Pet Shop Boys – It's Alright

I've got this absolute classic on 7 inch and on the album but this version is soooo much better. Intro is class, sound is 10/10 and what an absolute tune.

I would have really liked it if they had used the original Introspective recording as source material for this remix. The Trevor Horn re-recording always reminded me of C&C Music Factory. Here the mixes do their best to darken things up, but the version is just so light and fluffy, it just floats away, like a balloon, these feel somewhat incomplete, more like dub versions.

I heard this cover of „It’s Alright“ years before first laying ears on Sterling Void’s original, and even though that one is unarguably strong, I prefer the Pet Shop Boys‘ version up to this day, simply because it offers a level of uninhibited emotionality that many might find cringy, but I just ire it because it sounds honest to me. Some of you might know the bit in Nick Hornby’s „About A Boy“ where the Will character puts on PSB because he „needs to listen to someone who doesn’t mean it“ (quoted from memory), and I always thought that Hornby apparently didn't understand PSB because to me it's obvious that they put a lot of their personal experience and emotions in their songs – they just expressed them in a different way than, say, Sarah Vaughan or Tim Buckley.

Anyway, this 12“ offers an extended version of „It’s Alright“ that is quite different from the housey mix featured on the „Introspective“ LP. It starts with a few minutes of simple jamming around with drum machine, keyboard and sampler, quite typical for a 1980’s extended mix of a synth-pop song. Just when you start thinking that it’s gone on a tad too long and Trevor Horn is losing the plot, the bassline kicks in for a few bars. Then there’s a sudden breakdown, followed by Chris Lowe saying „it’s gonna be alright“. Strings swoop in, and all hell, or rather heaven breaks loose: Suddenly we’re right in the middle of Horn’s epic wall-of-sound production, and Neil Tennant goes into song. It’s a thing of beauty, has moved me to tears a few times when listening to it on headphones while out on the town late at night, and I hope that I will one day get to hear this gem while on a dancefloor with other sweaty people around me.

I will skip the flipside in this review – it’s a well-known fact anyway that PSB were a group of impeccable b-sides up until the mid 1990s. So is there no downside to this release at all? Well, unfortunately there is. For some reason that is way beyond my understanding, „It’s Alright“ omits the first verse, starting at the „forests falling at a desperate pace“ line instead, which is such a weird choice for the 12“ mix of a pop song. Be warned: The same applies to the „Extended Disco Mix“ that can be found on other 12“ editions. So if you want an extended version with the full vocals, I’d advise you to turn to the version found on „Introspective“ or the one on the „It’s Alright. The Alternatives.“ maxi-single.

Now does this have the 'Extended Disco Mix' or the 'Extended version'? This vinyl release at least mentions the 'Extended Disco Mix' on its label, while this mix to my knowledge so far was only included on a mispress of the 10" (hence not mentioned as such). The 3" compact disc that claims to include this mix too, does in fact only contain the regular 'Extended Mix'...very confusing this

I suppose Tyree really didn't like Neils voice or something as the Tyree mix is instrumental with acid house noises and the backing vocals and no vocals - a bit boring after a while!

this is a rare PSB release. especially in the u.s. market. the song is a cover of another early chicago house track entitled "it's all right". hence the significance of these dj international remixes from the chicago house record label "dj international", which featured many of the up and coming chicago house artists of the day. a great collector item for house music aficionados, deejays, collectors and pet heads.

Both versions very good but different styles. Even the Tyree mix is basically deep house with acid loops. Its a strange EP considering their is very little from the original Pet Shop Boys track. Its really a Sterling Void track anyway.

The strangest thing about this EP is that all the artists in the track are from Chicago and this is a UK label product. Lets face it there is very little input from PSB -- it is essentially a Chicago House track.

It is true.... brazilian's records sounds horrible... sorry for that

This is a brazilian 12" single expect the worse sound you can ever get on vinyl.