck (23 October 1994). "Pet Shop Boys show vitality". The Leader-Telegram: 4H. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  12. ^ Dee, Johnny (10 September 1994). "Long Play: Hat Blokes Not Funny Anymore". New Musical Express. p. 47.
  13. ^ a b Harrison, Andrew (October 1994). "New Old Albums". Select: 111.
  14. ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). "Pet Shop Boys". Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 294–295. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  15. ^ Dee, Johnny (10 September 1994). "Hat Blokes Not Funny Anymore". NME: 47.
  16. ^ "The Essential Music Week Stocking Guide" (PDF). Music Week: 19. 17 September 1994. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  17. ^ Considine, J.D. (14 October 1994). "Upbeat". St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 8G. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  18. ^ Takiff, Jonathan (30 September 1994). "Forget It". The Philadelphia Daily News: 60. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Mix Show Disc-overy Club" (PDF). Hitmakers: 46. 23 September 1994. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Disco 2 - Pet Shop Boys | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  21. ^ Reed, Mark (14 February 2003). "Pet Shop Boys: Disco 3". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  22. ^ Christgau, Robert (15 October 2000). "Pet Shop Boys". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 9780312245603.
  23. ^ "Pet Shop Boys discography". Retrieved 1 October 2007.
  24. ^ "Response from ARIA re: Pet Shop Boys ARIA chart history, received 29 May 2018". Retrieved 26 April 2020 – via Imgur. N.B. The "NAT" column displays the release's peak position on the national chart.
  25. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Disco 2" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  26. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Disco 2" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  27. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 40. 1 October 1994. p. 12. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  28. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 233. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  29. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Disco 2" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  30. ^ "ペット・ショップ・ボーイズのアルバム売り上げランキング" [Pet Shop Boys album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  31. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  32. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Disco 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  33. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Disco 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  34. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  35. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  36. ^ Fucuta, Brenda (9 December 1994). "Discografia marcada pela 'dance music'". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). No. 245. p. 38 – via National Library of Brazil.
  37. ^ Caulfield, Keith (23 May 2006). "Ask Billboard: Pet Shop Shopping". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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