Alternative (album)

Alternative was released as a double CD, including a limited edition box set; a double cassette; and a triple LP box set. The cover (pictured) features photographs of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe in fencing masks, taken by Richard Burbridge. The first copies have a lenticular image on the cover which alternates between the two faces. Designer Mark Farrow came up with the idea when the album title was changed to Alternative after the pictures had already been taken. The packaging was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package in 1996. The liner notes include an interview with the duo about each song by music journalist Jon Savage. ==Critical reception==

Several reviews of Alternative commented on the quality of the Pet Shop Boys' B-sides in their overall songwriting output. Shane Danielsen of The Sydney Morning Herald observed: "With admirable symmetry, the best singles band in the world prove to also make the best B-sides. This companion piece to their Discography best-of is, predictably, somewhat less even, though equally linear, tracing their evolution as the most humane synth-pop band ever". Robert Christgau rated it two out of three on his "Honorable Mention" scale, denoting consumers "may well enjoy", and described the compilation as "two discs of marginalia proving what?--that Very could have been more amazing yet?" Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted: "Far from being a superfluous collection, the album contains a wealth of prime material, including several tracks that surpass those the duo put on their albums". Andrew Harrison of Select wrote: "Line up 30 of most bands' B-sides in chronological order and you'll need matchsticks under your eyelids. But this is the Pettoes we're talking about, so puckish wit, cavalier experimentation and the latest in funny noises reign". He concluded, "these B-sides shame plenty of people's career peaks". ==Track listing==

• Neil Tennant • Chris Lowe ;Producers • Pet Shop Boys – all tracks except disc 1: track 13 • Phil Harding – disc 1: track 1 • Bobby O – disc 1: track 2 • Shep Pettibone – disc 1: track 7, additional production on disc 1: track 4 • David Jacob – disc 1: track 8 • Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson – disc 1: track 13 • Harold Faltermeyer – disc 2: track 6 • Stephen Hague – additional production on disc 2: tracks 7 and 9 • Jonathon Ruffle – disc 2: track 8 • Richard Niles – disc 2: track 13 ;Guest musicians • Blue Weaver – Fairlight programming on disc 1: tracks 1 and 11, Hammond organ on disc 1: track 11 • Adrien Cook – Fairlight programming on disc 1: tracks 5, 6 and 7 • Helena Springs – additional vocals on disc 1: track 7 • Stephen Lipson – guitar on disc 1: track 11 • Shirley Lewis and Dee Lewis – additional vocals on disc 1: track 11 • Chris Newman – assistant Fairlight programming on disc 1: track 12, additional programming on disc 2: track 4 • Juliet Roberts – additional vocals on disc 2: track 2 • Dominic Clarke – programming on disc 2: tracks 2 and 3 • Gary Maughan – additional keyboards on disc 2: track 3 • Scott Davidson – programming on disc 2: track 5 • Harold Faltermeyer – programming on disc 2: track 6 • Pete Gleadall – programming on disc 2: tracks 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15 • Richard Coles – additional keyboards on disc 2: track 8 • Carol Kenyon, Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles – additional vocals on disc 2: track 9 • Bruce Woolley – additional vocals on disc 2: track 10 • J.J. Belle – guitar on disc 2: track 11 • Sylvia Mason-James – additional vocals on disc 2: track 11 • Johnny Marr – guitar on disc 2: track 12 • Frank Ricotti – percussion and vibraphone on disc 2: track 12 • Richard Niles – string arrangement and conduction on disc 2: track 12, arrangement and conduction on disc 2: track 13 • Tony Walthers, Daniel Gaha & Lance Ellington – backing vocals on disc 2: track 13 • Gerard Presencer – trumpet solo on disc 2: track 13 ;Artwork • Mark Farrow – concept and design, graphic design • Phil Sims – concept and design • Rob Petrie – concept and design • Peter Mauder – graphic design • Richard Burbridge – mask photography • Eric Watson – interview portraits ==Charts==