Electronically Yours

Heritage electro duo The Pet Shop Boys have confirmed a new remastered B-sides compilation in an exclusive interview with Varsity this week. 'Format' will be a double disc set containing all 38 B-sides released between 1996 and 2009.







This follow-up to 1995's 'Alternative' (arguably the greatest compilations to have graced the CD deck of EYHQ) will be released next February with linear notes from music journalist Jon Savage who will be again leading the Pets on a track by track guide. Many of the Pet Shop Boys finest moments have been captured on various B-sides over the years and CD1 if full of sublime moments of pop brilliance including EY mantra 'How I learned to hate Rock 'n' Roll' which was the superior flipside of 1996 single 'Se a vida e'.






Other tracks such as 'Delusions Of Grandeur' (1997) and 'Ghost of Myself' (1999) also serve as supreme reminders as to why the purchase of a Pet Shop Boys CD single from the local Our Price Music store was such a big event for some of us.



In the Varsity interview, Neil Tennant explains ' I think some of our best songs are B-sides, because on a B-side you can do what you like...'

Format CD2 may trail off a bit with some of the slower and less memorable tracks but this compilation will still tower above most of the tired old pop offerings that will clutter the Tesco Top 50 CD rack come February.


For the full PSB interview with Varsity and news of a new studio album next Autumn, please jump here.

Format is released 6th Feb 2012 on EMI and you can view the tracklisting over at: www.petshopboys.co.uk

Digital Spy praise new Ladyhawke tracks








A few months back, Ladyhawke AKA Pip was giving worrying hints to NME that her follow-up to EY's Album of 2008 would be more of a crusty old rock affair but top media site Digital Spy have cheered us up massively this week with the following statement: 'First and foremost, forget the stories that her new material is wildly different to her previous work. It's not, and it's all the better for it'.

Digital Spy were invited to a listening party for the new 9-track album earlier this week and the first two tracks 'Blue Eyes' and 'Anxiety' are both continue with the 'big choruses' and 'na-na-na' hooks of her debut' The site also singles out praise for ' Quick & The Dead' with 'a mix of psychedelic strings and swizzling electronics' whilst 'Vaccine' is a 'synth heavy' and 'poppier affair'

With albums coming from Ladyhawke, La Roux, Little Boots and the Pet Shop Boys, 2012 could be quite wonderful on Planet Pop.

For more Digital Spy thoughts on Pip's 'confident' new album - clicky on linky here.