Pet Shop Boys Bilingual Immediacy has always been an abiding virtue with Pet Shop Boys. Whereas some albums are the musical equivalent of new shoes, pinching and bunion-inducing for a week or two until one finally arrives at that bedroom-slipper familiarity, Pet Shop Boys records are normally old friends straight out of the wrapper; bright, hyper-modern, a party waiting to happen, albeit a rather wry and reflective "doî with some very strange folk on the guest list.

Bilingual, though, strays furthest yet from the blueprint that has shipped in the region of 24 million albums world-wide. The word is that Bilingual has been shaped and coloured by experiences on the Boysí Discovery tour of Latin America. Where once there were gleaming virtual surfaces, there are whistles, infectious percussion and sensual jazz chords straight from a cantina in Sao Paulo. This is most evident on the flagship single Se Avida E, a joyous street anthem celebrating the need to take life as one finds it and enjoy the ride.

Bilingual, though, strays furthest yet from the blueprint that has shipped in the region of 24 million albums world-wide. The word is that Bilingual has been shaped and coloured by experiences on the Boysí Discovery tour of Latin America. Where once there were gleaming virtual surfaces, there are whistles, infectious percussion and sensual jazz chords straight from a cantina in Sao Paulo. This is most evident on the flagship single Se Avida E, a joyous street anthem celebrating the need to take life as one finds it and enjoy the ride.

There are a couple of howlers. Before still sounds just too ordinary for a Pet Shop Boys single and The Survivors is too redolent of the dopey schmaltz of a Tom Hanks acceptance speech. But such thoughts are soon swept aside by the albumís final tracks, the vaguely sinister To Step Aside and Saturday Night Forever, a wonderfully hedonistic possible signature tune for John Travolta as Tony Manero or Albert Finney as Arthur Seaton. It will make sense every bit as well in Rumours Nitespot, Tipton as in its more natural setting, heard in the back of a cab as the lights of Milan flash by on the window. Bilingual, then, is a bold step for the Pet Shop Boys and, happily, it works almost unreservedly.

Give it time and the result is, if not quite "Venceremos!î then certainly "Salud!î Stuart

Maconie