Elysium - Pet Shop Boys
User Score
6.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 3 out of 16

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  1. Veloy
    Feb 3, 2013
    8
    The Elysium album seems to appeal to at least two different audiences and is more or less split right in the middle of the record. Being av fan of great melodies I bored myself through most of the first half of the songs. But then it lights up bringing Pet Shop Boys back to their grandeur of the early nineties.

    Leaving is a rather disappointing start and second single of the album. It i    s a gloomy easy listening piece that is nice enough, but does not leave a lasting impression. If you think the opening song is uninteresting, then Invisible, the second song, will really test your patience. It is slow, monotonous and leaving a dark, dull feeling.But there are lots of treasures coming if you like more melodious songs.

    Winner on the other hand, is the first sign of a great album. It is the first single from the album and is an anthem worthy of the Olympics that it was timely released to. It is upbeat and catchy and Pet Shop Boys in their right element.

    The boys still want to pain us with their gloomy feelings. Your Early Stuff though having the sound of their early stuff, lacks the fun melodies and strong chords from their early work. And they don´t take the critique from the taxi drivers well. A Face Like That holding the album back is a unchallenging song with yet another dark and uninteresting melody. This time though they have at least included the drum machines and made an interesting beat. Now finally the album picks up. Breathing Space continues the record´s generally slow pace, but has one of the nicest melodies. Both the verse and chorus is strong. A really uplifting tune and one of the gems of the album. Ego Music is the strangest song on the record. It is some of their most experimental work. It may not create a huge new audience for them, but could spark some new interest in the duo. It does actually sounds Sparks, the L.A. duo. Hold On is based on Händels ode for Queen Anne´s birtday Eternal Source Of Light Divine. This is the most powerful and beautiful song on record emphasizing that Pet Shop Boys are at their best when adapting and enriching other composers works. I follows the legacies of You were always on my mind, Go west and Somewhere. This song should also get the Pet Shop Boys to change their mind about a jukebox musical. This is yet another obvious strong musical tune.

    Give It a Go is another not typical PBS-tune. But compared to Ego Music this could actually mean a difference. It has a analogue felling contiuing the sound from the drum machine free Release record. If you did not like it, this time they have definitely struck a chord and Give It a Go really sticks in your mind.

    Memory Of The Future is perhaps the most classic PSB song on the album with a gloomy verse that is follow by a catchy buildup to a really beautiful chorus. It is a joy to listen to.

    Everything Means Something is another dark, slow song on the record, but the powerful chorus makes the dull verse worth getting through.

    Requiem in Denim and Leapardskin has a decadent sound matching the lyrics. It is one of the more melodious songs on the record, but is not a strong requiem. So this cannot be the last chance for goodby with the boys.    … Expand
  2. butterfly
    Dec 8, 2012
    10
    Brilliant CD that really get better and better with listening more. I love all the singles with Memory of the futre a standout. all tracks are fantastic and this group just gets better and better.
    I am in New Zealand and saw them in concert in 2007. I like their sense of humour and that they do not take rthemselves too seriously. another amazing CD to listen to forever.
  3. et_phone_home
    Nov 19, 2012
    2
    Onother piece of crap by Pet Shop Boys. What happened to this guys. People shoud know when to stop. All songs sound the same, lack of melody... I couldn't listen all album because it was so bad... We Want the real Pet Shop Boys back...
  4. MnM
    Sep 22, 2012
    9
    A sublime release and a very strong representation of their storied catalog. Songs range from laid-back funk to pure pop and few of the entries go astray. Their relevance over several decades is a testament to their unequaled talent.
  5. RogerSanchez
    Sep 17, 2012
    9
    A mix of 'Alternative', 'Release' and 'Behaviour' - Elysium delivers on almost all songs (may need to listen 3-5 times before appreciation kicks in), but it's solid!....I could do without 'anthem-type' songs like 'Winner' and 'Hold On', but those two songs - in my opinion - are the only close-fails, but it being Pet Shop Boys, I'm certain I will, in due time, learn to appreciate these two songs as most of their songs grow on you...My grade: A- (92/100)....… Expand
  6. PSB1962
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    This is one of The PSB's most beautiful cds. very melodic, thought there are a few up beat songs. I am their biggest fan, and this cd does not let me down me in the least! A must have!

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. The Wire
    Dec 5, 2012
    70
    Some moments on the Pet Shop Boys' 11th album are as unsettling as any music released this decade. [Nov 2012, p.64]
  2. Consequence of Sound
    Oct 2, 2012
    70
    [A] precise and neatly packaged 12-song collection.
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  3. Magnet
    Oct 1, 2012
    65
    The flouncing, bouncy "Winner" is just the most hateful of the bunch, with insipid lyrics, overly bright production and a vocal line so pale it's opaque. "Hold On" and "Give It A Go" come damn near close to that level of dread. Luckily, though, those are the album's sole missteps. [No.91 p.58]
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