Fundamental (Pet Shop Boys album)

Subject matter

The album has been noted for being more political than any other of the duo's albums to date; even the title, in one sense, is a reference to religious fundamentalism — portrayed here in a light, critical manner, which singer Neil Tennant attributes to the relatively relaxed status of religious freedom in the United Kingdom.

Specific contemporary issues discussed in the lyrics include tensions and fears in the United States caused by the War on Terrorism, addressed in songs such as "Psychological" and "Luna Park" ("Luna Park" being the name of various amusement parks around the world). Other songs refer to the politics of the band's home country; "Indefinite leave to remain" refers to an immigration status in the United Kingdom, while "Integral" criticizes the Identity Cards Act 2006. (A statement from a band spokesman cites the issue as the reason that Tennant ceased his well-publicized support of Tony Blair's Labour Party.) "I'm with Stupid", meanwhile, touches upon both countries by satirizing Blair's alliance with George W. Bush. (See also special relationship.)

Other subject matters are dealt with as well. "Casanova in Hell" is about the 18th century historical figure Giacomo Casanova, and how he immortalized himself by writing memoirs about his history of sexual seduction of numerous women. Tennant refers to, specifically, the book Casanova's Homecoming by Arthur Schnitzler as his inspiration for the song. (It was sung by Rufus Wainwright at its very first live performance, at a private concert recorded for BBC Radio 2 at the Mermaid Theatre on 8 May 2006.) "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" references two of the biblical cities of sin, Sodom and Gomorrah, in saying that to learn to 'go where angels fear to tread' (i.e. to sin) is to learn to live freely.

Music

The album is Pet Shop Boys' first collaboration with Trevor Horn since the 1989 single "It's Alright". Its sound bears the producer's heavily orchestral style (also present on that song), most frequently associated with the 1982 ABC album The Lexicon of Love as well as the 1984 Frankie Goes to Hollywood single "Two Tribes" and subsequent album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. Horn was also musical director for the Radio 2 concert, which featured the BBC Concert Orchestra.

The album's personnel included many of Horn's frequent musical collaborators, including Anne Dudley, Tessa Niles, Jamie Muhoberac, Phil Palmer, Steve Lipson, Lol Creme, Tim Pierce, Earl Harvin, Frank Ricotti, Luis Jardim, Lucinda Barry.

Fundamentalism

Special limited editions of the album include a second bonus CD called Fundamentalism. The disc includes remixed tracks with contributions by artists such as Alter Ego. "In Private", here presented as a duet with Elton John, was originally a Dusty Springfield song written and produced by the Pet Shop Boys. First released as a single in 1989, it was later included on the 1991 album Reputation. Powerful opening track 'Fugitive' contains lyrics suggestive of a dialogue between two terrorists 'clean and prepared, to be led, indivisible', thus continuing the political themes of the main album.

Track listing

Fundamental

1. "Psychological" – 4:10
2. "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" – 5:19
3. "I Made My Excuses and Left" – 4:53
4. "Minimal" – 4:21
5. "Numb" – 4:43 (Diane Warren)
6. "God Willing" – 1:17
7. "Luna Park" – 5:31
8. "I'm with Stupid" – 3:24
9. "Casanova in Hell" – 3:13
10. "Twentieth Century" – 4:39
11. "Indefinite Leave to Remain" – 3:08
12. "Integral" – 3:55

Fundamentalism

1. "Fugitive" (Richard X extended mix) – 6:06
2. "Sodom" (Trentemøller remix) – 7:24
3. "Psychological" (Alter Ego remix) – 7:13
4. "Flamboyant" (Michael Mayer Kompakt mix) – 7:58
5. "I'm with Stupid" (Melnyk Heavy Petting mix) – 6:07
6. "In Private" (Stuart Crichton club mix) (featuring Elton John) – 5:07
7. "Minimal" (Lobe remix) – 4:47
8. "Gomorrah" (Dettinger remix) – 5:39
9. "I'm with Stupid" (PSB maxi-mix) (Japan bonus track) – 8:12
10. "Minimal" (Tiga's M-I-N-I-M-A-L remix) (Japan bonus track) – 5:40
11. "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" (demo version) (iTunes Store bonus track) – 5:02
12. "I'm with Stupid" (demo version) (iTunes Store bonus track) – 3:38

Personnel

Fundamental (original track listing)

On 22 December 2005, the official Pet Shop Boys website announced an early track listing for the album and gave a release date of 17 April 2006 with new single "Minimal" arriving a few weeks beforehand. This was quickly followed up on 23 December, when pop music fansite Popjustice gave the first review of the album. On 13 February 2006, it was announced that the release date of Fundamental had been pushed back to 22 May, because EMI needed "more set-up time". At the same time "I'm with Stupid" was announced to be the revised lead single. This was followed on 4 April 2006, with news that there would be a limited edition of the new album that would include a bonus CD called Fundamentalism.

Singles

B-sides and other released songs

1. "Fugitive" (Fundamentalism, "Beautiful People" German release B-side)
2. "In Private" (featuring Elton John) (Fundamentalism remix and "Minimal" original B-side)
3. "The Resurrectionist" ("I'm with Stupid" B-side)
4. "Girls Don't Cry" ("I'm with Stupid" B-side)
5. "Blue on Blue" ("Minimal" B-side)
6. "No Time for Tears" (Battleship Potemkin original, "Minimal" B-side)
7. "Party Song" ("Numb" B-side)
8. "Bright Young Things" ("Numb" B-side)
9. "Psychological" (Ewan Pearson remix) (Fundamental original, "Numb" remix)

Unreleased songs

These were written/recorded during the writing for Fundamental in 2005 and are yet to be released:

1. "For Every Moment"
2. "Ring Road"
3. "China"
4. "Dirty Tricks"
5. "One Way Street"

There is also a demo of a song called "Dancing in the Dusk" that Sondre Lerche asked them to record.

It remains to be seen whether any of these songs will materialise as future B-sides.

Release details

The album was released in various countries: