Emerging onto the New Wave scene in the early ‘80s, Pet Shop Boys are unequivocally one of the most talented duos of the era. Consisting of Vocalist Neil Tennant and Keyboardist Chris Lowe, as Pet Shop Boys, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide. Really one of the masters of Synthpop, to the average listener, some of their biggest hits include 1984’s “West End Girls,” 1985’s “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)”, and 1987’s “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” (in a duet with Dusty Springfield). To the more astute fan, Pet Shop Boys genius does not stop there, it is only a launch point for their vastly large collection of music which now consists of fourteen studio albums.
Last releasing a full-length record in 2020, with Hotspot, prior to that they put out the also very impressive Super in 2016. Looking back at Super for a moment, the album featured ten exceptional songs, but who is aware there were more songs from those sessions that did not make the cut? Yes, that is right, apparently there were a handful of tracks that did not make it on Super, and now they emerge in 2023 on the new EP fittingly titled Lost.
Released on April 14, 2023 by their own label X2, the tracks that make up Lost include four which were written and recorded during the Super 2015 sessions. Left off simply because Tennant and Lowe did not feel they fit the fabric of the record, now they come together, still sounding extremely fresh. Highly insightful and political in their tone, “The Lost Room” leads the collection and it is nothing less than perfect musically and vocally. Following is the more dancy “I Will Fall,” before the more social commentary cuts like “Skeletons in the Closet” and very quirky “Kaptunik.” Lastly, the EP is rounded out by the early 2023 one-off single “Living in the Past” which is a somber look at the world we are living in today.
Overall, it is nice to see Pet Shop Boys found a place for songs that are of high quality, but never saw the light of day for nearly eight years. This, matched with the very beautiful, yet sad “Living in the Past,” make for a great addition to this dynamic duo’s discography. Not to be overlooked in the chaos that surrounded us, Cryptic Rock gives Lost 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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