New EP in April: Agenda

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retrofuturist
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#556 Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
canveyboy wrote: Wed 13 Feb 2019, 10:11 pm
Old Soak wrote: Wed 13 Feb 2019, 10:10 pm Personally I'd be grateful if the moderators either deleted or moved to an off topic location anything political which doesn't directly refer to the E.P, it's contents of even PSB in general as it's become extremely tiresome (and in some cases loathesome) and ruined an otherwise excellent thread. I don't care about your politics, this is a fan forum. If you want to talk politics please post your opinions on a political forum.
Seconded.
That's nice, but allow me to provide a counter-argument.

Pet Shop Boys have created an EP called "Agenda". The context in which the term Agenda has been used aligns with the definition of "the underlying intentions or motives of a particular person or group." Thus, Agenda can, be contrast with Narrative, which can be defined as "a representation of a particular situation or or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an over-arching set of aims or values (i.e. an Agenda)".

A successful Narrative will both facilitate the achievement of the Agenda, whilst concealing the actual Agenda. Thus, the Agenda is covert, whereas the Narrative is overt. The political class, by virtue of what they are paid to do, have a lot of opportunity to hob-nob, find, align and collaborate with those who hold shared Agendas. These associations, and their covert nature, enable the political class to form their own cabal of people who jointly project a shared Narrative, whilst pursuing a shared Agenda. This private-public dichotomy between Agenda and Narratives, enables the political class to pursue that which is not only potentially beneficial to their constituents (which is what they're expected to do) but also that which is beneficial to themselves as individuals (which is arguably what they spend more of their time doing). Now, consider the possibility that these cabals extend beyond the political class alone, but to others in society who wield power - the ultra-wealthy, the well-connected, intelligence agencies, the mainstream media, experts etc... and the potential for them to covertly manifest their Agendas, through mutually agreed Narratives, at the expense of your best interests, is massive.

Much of the discussion to date has been about exploring the Agenda behind the Narrative. If people are content with facile explanations or facile reviews of these songs, then they're unlikely to be interested exploring the Agenda behind the Narrative, and so be it. However, this is an EP about Agendas, and this a discussion forum, where presumably people wish to discuss things in a degree of depth with others. Thus, if people are challenging Narratives, in order to uncover and expose Agendas, then one could argue, that's the entire point of this release.

We've seen and heard the Narrative, I.e. The Lyrics, but what is the Pet Shop Boys Agenda?

Retro. 8)
Last edited by retrofuturist on Thu 14 Feb 2019, 12:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Politics are too emotional now. Contemporary culture generally is too emotional, really... I'd rather people looked to the truth." (Neil Tennant)

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StevePSB
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#557 Post by StevePSB »

Further to Drico's comments, I've tried my best to split the overly political comments and those on abortion out of this thread.

As has been said, given the nature of the EP songs, such discussion was always going to happen, but as often happens it has got out of control.

The spilt comments have gone into OT2. Please take them up there if you wish, but we don't want to see more of the more distasteful posts made here, either in this thread or OT2.

Thank you.


StevePSB

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Danimal
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#558 Post by Danimal »

The video for "On social media" has been posted on The Drudge Report with the headline "Pet Shop Boys Mock Social Media Users." Middle column half-way down.
https://www.drudgereport.com

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#559 Post by G_Goalden »

Thanks for moving the political stuff - I get that there is a relevance to the EP's subject matter, but it's not why I'm on this forum. This is my escape from all that - I'd much rather discuss the much-missed Shep Pettibone remixes of the late 80's.
Birmingham 1989 | Blackpool & Birmingham 1991| Savoy 1997 | Sheffield 1999 | Middlesbrough & Sheffield 2002 | Manchester 2006/9 | Manchester 2013 | ROH 2016 | RAH 2017 | Manchester 2022 | Leeds 2023

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#560 Post by NotInvisible »

Danimal wrote: Thu 14 Feb 2019, 12:02 pm The video for "On social media" has been posted on The Drudge Report with the headline "Pet Shop Boys Mock Social Media Users." Middle column half-way down.
https://www.drudgereport.com
Of course he ignores the three overtly political songs, none of which play to the spin he gives his readership. :)

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#561 Post by PETHEAD72 »

G_Goalden wrote: Thu 14 Feb 2019, 1:41 pm Thanks for moving the political stuff - I get that there is a relevance to the EP's subject matter, but it's not why I'm on this forum. This is my escape from all that - I'd much rather discuss the much-missed Shep Pettibone remixes of the late 80's.
Absolutely!,i listen to LOVE COMES QUICKLY and WEST END GIRLS shep remixes EVERY DAY!!!
You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone?

Oi!...got far to go have you?!... :lol:

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#562 Post by Patrick Bateman »


alig
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#563 Post by alig »

Oh, I'm sure Neil gets his fake wisdom from reading that fish wrap paper.
"John 3:16."

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#564 Post by james23_uk »

StevePSB wrote: Thu 14 Feb 2019, 12:38 am Further to Drico's comments, I've tried my best to split the overly political comments and those on abortion out of this thread.

As has been said, given the nature of the EP songs, such discussion was always going to happen, but as often happens it has got out of control.

The spilt comments have gone into OT2. Please take them up there if you wish, but we don't want to see more of the more distasteful posts made here, either in this thread or OT2.

Thank you.


StevePSB
Hi Steve. What did you think of the release?
at rock bottom :wall:

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#565 Post by Tomas »

GSAC #49 in the UK singles download chart.
https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/s ... ads-chart/

alig
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#566 Post by alig »

A bona fide smash hit!
"John 3:16."

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Shopper
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#567 Post by Shopper »

I love the lyrics of all the song..the music/production is a bit of a yawn though. Social media is ofcourse the most immediate and I love the way he sings that #blessed line. I think i am going to make a tee shirt out of it.
Left to my own devices, I probably would...

https://www.instagram.com/chit2clix/

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#568 Post by Kevinthehorse »

When the EP was first announced I have to admit my heart sank. Political songs are all well and good but without subtlely it's easy to alienate anyone who doesn't share your viewpoint, so as a confirmed Brexit voter, GSAC came across to me as childish "metropoltican elite" whining.

Happily once I'd heard the songs I changed my mind - GSAC is still the weakest of the 4 tracks but OSM and WAWGDATR are as lively and confident as anything the boys have done in recent years.

The biggest disappintment of all is how little impact the release has made in the mainstream media. You'd think "synthpop legends release topical new EP" would be major news but I've heard very little on the radio in the papers or on TV about Agenda, whiel thousands of column inches are devoted to reality TV nonetities and genreric rap and R&B acts.

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oakey
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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#569 Post by oakey »

Coverage on TV? In what parallel universe do you live?
I did hear Stupdity on the radio and the Agenda release was covered in one of our national newspapers.

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Re: New EP in April: Agenda

#570 Post by tottenhammattspurs »

The Pet Shop Boys in 2019 making a Political Statement song and expecting the media and the record buying public to care, is the equivalent of the Bee Gees telling kids "drugs are bad mmmkay?" in 1993
is is and isnt isnt

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