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MUSIC | Pet Shop Boys - DISCO 3
Sunday, February 23, 2003

Tracklisting:

Time On My Hands
Positive Role Model
Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)
London (Thee Radikal Blaklite Edit)
Somebody Else's Business
Here (PSB Extended Mix)
If Looks Could Kill
Sexy Northerner (Superchumbo Mix)
Home And Dry (Blank & Jones Mix)
London (Genuine Piano Mix)

I have purchased my first copy-protected CD. And man, has it pissed me off.

If I'd just been paying attention, I would've noticed. The back of the package has a rather large (and ugly -- the text is all pixelated) notice that says "Copy Controlled." Which, as all good Mac users know, means "Won't work in your computer at all, and there's a good chance it'll kill your disc drive for shits 'n' giggles." There's even a list of System Requirements for playing the disc on your computer. No Mac operating system is mentioned. So I can't even soothe myself with righteous wrath -- "false advertising," "infringement of rights," etc. It was clearly telling me what it was -- technically, it's not a CD; the CD-Audio logo isn't anywhere on the packaging as it doesn't conform to the technical standards of a CD -- but I bought it anyway.

So, predictably, when I stick it in my laptop, it gets shot right back out. But then I try sticking it in my Discman to listen to it.

I did some research once I figured out it was copy-protected. I found this remarkably useful site which described the disc's problems (and also lists other corrupted CDs worldwide -- caveat emptor!). Apparently, the first copies to be released had an audio fault that caused a gap in the music during the first track, "Time On My Hands." I listened to my copy on my Discman and heard no gap. At least I dodged that bullet, right? But wait -- track 2, "Positive Role Model," begins. And all of a sudden the disc starts skipping. Second-long pauses begin cropping up at random throughout the music. I stop the CD and start playing it again -- it happens again, at different points in the song. This continues throughout the disc's running time, and some songs are hit harder than others. Track 6 is the worst off. Eventually, I figure it out. My CD player is doing everything it can to read the information encoded on the disc, but because it's not an ordinary CD, it just has to work too hard, and eventually, the processor has to pause to catch up.

So the only CD player I have with me here in the UK can't play this disc, which I spent ten pounds on, properly. Brilliant.

EMI is providing free replacement copies to anyone who bought one of the "damaged" discs with the audio gap on track one (If you have the CD, you'll find more info at the Pet Shop Boys' website). I'm wondering if I can send in for a replacement copy of mine, and if so, if I'll get one that'll work for me. I was looking at the album the other day at another shop, and many copies now don't carry the "Copy Controlled" logo -- does this mean they're not copy-controlled, or that the record company is just hiding it now? If I'd been patient and waited another week (I'd already bought it a week after it came out), would I have gotten a copy that I could listen to on my iPod with no problems whatsoever?

There's ever so much to be said on this subject, but I'll stop myself. I'll content myself with this: And the recording industry wonders why people dislike them so much.

So. From what I've heard of the actual music on the disc -- y'know, the thing that I wanted when I bought it that the record company seems uninterested in delivering to me -- it's pretty fuckin' great. I ended up growing fond of the luke-warm rock on Release, I'll be honest, but this disc does, largely, wipe the floor with that album. "Time On My Hands" is relatively unimpressive (and maybe it's just me, but I keep hearing glitchy noises in the mix all throughout -- is it just my copy, or is that in the master of the song itself?), but "Positive Role Model" is hilarious, "Somebody Else's Business" would be a strong pop single, and Felix Da Housecat's "London" remix takes very little from the original song but winds up sounding fantastic anyway. Go figure.

There are two absolute stunners, though. The first is "Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)," a Bobby Orlando remake. A post on my relationship to the sexual politics of the Pet Shop Boys would be an entirely different can of worms... But the sheer gayness of this song excites me so fucking much. I know how utterly ridiculous that sounds. But there's something really subversive and spectacular about the sensation of longing that the PSBs put into this song, this peculiarly male desparation and weakness, and the way it makes itself known. Neil Tennant's vocal on this makes me quiver, and the robo-pulse of the programming is strangely beautiful... I'm not making much sense, and I know this is a position that in reality, only a gay guy is going to understand. But this is a great fucking song. Don't believe me? Listen for yourself -- there's an MP3 available right here at DYFL.com (for a limited time only).

The other winner is "Here." Originally on Release, it was extended and drastically remixed for inclusion on this album, and it sounds utterly fantastic. If they'd just slipped this one fiery, passionate, ecstatic dance monster into the middle of Release, nestled amongst all the Johnny Marr acoustica and cold synth washes, it'd be a much better album. Again, there's something very visceral and emotional that I respond to in this song... undoubtedly it's connected to my extraordinarily confused romantic state at the moment (The same thing that makes me respond to "Try It...," though may I stress that you should not take that connection literally), but again, the sentiment of love, domesticity, and reassurance at the core of this song speaks huge volumes to me. Your mileage may vary.

The third-party remixes of "Sexy Northerner" (never a great song to begin with) and "Home And Dry" (certainly a great song to begin with) are appealing, but not astonishing, and "If Looks Could Kill" is probably fourth in quality of the five originals on the album, nestled in between "Positive Role Model" (which is quite strong) and the aforementionedly lackluster "Time On My Hands." The piano-driven mix of "London" (the only non-dance track) that closes the disc is also pleasant, but not world-shaking. All in all, though, it's a pretty great collection of music. It's just a shame I can't properly listen to it.

(Update, 02.28.2003: Hallelujah! Fiona graciously agreed to make me a CD-R of her copy, so I could at least import the songs onto my iPod, and I received it today. In return, I get to go CD shopping for her here in the UK for the stuff she can't get back home. CD shopping is, of course, something I'd be doing anyway, so I get to have fun AND pay her back! Life is good sometimes. And you should all thank Fiona too, because she made the MP3 of "Try It..." that you can all download possible.)

Links:

AllMusic Guide Listing
(No review posted)
Amazon - US
"...the new material stands out, making one wish they'd kept going..."
Amazon - UK
"...the liveliest music the duo have made in years..."
N.M.E. Review
"...unfair to accuse them of jumping on the electroclash bandwagon when they put the wheels on it in the first place"

02.23.2003 | 02:35 PM | TrackBack (0)

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hey. my american friends have said to me that you can't return cds in the US because they have those stickers along the top that you have to tear open. you've probably noticed that they're not on many CDs here (only imports), so you can return the CDs. in fact, HMV even lets you do it without the receipt, but only for an exchange, not a refund.

i may be pointing out the obvious, but just in case...

Posted by: andy at March 3, 2003 12:01 PM

............

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