Back to the Eighties: Rent

Original video located here. Accessed 10th June 2023

Song title: Rent

Artist: Pet Shop Boys

Year: 1987

Why I like this song:

I will admit: I have no control over my tastes in music. As such I tend to go in very strange and unexpected directions. But sometimes, the unusual path can lead to something I wouldn't have otherwise thought of.

That being said, I have been recently looking into the music of the Pet Shop Boys.

For me, and no doubt many others, the Pet Shop Boys are the quintessential eighties act. They had multiple hits and exemplified the bombastic synths that proliferated throughout the decade. Think eighties pop and you'd think of Neil and Chris' material. Or at least that's the clique: For in the years since, I have discovered that eighties music isn't as narrow as one would like to believe. So having dabbled in metal, college rock, early house, Australian rock and more, where do I stand with the pop that 'made' the decade? Was there something I originally missed?

Turns out a lot: I got a hold of the Actually album and found it chock full of some stellar song-writing. Get past the synths and you find some well constructed songs (from Chris) as well as some superb wordcraft (from Neil). And no better example of this comes from the above song. A moody piece accompanying a picture of a rather unhappy situation. 
And they say these guys' brand of pop lacks depth....