 With an electric and categorical rhythm, Super contemplates and challenges the world. PET SHOP BOYS - SUPER (2016) Released on April 1, 2016, Super is the 13th studio album by Pet Shop Boys. This work continues the successful path they have followed, with Stuart Price’s second consecutive production adding more energy to the songs. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, even after many years and numerous different projects, still find room to embrace synthpop as if it were an old, tireless journey into the intrinsic. In "Happiness," one of the most instrumental songs on the album, the duo’s state of mind is evident, although the lyrics, when they appear, reveal a more somber sentiment: "There’s a long way to happiness... but I’ll get there... the only way I know..." Meanwhile, "The Pop Kids" emerges as the true introduction to the journey, reminiscing about the good times of the 90s with a rhythm that brings with it the irreverence of a purer, more malleable era. "Twenty-something," captivates with its instrumentation, although in a somewhat naive manner, while the lyrics sometimes seem out of sync, until "Groovy" revives the 70s, repeatedly emphasizing: "Look at me, look at me...," reflecting the uncontrollable need for exposure on the dance floor; then, "The Dictator Decides" breaks the dance dominance and gives way to a deep realization: the world would be a better place without the protagonist/dictator of the story. This detour, with tones of relief and without self-pity, cedes space for "Pazzo!" to attempt to restore the dance link, but this time without success or enthusiasm; "Inner Sanctum" shares the same purpose but stands out with its own brilliance, establishing itself as the best instrumental track, mainly for its atmosphere that transports the listener to distant, misty mountainous lands as the sunlight begins to gain ground. It is the most reflective moment of the album. With "Undertow," the atmosphere becomes more electric and danceable, claiming its place within the confines of an electronic party that seems endless; in contrast, "Sad Robot World" offers intense seclusion on a cloudy, rainy day, where, free from external noise, one can analyze the distorted and real face of the unreal world, with its improbable virtue of easing the pain. This reflective pause beautifully and deservedly transitions back to action with "Say It to Me" and, at dawn, "Burn." This last track bets on falsetto while gaining prominence in the ascent: "It feels so good, it feels so good...," it repeatedly asserts. Awake in a new tomorrow, "Into Thin Air" closes the journey with a poetic and sorrowful introduction, until rhythm and melody dictate a new, more fearful path, prescribing a separate destiny: "We’re different from the others... no one understands us here...," finally postponing: "Imagine how free we’ll be if we disappear?" An intriguing conclusion to an electric album that never lets the world slip away, while the desired answers remain between the lines. ★★★½ (out of 5 stars) |
