Introspective (album)
| Introspective | ||||
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One of several CD editions
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| Studio album by Pet Shop Boys | ||||
| Released | 11 October 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987–1988 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop, dance-pop, disco | |||
| Length | 48:08 | |||
| Label |
EMI Manhattan (US/Canada) Parlophone (UK) |
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| Producer | Pet Shop Boys, Trevor Horn, Stephen Lipson, Lewis A. Martineé, David Jacob, Julian Mendelsohn | |||
| Pet Shop Boys chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Introspective | ||||
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| Vinyl edition | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Los Angeles Times |  |
| Rolling Stone | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 10/10 |
| The Village Voice | A− |
Introspective is the third studio album by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was first released on 11 October 1988 and is the Pet Shop Boys' second-best-selling album, selling over 4.5 million copies worldwide. (Their fifth studio album, Very, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.)
It is so named because "all the songs, although it's a dance album, are introspective". Perhaps the biggest change in Pet Shop Boys' sound evident on this album is an increasing attention to orchestration using real orchestras, particularly on the Trevor Horn-produced "Left to My Own Devices", which took months to produce.
The album was unusual in that it completely 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 more lengthy remixes of those songs on subsequent singles, Introspective was released as an LP consisting of songs that all lasted six minutes or more. Songs from the album that were released as singles were released as shorter, more radio-friendly mixes. Of the four tracks on the album that were released as singles—"Left to My Own Devices", "Domino Dancing", "Always on My Mind", (which was released prior to the album) and "It's Alright"—none was released as a radio single in the same form that they appeared on the album.
It is also notable that of the seven songs on the album (track five being a medley of two songs), only two were actually written specifically for this project— those being "Left to My Own Devices" and "Domino Dancing". "Always on My Mind" and "It's Alright" are both 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 previously 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 lyrics to the song. The album was certified Platinum in Spain.
Introspective was re-released in 2001 (as were the group's first six albums) as Introspective/Further Listening. 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 6 tracks on the original. With the 2009 re-release, the 2001 2CD re-release was discontinued.
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