New Single - Loneliness

[y3potential]

I suspect I'll soon consider it their best album opener ever. It's a dramatic, atmospheric scene-setter with enough space to draw one in to explore the slowly unfolding soundscape. By contrast, I see it as a mid-table lead single, lacking the excitement of It's a sin and Can you forgive her?, the furtive nefariousness of So hard, the sheer euphoria of Vocal, and the wordy, bittersweet nostalgia of The Pop Kids - which are the gold standard in my view. But then, I've got a pretty old-school view of lead singles which, frankly, is a touch passe in 2024.

I place Loneliness in the classy company of I don't know what you want but I can't type this anymore: a mannered, underrated, and stormy psychological kitchen sink drama that tends to be underappreciated. Even so, it's leagues above Home and dry, Before, and the song that must not be mentioned.

That's not to say that Home and dry and Before are not very good tracks - they just lack the thrills that I think a lead single should possess. See also other hugely enjoyable mid-rangers such as Dreamland and I'm with stupid. And even Winner - which was a hugely saccharine let down - is technically perfectly good. It's just not "them" - at least not to me.

Then again, being "them" can work against them too - with people saying a more typical track is "more of the same" or a Chat GPT simulacrum. Pet Shop Boys have such a catalogue that even their less thrilling lead singles are very often fantastic tracks. Loneliness is an intriguing invitation to Nonetheless.

Drico.

Drico. Oh, how I've missed your witty, thought provoking analysis. You haven't lost the dressing room or never bitter and stale.. Part of the ritual of a new PSB album (for me) is looking forward to your review once the full album has reached our ears..

[Drico One]

I didn't get a sense of any of that from the promo video.

Other interpretations are available.

Drico.

[Remark]

When will the Loneliness remixes be announced?

[TallThinMan]

I didn't get a sense of any of that from the promo video.

Other interpretations are available.

Drico.

They are, but I like yours the best.

[Ghost within this house]

When will the Loneliness remixes be announced?

Starting to think there won’t be any…

[Gabby]

When will the Loneliness remixes be announced?

Starting to think there won’t be any…

It'd be quite a change of direction if they didn't, but I did think it was unusual that - even with a later release date - they didn't announce some sort of remixes package for Loneliness from the get go. If memory serves they've done that previously - announced remix packages at the same time as announcing the single.

[Remark]

When will the Loneliness remixes be announced?

Starting to think there won’t be any…

It'd be quite a change of direction if they didn't, but I did think it was unusual that - even with a later release date - they didn't announce some sort of remixes package for Loneliness from the get go. If memory serves they've done that previously - announced remix packages at the same time as announcing the single.

Yeah I can't imagine this lead single not having remixes. We have never had a lead single WITHOUT remixes. And this track is BEGGING for remixes.... yummmmm

[Gabby]

Starting to think there won’t be any…

It'd be quite a change of direction if they didn't, but I did think it was unusual that - even with a later release date - they didn't announce some sort of remixes package for Loneliness from the get go. If memory serves they've done that previously - announced remix packages at the same time as announcing the single.

Yeah I can't imagine this lead single not having remixes. We have never had a lead single WITHOUT remixes. And this track is BEGGING for remixes.... yummmmm

Maybe they figure the fans do better remixes anyway, so might as well leave them to it (and cheaper for them! )

[Meebabi]

I’ve yet to come across any fan remixes that have impressed me. Blade, if you’re reading this- get on it!

[Suburban_Boy]

Not sure if it’s old news, but I just noticed this evening that the album is now listed on Apple Music so full version of Loneliness is available running 5:38. Also in Dolby Atmos which the single isn’t.

[Spittingcat]

I don’t expect this single went out to remixers… the second single probably went to them. Perhaps they wanted this one to remain in the soundscape of the album production for now, and to act as an introduction to that. Doesn’t mean we won’t get Loneliness remixes at some point in the future, just perhaps not as part of the single campaign.

[grantwww]

I ordered the single from Record Store three weeks ago and just got an email saying a refund has been processed!!! WTF!

Went into the site to discover my order had been cancelled and the single is now showing as sold out as does everywhere else. Ebay has a couple at inflated prices with excessive shipping costs.

Parlaphone must have underestimated demand. I wonder if they will manufacture more copies or are they happy for the sharks on Ebay to rip people off?

[leesmapman]

I don't know what's going on - last week I tried to pick up the single I ordered at my local record store and they told me the single got cancelled. It was still in the system so he ordered it again but now I can't find it on their website anymore. I just tried a different record store to see if that will work...

[Dog]

I ordered the single from Record Store three weeks ago and just got an email saying a refund has been processed!!! WTF!

Went into the site to discover my order had been cancelled and the single is now showing as sold out as does everywhere else. Ebay has a couple at inflated prices with excessive shipping costs.

Parlaphone must have underestimated demand. I wonder if they will manufacture more copies or are they happy for the sharks on Ebay to rip people off?

I’m not sure which country you are in but I can see the single for sale in both the official store and on Amazon.

[Drico One]

Loneliness has re-entered the UK Official Singles Sales Chart at number 10. It has entered the UK Official Physical Sales Chart at number 2.

Drico.