Pet Shop Boys – Loneliness Review

After a successful showcase on Glastonbury’s Other Stage, Pet Shop Boys stirred something in thousands. It was a reminder of their unwavering consistency which got them to the top of the synth-pop mountain to begin with. Their last record, Hotspot, felt like a damning turnover of ageism in music made for the club scene, and Loneliness has doubled down on this feeling with miserable-sounding disco fusion, a monumental kick against the expectations of a genre they pioneered. One of the few acts out there capable of pulling off the extended mix fad Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa now peddle their fans, clutter in place of quality, Pet Shop Boys mark an utterly exceptional return ahead of upcoming album Nonetheless. 

Pet Shop Boys get a little introspective on this one. Sincerely, not a “look how well-versed he is on their discography” comment, that one. Loneliness holds a tremendous sincerity to it – Neil Tenant triumphs in the fight against isolation. After spending the last few years withering away in our homes, poking our heads out the window for a breath of fresh air before retreating to the desk, Loneliness serves as a fiery reminder to live. Turn your back on loneliness as Tenant demands, and find your way back onto the dancefloor. Whichever is closest. Your living room where you blast LCD Soundsystem records while in the cycle of washing up and making coffee does not count. Go outside, live and breathe. Pet Shop Boys make a convincing argument for it, their full-length Loneliness adding some crucial details which are removed from the radio edit in the same way Common People from Pulp lost its redemption verse of class tourism.  

But hold on a second. What are those chimes and echoed repetitions to follow? Party in the Blitz is a neat follow-up which kicks the trend of slowly dribbling tracks to a hungry audience. A Second World War-reflecting song set to the backdrop of needing drinks and being inspired by the horrors is a bold and ambitious bit of music. Instrumental magic is where Pet Shop Boys work best, and taking in the minute and a half of raw electropop appeal on Through You is a treat, let alone their sharp lyrics. Power grabs and the shuffle of envy into a deck of muddled feelings, it all feels harsh and cold from Pet Shop Boys, who find themselves championing those quietly watching the downfall of those who deserve it. They see right through you, as the constant repetition reminds us.  

Loneliness and Pet Shop Boys as a broader achievement make it clear this is not a legacy-peddling opportunity. So many will be quick to write off Tenant and Chris Lowe because they have been around for decades – Hotspot touches on this wonderfully. Loneliness is as fresh-sounding and filled with surprises as the rest of their discography but feels like more of a honed and observant counter to the world which is attempting to leave Pet Shop Boys behind. Consistency is crucial to a band whose songs are used to retrofit mid-budget movies like Greed. Their high points are still as relevant and crushing, often overplayed, but still hold the same heart and perspective as a track like Loneliness.