Pet Shop Boys - New Album "Hotspot" Jan 24 2020

The first single from the new Pet Shop Boys album due in January 2020 was released this morning.
A duet with the lead singer from Years & Years.
A 2020 Greatest Hits Tour was announced as well starting with area dates in the UK.

 

Kinda strange they're putting out a new album but following up with a "Greatest Hits Tour." Of course their shows on any tour would have a good chunk of hits, but that marketing is a bit strange, unless those dates are kind of going to be a separate thing from a new album-themed tour?

 

I don’t there is much mileage in doing a tour for a new album, particularly an arena tour, but I’m sure they will include a couple of tracks.

 

I suppose that bumps them up from large theaters to arenas, sure. Just seems strange timing...like, something they could do in 2021 to make some quick cash after they're done promoting this new record. I'm sure the shows will be amazing for those lucky enough to live on the right continent.

 

they are always so great live and shows are always very hits heavy anyway,..good for them going after the big payday

 

Really love the new single. Hopefully we'll get some good b sides before the album comes out.

 

Pretty average - another song with little substance.

 

Hyde Park gig on BBC4 tomorrow for those with BBC / iPlayer access

 

The Boys have been busy.

My Beautiful Laundrette opens
Tonight sees the official opening night of “My Beautiful Laundrette” at the Curve Theatre in Leicester. Adapted by Hanif Kureishi from his 1985 film script, and directed by Nikolai Foster, the play contains two songs as well as instrumental music by Chris and Neil. One new song, “Angelic thug”, plays at the end of the first act and the other, “No boundaries”, is played at the end of the performance. The instrumentals are entitled: “Johnny’s dark side”, “Omar’s theme”, “Beautiful laundrette” and “Night sings (Popa’s theme)”. The play is set in the mid-80s and includes snatches of PSB songs including “West End girls”, “Opportunities”, “I get excited (You get excited too)”, “Left to my own devices”, “Hit music”, “In the night’ and “Paninaro”. Full production and ticket details can be found at the link below.

After its run at Curve in Leicester (20 Sep–5 Oct), the production tours to Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (8–12 Oct), Leeds Playhouse (15–26 Oct), Coventry Belgrade Theatre (29 Oct–2 Nov) and Birmingham Repertory Theatre (5–9 Nov).

Set in London during the Thatcher years, the play tells the story of young British Pakistani, Omar, who transforms his uncle’s run-down laundrette into a thriving business. After being confronted by a fascist gang, Omar recognises school-friend Johnny and uses their history to diffuse the situation. As they renovate the laundrette together, love blossoms between them.

The song “No boundaries” will be included on the CD single and digital bundles of “Dreamland” to be released in October. Full details and a pre-order will be announced shortly.

 

Received email this morning from the Pet Shop Boys official site.

Pet Shop Boys’ current single, “Dreamland” featuring Years & Years, will be released on October 25th on CD, digital and 12-inch vinyl formats, featuring new remixes and B-sides. The two new songs featured are “An open mind”, produced by Stuart Price and recorded during sessions for the forthcoming PSB album, and “No boundaries”, taken from the stage version of Hanif Kureishi’s “My Beautiful Laundrette” which opened in Leicester last week. The remixes come courtesy of PSB themselves, TWD (Stuart Price) and Jacques Renault. All formats of “Dreamland” are available to pre-order/pre-save from the links below.

Full track-listings for the “Dreamland” formats are:

Dreamland (digital)
1. Dreamland
2. An open mind
3. No boundaries

Dreamland - remixes (digital)
1. Dreamland (PSB remix)
2. Dreamland (TWD vocal remix)
3. Dreamland (TWD dub)
4. Dreamland (Jacques Renault remix)

Dreamland (12-inch vinyl single)
A1. Dreamland
A2. Dreamland (PSB remix)
B1. Dreamland (TWD vocal remix)
B2. Dreamland (TWD dub)

Dreamland (CD single)
1. Dreamland
2. An open mind
3. No boundaries
4. Dreamland (PSB remix)
5. Dreamland (TWD vocal remix)

 

Blimey a CD single. That takes me back...In fact, one of the last CD singles I bought was "Flamboyant".

 

Looks like you have to get all the versions, to get all the exclusives.

later
-1

 

Dreamland has easily been their most successful single in years (and years), since Love Etc. was a top 20 hit in 2009. Four weeks (and counting) on the A list of the BBC Radio 2 playlist, and in the iTunes top 100 since release. Airplay has actually been increasing in the UK this week. The upcoming release of the B sides and remixes should help it a bit too. A shame that they haven't found the time to perform on a talk show or something to promote it (other than the Hyde Park show).

