Introspective

Introspective is the fourth album, the third of entirely new music, by the UK electronic music group Pet Shop Boys. It was first released on October 11, 1988 and is the Pet Shop Boys’ best-selling album, selling over 4.5 million copies worldwide.

It is so named because “all the songs, although it’s a dance album, are introspective”. Perhaps the biggest changes in Pet Shop Boys’ sound evident on this album are an increasing attention to orchestration using real orchestras, particularly so on the Trevor Horn-produced “Left to my own devices,” which took months to produce.

The album was also unusual in that it completely reversed the typical process by which pop/dance acts released singles: Instead of releasing an album of regular-length (3-5 minute) songs, then releasing more lengthy remixes of those songs on subsequent singles, “Introspective” was released as an LP consisting of songs that all lasted six minutes or more. Songs from the album that were released as singles were released as shorter, more radio-friendly mixes.

Of the four tracks on the album that were released as singles — “Left to my own devices,” “Domino dancing,” “Always on my mind,” and “It’s alright” — none were released as radio singles in the same form that they appeared on the album.

It is also notable that, of the six tracks on the album, only two were actually written specifically for this project - those being “Left to My Own Devices” and “Domino Dancing.” “Always on My Mind” and “It’s Alright” are cover versions, and “I Want a Dog” and “I’m Not Scared” are re-recordings of earlier Pet Shop Boys tracks.