Alternative

Rating

Album: Alternative
#	Song Title		Time
1)	In The Night	More Info...
2)	A Man Could Get Arrested	More Info...
3)	That's My Impression	More Info...
4)	Losing My Mind	More Info...
5)	Music For Boys	More Info...
6)	Jack The Lad	More Info...
7)	You Know Where You Went Wrong	More Info...
8)	A New Life	More Info...
9)	I Want A Dog	More Info...
10)	Do I Have To	More Info...
11)	I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)	More Info...
12)	Don Juan (Disco Mix)	More Info...
13)	The Sound Of The Atom Splitting	More Info...
14)	One Of The Crowd	More Info...
15)	Your Funny Uncle	More Info...
1)	It must be Obvious	More Info...
2)	We all feel better in the dark	More Info...
3)	Bet she's not your girlfriend	More Info...
4)	Losing my mind	More Info...
5)	Music for boys	More Info...
6)	Miserablism	More Info...
7)	Hey,Headmaster	More Info...
8)	What keeps mankind alive?	More Info...
9)	Shameless	More Info...
10)	Too many people	More Info...
11)	Violence(Hacienda version)	More Info...
12)	Decadence	More Info...
13)	If love were all	More Info...
14)	Euroboy	More Info...
15)	Some Speculation	More Info...

Album: Alternative
#	Song Title		Time
1)	In The Night	More Info...
2)	A Man Could Get Arrested	More Info...
3)	That's My Impression	More Info...
4)	Losing My Mind	More Info...
5)	Music For Boys	More Info...
6)	Jack The Lad	More Info...
7)	You Know Where You Went Wrong	More Info...
8)	A New Life	More Info...
9)	I Want A Dog	More Info...
10)	Do I Have To	More Info...
11)	I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)	More Info...
12)	Don Juan (Disco Mix)	More Info...
13)	The Sound Of The Atom Splitting	More Info...
14)	One Of The Crowd	More Info...
15)	Your Funny Uncle	More Info...
1)	It must be Obvious	More Info...
2)	We all feel better in the dark	More Info...
3)	Bet she's not your girlfriend	More Info...
4)	Losing my mind	More Info...
5)	Music for boys	More Info...
6)	Miserablism	More Info...
7)	Hey,Headmaster	More Info...
8)	What keeps mankind alive?	More Info...
9)	Shameless	More Info...
10)	Too many people	More Info...
11)	Violence(Hacienda version)	More Info...
12)	Decadence	More Info...
13)	If love were all	More Info...
14)	Euroboy	More Info...
15)	Some Speculation	More Info...

Performer Notes

Pet Shop Boys: Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe.
Additional personnel: Richard Niles (conductor); Stephen Lipson, J.J. Belle, Johnny Marr (guitar); Gerard Prescencer (trumpet); Gary Maughan, Richard Coles (keyboards); Blue Weaver (organ, programming); Frank Ricotti (vibraphone, percussion); Adrien Cook, Dominic Clarke, Chris Newman, Scott Davidson, Harold Faltermeyer, Pete Gleadall (programming); Carol Kenyan, Katie Kissoon, Tessa Niles, Helena Springs, Shirley Lewis, Dee Lewis, Juliet Roberts, Bruce Woolley, Sylvia Mason-James, Tony Walthers, Daniel Gaha, Lance Ellington (background vocals).
Producers: Pet Shop Boys, Phil Harding (disc 1, track 1); Pet Shop Boys, Bobby "O" (disc 1, track 2); Pet Shop Boys (disc 1, tracks 3-6, 9-12, 14-15, disc 2, tracks 1-5, 7, 9-12, 14-15); Pet Shop Boys, Shep Pettibone (disc 1, track 7); Pet Shop Boys, David Jacob (disc 1, track 8); Trevor Horn, Stephen Lipson (disc 1, track 13); Pet Shop Boys, Harold Faltermeyer (disc 2, track 6); Pet Shop Boys, Jonathan Ruffle (disc 2, track 8); Richard Niles, Pet Shop Boys (disc 2, track 13).
Engineers: Phil Harding (disc 1, track 1); John Etchells (disc 1, track 3); David Jacob (disc 1, tracks 5-6, 8-9, 12, disc 2, track 2); Dave Meegan (disc 1, track 7); David Jacob, Mike Nielson (disc 1, track 9); Bob Kraushaar (disc 1, track 10, disc 2, tracks 11, 14-15); Mark Stent (disc 1, track 11); Stephen Lipson (disc 1, track 13); Paul Wright, Pete Schwier (disc 1, track 14); Danton Supple (disc 1, track 15); Pete Schwier (disc 2, tracks 1, 12); Pete Schwier, Bob Kraushaar (disc 2, track 3); Roy Spong (disc 2, track 4); Ren Swan (disc 2, track 5); Brian Reeves, Bob Kraushaar (disc 2, track 6); Bob Kraushaar, Pete Gleadall (disc 2, tracks 7, 9-10); Mike Bigwood (disc 2, track 13).
Recorded between 1983 and 1994. Includes liner notes by Jon Savage.
All songs written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.
Pet Shop Boys: Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe.
The LIMITED EDITION CD version of this collection will be housed in a rigid board slipcase and includes a 32-page perfect bound booklet with annotations and interviews.
Personnel: Dee Lewis, Helena Springs, Katie Kissoon, Shirley Lewis, Tessa Niles (vocals, background vocals); Juliet Roberts, Sylvia Mason James, Bruce Woolley (vocals); J.J. Belle , Johnny Marr , Stephen Lipson (guitar); Gerard Presencer (trumpet); Richard Coles, Gary Maughan, Gary Maughn (keyboards); Frank Ricotti (vibraphone, percussion); Chris Newman, Dominic Clarke, Harold Faltermeyer, Adrien Cook, Scott Davidson, Pete Gleadall, Pete Schwier, Blue Weaver (programming); Tony Walthers, Lance Ellington, Carol Kenyon (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Frank Roszak; Shep Pettibone; Spike Drake; Stephen Hague; Bob Kraushaar.
Liner Note Author: Jon Savage .
Photographers: Richard J. Burbridge; Eric Watson .
Arranger: Richard Niles.
Alternative is a double-disc set of The Pet Shop Boys' B-sides. Far from being a superfluous collection, the album contains a wealth of prime material, including several tracks that surpass those the duo put on their albums. Consequently, the set is worthwhile not only for hardcore fans, but for listeners with a passing interest in the group. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Professional Reviews

Q (9/95, p.129) - 5 Stars - Indispensable - "...the Pet Shop Boys are, of course, one of the best things British pop has ever given us. At well over two hours, ALTERNATIVE is getting on for the length of an Oliver Stone movie and is much more entertainingly informative about the beast that is pop culture..."

Melody Maker (8/12/95, p.33) - "...The duo have always understood the importance of what, in pre-CD days, we used to call B-sides. And they gather 30 of them here to show the wit and the finesse that they bring to what so many of their peers are content to treat as throwaway....plenty of songs here...could have been hits in their own right..."

NME (Magazine) (8/5/95, p.44) - 6 (out of 10) - "...Be prepared for outbreaks of esoterica that could test the patience of a saint....in the midst of it all there is the odd outbreak of gleaming majesty..."