Jun 23, 2006  |  By: BUCK C. COOKE  | COMMENTS     

The Pet Shop Boys are back with a new take on their old sound on “Fundamental,” their latest CD, which gets its American launch on Tuesday, June 27. Gay artists Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe take us on a flashback trip to the ’80s.

After a long career of critical acclaim and support from faithful fans, it is good to see the Pet Shop Boys continuing to innovate and create good music. “Fundamental” is a return to the sound that put the Boys on the map and should re-establish and confirm their industry prominence.

“Psychological” is a twisted, mid-tempo look at going crazy, detailing mind-warping hallucinations. It will probably never be released by itself, but “The Sodom and Gomorrah Show” is definitely one of the strongest tracks on the album. Two of the most debauched cities in history provide the backdrop for “Sun, sex, sin, divine intervention/ Death and destruction.”

“I Made My Excuses and Left” is a somber track about infidelity. Tennant’s voice is mournful as he sings, “I stumbled into the room/ Imagine my surprise/ You were sitting close to him/ Staring in each other’s eyes.” Yes, the track is depressing as hell, but it packs an emotional punch those recently out of a relationship may need.

Like most of the album, “Minimal” definitely could be a new recording of an old track for the Boys. It features modern synths paired with the classic sound of the “Me Decade.”

Thankfully, “Minimal” is upbeat. Enjoy it, because the Boys are about to slow things down considerably. There are several downers to come, so beware the middle and latter third of the album if you are already down about love and loss.

“Numb” was written by Diane Warren and is the only track not penned by Tennant and Lowe. “God Willing” is a brief, more upbeat, musical interlude, but then the album slows back down to mournful with “Luna Park.” Tennant almost sounds regretful as he sings of the good times held in the aforementioned place.

The duo pulls out all the stops on “I’m With Stupid.” Horns and a funky disco beat kick-start the track, which describes a relationship Dr. Phil would definitely label as dysfunctional.

“Casanova in Hell” is a bizarre tale of erectile dysfunction and sexual assault. The track makes use of the word “sybarite,” so keep your dictionary handy or know it’s a person addicted to luxury. “Twentieth Century” is a cautionary reminder of the strength that comes from unity — fitting for Pride season.

Continuing the slow vibe of the album, “Indefinite Need to Remain” brings you down to barely breathing before ending the album on a positive note. The CD closes out with “Integral,” preaching “If you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ve got nothing to fear/ If you’ve something to hide, you shouldn’t even be here.”

The import release, which has been available for some time, also comes in a two-CD limited edition, “Fundamental/ Fundamentalism,” containing five remixed tracks from “Fundamental” and three unreleased tracks.

The unreleased tracks are hit or miss. The Richard X Extended Mix of “Fugitive” is average, and the Michael Mayer Kompakt Mix of “Flamboyant” is an ode to being fabulous. But with a title like that, we might expect more from the track.

The Stuart Crichton Club Mix of “In Private” is a fantastic duet with Sir Elton John. This gem alone is worth the extra money for the limited edition of the import version.

“The Sodom and Gomorrah Show” is split up to double your listening pleasure. The Trentemoller Remix, “Sodom,” is heavy on the synths and guitars. The Dettinger Remix, “Gomorrah,” is sparse and more suited for after-hours.