Yes (Pet Shop Boys album)
Yes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Pet Shop Boys | ||||
Released | 18 March 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2008 | |||
Studio | Abbey Road Studios, London | |||
Genre | Synthpop | |||
Length | 48:39 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Producer | ||||
Pet Shop Boys chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Yes | ||||
|
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 71/100[1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Robert Christgau | [3] |
Drowned in Sound | 5/10[4] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[5] |
The Guardian | [6] |
The Independent | [7] |
NME | 8/10[8] |
PopMatters | 7/10[9] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
Spin | 8/10[11] |
Yes is the tenth studio album by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 18 March 2009 by Parlophone. The album was recorded throughout 2008 and is produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania.[12] Xenomania also co-wrote three of the tracks. Guitarist Johnny Marr and string arranger Owen Pallett appear as well.[13] "Love Etc." was released on 16 March 2009 as the album's lead single.[12]
Background and release
Yes debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 27,639 copies, the duo's highest-placing album since Bilingual (1996).[14] Early sales figures predicted that the album would enter at number one,[15] but its release was beset by distribution problems and Yes proved unable to hold onto its midweek position. The download version erroneously went on sale through iTunes three days before its official release date, rendering 2,500 sales ineligible for the chart, while, the following week, a number of suppliers of the physical album reported stock level problems.[16] The album was hit by a minor manufacturing error as well: some booklets included with initial copies of the Yes etc. double CD set were stapled in the wrong order. EMI set up a website for anyone affected by this to claim a new booklet.[17]
The album was released in multiple formats, including a digital version that included a 48-minute track-by-track commentary on the album, and an 11-disc vinyl version limited to 300 copies, with each disc containing a different album track on the first side and a corresponding instrumental version on the second.[18] The double CD edition of the album incorporated a bonus disc titled Etc., which featured mostly instrumental dub mixes of six album tracks, as well as a new song called "This Used to Be the Future", which features guest vocals by Philip Oakey of The Human League. A standard, single-disc vinyl LP was also issued, but did not coincide with the international CD and download release.
Yes spawned three further singles. On 1 June 2009, "Did You See Me Coming?" was released worldwide on a number of physical and digital formats, backed with three new B-sides.[12] A limited German-only "Beautiful People" CD and download followed in October. The five-track Christmas, Pet Shop Boys' first EP release,[19] was released on 14 December 2009, with "All Over the World" acting as the principal radio promo and gaining a music video.
The album was nominated for Best Electronic/Dance Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards.
Yes was supported by a comprehensive world tour that stretched across 2009–2012. A recording of the tour made in London in December 2009 was released in a CD/DVD package on 15 February 2010 as Pandemonium.
Album cover
The album sleeve was designed by Mark Farrow and Pet Shop Boys. The tick on the cover is made up of eleven coloured squares.[20] It was inspired by German artist Gerhard Richter (who is referenced in the album's opening track, "Love Etc."), specifically his 4900 exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery and the stained glass window in Cologne Cathedral.[21]
The album's cover was nominated in the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards shortlist in the Graphics category.[22]
Track listing
All tracks written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Love Etc." |
| 3:32 |
2. | "All Over the World" | 3:51 | |
3. | "Beautiful People" | 3:42 | |
4. | "Did You See Me Coming?" | 3:41 | |
5. | "Vulnerable" | 4:47 | |
6. | "More Than a Dream" |
| 4:57 |
7. | "Building a Wall" | 3:50 | |
8. | "King of Rome" | 5:31 | |
9. | "Pandemonium" | 3:43 | |
10. | "The Way It Used to Be" |
| 4:44 |
11. | "Legacy" | 6:21 |
Japanese edition bonus track[23] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
12. | "Love Etc." (Pet Shop Boys Sex Mix) |
| 6:18 |
iTunes Store bonus tracks[24] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
12. | "Love Etc." (Pet Shop Boys Dub) |
| 6:18 |
13. | "Yes" (track by track commentary by Neil & Chris) | 48:40 |
Special edition bonus disc: Etc.[25] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "This Used to Be the Future" (featuring Philip Oakey) | 5:14 | |
2. | "More Than a Dream" (Magical Dub) |
| 6:10 |
3. | "Pandemonium" (The Stars and the Sun Dub) | 5:50 | |
4. | "The Way It Used to Be" (Left of Love Dub) |
| 5:16 |
5. | "All Over the World" (This Is a Dub) | 5:21 | |