 

Is this album really still untitled? I see it's up for pre-order in the PSB shop but it's just called "New Album".

I could see that being the actual name of it but they do like their one word titles. Surely it's already gone into production?

New Album

 

Seems like it should be soon. If the Dreamland single is any indication, they seem to be on a roll, three great songs.

 

New album to be released on January 24, ten Songs

​

Pet Shop Boys today announce details of their highly anticipated new studio album, “Hotspot”, which will be released on January 24th 2020 on x2 Records/Kobalt.

​

“Hotspot” was mostly recorded in Hansa Studios, Berlin, and mixed in The Record Plant, Los Angeles. It was produced and mixed by Stuart Price and features ten brand new Tennant/Lowe tracks including the single “Dreamland” featuring Years & Years, which was released in September. Another of the songs, “Burning the heather”, features Bernard Butler on guitar and was recorded at RAK Studios in London. A radio edit of “Burning the heather” is available to buy/stream now.

Buy/stream "Burning the heather"
Pet Shop Boys say:

“We’ve written much of our music over the last ten years in Berlin and it was an exciting experience to work on this album in the legendary Hansa studios there and add a new dimension to our sound.”

The album is the last instalment of the trilogy of PSB albums produced by Stuart Price, following “Electric” in 2013 and “Super” in 2016. It will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally and is available to pre-order now.

Pre-order "Hotspot" now
Track-listing for “Hotspot”:

1. Will-o-the-wisp
2. You are the one

3. Happy people

4. Dreamland (featuring Years & Years)

5. Hoping for a miracle

6. I don’t wanna

7. Monkey business

8. Only the dark

9. Burning the heather

10. Wedding in Berlin

The duo will tour the UK and Europe in May/June 2020 with their new show, Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live. Beginning on Friday, May 1st at Berlin’s Mercedes Benz Arena, the tour will see PSB perform at arenas across the continent and UK.

More details available here
More dates worldwide will be added in due course.


Full tour schedule below:
Friday May 1st – Mercedes Benz Arena, Berlin

Saturday May 2nd – König-Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen

Tuesday May 5th – Forest National Arena, Brussels

Wednesday May 6th – AFAS Live, Amsterdam

Friday May 8th – Leipzig Arena, Leipzig

Sunday May 10th – Porsche Arena, Stuttgart

Tuesday May 12th – Gasometer, Vienna

Tuesday May 19th – Olympiahalle, Munich

Wednesday May 20th – Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt

Friday May 22nd – Barclaycard Arena, Hamburg

Sunday May 24th – Torwar Arena, Warsaw

Thursday May 28th – The O2, London

Friday May 29th – Manchester Arena, Manchester

Saturday May 30th – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham

Tuesday June 2nd – BIC Arena, Bournemouth

Wednesday June 3rd – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Friday June 5th – Utilita Arena, Newcastle

Saturday June 6th – SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Wednesday June 17th – Ericsson Globe, Stockholm

Friday June 19th – OverOslo, Oslo

 

I'm liking this new song even though I've only heard it on my mobile with no earphones.
I wonder if it's representative of the album?

 

It looks nice, but I'm not sure about the sound. Will it all be guitar driven?

 

rather a mellow track i think.

later
-1

 

Love the new song. Mellow, melancholy, melodious. PSB at the top of their game.

 

Oh dear - leading towards another album of averageness.

 

I like it. I'm not sure that it's what I'd want the new album to sound like. I don't want too much acoustic guitar strumming. But I do love melancholy PSBs stuff and it's a good song.

 

Controversial

"Burning the Heather" is rather growing on me. Much better than anything on Electric or Super (or Agenda). I'm really pleased they let their "pure electronic sound" go. As a Suede fan I'm very pleased to see Bernard Butler, or rather hear him, even if this is probably the first time ever I hear his work and think, "hey, I can play this too!".

I'm not that big on "Dreamland", but that's more to do with the guest vocals, which are in that squeezed testicle style. The b-sides are quite good too.

When I heard they were going with Price again I was ready to sit this one out, but I'm looking forward to Hotspot.

Regarding the cover, it reminds me a lot of The xx's last record I See You, the Boys' own Fundamental, and the initial embossed Release sleeves (I got the pink one at the time). If it sits between the last two I'll be very pleased.