The Pet Shop Boys invariably stack albums with a track or two that reel you in, and then they sneak a whole set of other songs that pique your interest. All of a sudden you’re just letting the thing play out and getting pulled into the gravity of each one.
I could reduce Behaviour to a few favorite tracks. The leading one is an anthem of sorts. Being Boring is so, so good. Confession, I’ve never watched the video until this very moment (April 2021). I think it’s awful and totally the antithesis of boring. But it’s a great song that reminds me that I don’t have to be fabulous or interesting or anything at all.
As I reflect back on this particular album, I realized the Pet Shop Boys had a keen eye on design, even with the limited canvas of a cassette.
Old person tangent: Cassettes had a very particular small when you first bought them. It was like robot bubblegum. Hard to articulate. But it was palpable.
If you’re going to give Behaviour a spin, make sure to check out So Hard, Jealousy, and most definitely Being Boring.
