- Audio CD (8 Oct 2001)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Soundtrack
- Label: Sony
- ASIN: B00005QX5K
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 77,448 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Reliving the best moments of 2001's most innovative West End musical, the Closer To Heaven soundtrack is a strange but unique mix of old and new. Jointly written by the Pet Shop Boys and Beautiful Thing writer Jonathan Harvey, the tale is set in a nightclub and follows the romantic flings and brushes with fame of club barman Dave. Peppered with familiar but rejigged PSB B-sides ("Shameless" and "Hedonism") and album tracks ("In Denial", "Vampires" and "Closer to Heaven", all taken from 1999's Nightlife), the soundtrack also contains some newer sounds. Performance favourite "Call Me Old-Fashioned" sung by band manager Bob Saunders (Paul Broughton) is a classic Pet Shop Boys Euro-beat anthem. "Positive Role Model" is another much-loved track which closes the soundtrack and incorporates samples of Barry White's "You're the first..." in a dance floor melée. While the musical and lyrical compositions typically complement Jonathan Harvey's stage play, the performance of some of the group's more familiar songs by others is rather disconcerting; the replacement of Tennant's familiar dead-pan presentation, by the cast's occasional music hall exuberance and theatrical hamminess is at times challenging. Overall though this is a collection which will surprise and delight fans of the Pet Shop Boys, and provide relief for those who didn't (or did) manage to see Closer to Heaven. --John Galilee
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A cast album that is absolute heaven!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Closer to Heaven (Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey) (Audio CD)
This extremely enjoyable CD has 17 tracks of Pet Shop Boys songs taken from the West End show which has been hailed as the first 21st Century musical. It will be of special interest to any PSB fan as well as the growing number of Closer To Heaven fans who are gradually making this a cult production. The Boys have worked with their old friend record producer Stephen Hague to give an overall pop "polish" to the songs, though many of them are very similar to what you hear in the theatre (the show's musical director Christopher Nightingale plays piano on some of the tracks). Highlights of this excellently performed and recorded CD include My Night, the storming opening number, Friendly Fire, a beautiful ballad sung by Billie Trix alias Frances Barber, and Positive Role Model, a dance anthem which is to be the single from the album. Along with haunting ballads like For All Of Us there are more comic songs like Call Me Old-Fashioned, and there is a good mixture of musical styles with something for everyone. Although the album doesn't quite capture the excitement and atmosphere of being at the show (most cast albums fail to do this), it is a must for anyone who has seen the musical because of the great memories it will trigger. I also recommend it to any one who wants to hear Britain's most talented comtemporary songwriting duo at work.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A PERFECT MIX OF THEATRE AND POP,
By A Customer
This review is from: Closer to Heaven (Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey) (Audio CD)
The Pet Shop Boys have always straddled the worlds of pop music and theatre - witness their spectacular concerts over the past fifteen years including - most notably - the astonishingly visual and theatrical 'Performance' tour of 1991. So it came as no surprise when their musical 'Closer To Heaven' opened at the Arts Theatre earlier this year. A shameless mix of sex, drugs and their trademark electro-disco, together with some fabulous performances (especially Frances Barber the diva Billie Trix) ensured a fantastic night out. Sadly many of the 'traditional' theatre critics failed to agree, and sadly the show will close in mid-October.Never mind - this album, co-produced by longtime PSB collaborator Stephen Hague, is a fitting tribute to the short-lived show and contains some of the best PSB songs we've heard for a while - the simple, yet astonishingly persistent and catchy MY NIGHT, the full on disco heaven of POSITIVE ROLE MODEL (complete with Barry White sample used to brilliant effect), the vocally superb Stacey Roca on the funky OUT OF MY SYSTEM, a souped up new version of IN DENIAL from the Nightlife album, the HiNRG influenced CALL ME OLD FASHIONED - the list goes on. This is an album you'll play long after the final curtain has fallen. Special mention must go to the wonderful Frances Barber whose performance of Billie Trix's beautifully moving torch song 'Friendly Fire' bring a heartfelt honesty to an otherwise totally over the top character. In short, whilst Closer To Heaven may not have made quite the impact on the theatre world that its creators had hoped, this is a worthy addition to any pop fan's collection - whether or not you've seen the show....
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent, modern and disco-oriented musical album!,
By
This review is from: Closer to Heaven (Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey) (Audio CD)
This is Pet Shop Boys when they are as best! From this album it is possible to pic many hit singels. The musical soundtrack is a tribute to love (and sex) but it also deals with the difficulties. I recommend this album for everyone who loves dancing, jumping and disco-ing. The album contains several superb tracks such as "Call me Old Fashioned", "Shameless" and "Something Special". (I also saw the musical in London this summer).
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