6. | "Vulnerable" (Public Eye Dub) | 5:17 | |
7. | "Love Etc." (Beautiful Dub) |
| 6:24 |
Total length: | 39:32 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Yes.[26]
- Pet Shop Boys
- Pet Shop Boys – art direction, design
- Neil Tennant – lead vocals (all tracks); keyboards, programming (tracks 3–5, 7–11)
- Chris Lowe – keyboards, programming (all tracks)
Additional personnel
|
|
Etc. bonus disc
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the special edition Yes.[27]
Pet Shop Boys
|
Additional personnel
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
---|---|---|
Germany (BVMI)[56] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Japan[23] | 18 March 2009 | EMI | |
Australia[58] | 20 March 2009 |
| |
Germany[59] |
| ||
Italy[60] | |||
France[61] | 23 March 2009 |
| |
United Kingdom[12] |
|
Parlophone | |
United States[62] | 21 April 2009 | Astralwerks | |
Germany[63] | 24 April 2009 | LP | EMI |
United Kingdom[64] | 11 May 2009 | Parlophone |
References
- ↑ "Reviews for Yes by Pet Shop Boys". Metacritic. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ↑ Jeffries, David. "Yes – Pet Shop Boys". AllMusic.
- ↑ Robert Christgau review
- ↑ Drowned in Sound review
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly
- ↑ The Guardian review
- ↑ The Independent review
- ↑ NME review
- ↑ PopMatters review
- ↑ Rolling Stone review at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 April 2009)
- ↑ Spin review
- 1 2 3 4 ""Yes" is released". PetShopBoys.co.uk. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys announce Johnny Marr-featuring album". NME. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
- ↑ Jones, Alan (30 March 2009). "Yes men lose out on the top spot". Music Week. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ↑ Williams, Paul (24 March 2009). "Pet Shop Boys eye first chart topper since 1993". Music Week. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
- ↑ "Album sales aren't right, Pet". The Sun. 25 March 2009. Archived from the original on 29 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ↑ "Please fill out your details to receive your corrected Yes, Special Edition album booklet.". Google Docs. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ↑ "nice package". The Rewind. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
- ↑ http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/product/singles/christmas
- ↑ "Yes, Pet Shop Boys by Mark Farrow". Design Indaba. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
- ↑ Ash (13 April 2009). "Pet Shop Boys: Yes". Sleevage. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys and Bjork album covers nominated in 2010 Design Awards". NME. 18 January 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
- 1 2 イエス [Yes] (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. Archived from the original on July 6, 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Yes by Pet Shop Boys". iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
- ↑ "Yes [Bonus Track] – Pet Shop Boys". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- ↑ Yes (CD liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 2009. 6953472.
- ↑ Yes (special edition liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 2009. 695 3452.
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ↑ "Top Kombiniranih [Top Combined]" (in Croatian). Top Combined Albums. Hrvatska diskografska udruga. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select {{{date}}} on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. 121 (14): 46. 11 April 2009. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys: Yes" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ – Εβδομάδα 16/2009" [Top 50 Foreign Albums – Week 16/2009] (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2009. 13. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 13, 2009". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ イエス | ペット・ショップ・ボーイズ [Yes | Pet Shop Boys] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Yes". mexicancharts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2009" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Year End Charts – Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. 2009. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pet Shop Boys; 'Yes')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Pet Shop Boys – Yes". British Phonographic Industry. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2016. Enter Yes in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "Yes – Pet Shop Boys". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys // Yes" (in German). EMI Music Germany. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Yes" (in Italian). Internet Bookshop Italia. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ↑ "Yes : Pet Shop Boys" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ↑ "Yes: Pet Shop Boys". Amazon.com. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys // Yes (LP-Vinyl)" (in German). EMI Music Germany. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Yes". esounds. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2009.