Pet Shop Boys - PopArt: The Hits (2003)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Go West (2003 Remaster)
02. Suburbia (2003 Remaster)
03. Se a Vida E (That's the Way Life Is) [2001 Remaster]
04. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield) [2001 Remaster]
05. Always on My Mind (2003 Remaster)
06. I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing (Beatmasters Mix) [2001 Remaster]
07. Home and Dry (2003 Remaster)
08. Heart (2003 Remaster)
09. Miracles (Radio Edit)
10. Love Comes Quickly (2001 Remaster)
11. It's a Sin (2001 Remaster)
12. Domino Dancing (2003 Remaster)
13. Before (2001 Remaster)
14. New York City Boy (US Radio Edit) [2003 Remaster]
15. It's Alright (2003 Remaster)
16. Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You) [2003 Remaster]
17. A Red Letter Day (2003 Remaster)

CD2
01. Left to My Own Devices (Single Version) [2001 Remaster]
02. I Don't Know What You Want but I Can't Give It Any More (2003 Remaster)
03. Flamboyant
04. Being Boring (2001 Remaster)
05. Can You Forgive Her? (2001 Remaster)
06. West End Girls (2001 Remaster)
07. I Get Along (Radio Edit) [2003 Remaster]
08. So Hard (2001 Remaster)
09. Rent (2003 Remaster)
10. Jealousy (2003 Remaster)
11. DJ Culture (2003 Remaster)
12. You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk (2003 Remaster)
13. Liberation (2001 Remaster)
14. Paninaro '95 (2003 Remaster)
15. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) [2001 Remaster]
16. Yesterday When I Was Mad (2003 Remaster)
17. Single-Bilingual (2003 Remaster)
18. Somewhere (2003 Remaster)


Looking back at the 20 years since Neil Tennant left England's Smash Hits magazine to form the Pet Shop Boys with Chris Lowe, the two-CD Popart opens itself up for arguments while surpassing 1991's Discography as the ready-to-wear selection. All the growing up and becoming more emotionally focused that the duo did post-Discography could have yielded a dour hits collection, but putting new tracks like the plaintive "I Get Along" between the slick chestnuts "West End Girls" and "So Hard" works to the listener's advantage. The tropical and wistful "Single-Bilingual" and the clever and melancholy "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk" add more latter-day treasures that Discography couldn't include, and the only thing left to do besides submit is argue about the details. There is one disc full of "Pop" moments and the other "Art," but just try to figure out the criteria. The two new songs (the austere electro of "Miracles" and the fair "Flamboyant") are nice enough, but they're not as fully formed as their surroundings, making them obvious late additions. A little bit of text and history in the liner notes would have helped, and fans should be aware that most of the tracks here appear in album versions rather than single mixes. Of course, compilers need to make decisions, and bookending the collection with the ultra-camp and semi-flippant covers of "Go West" and "Somewhere" could be seen as a comment on how listeners shouldn't worry so much and should just enjoy. Regardless of omissions and decisions, Popart is an excellent, hang-together listen and a better representation of the duo's career than Discography.

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