by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Because they work in a field that isn't usually taken seriously, the Pet Shop Boys are often ignored in the rock world. But make no mistake -- they are one of the most talented pop outfits working today, witty and melodic with a fine sense of flair. Very is one of their very best records, expertly weaving between the tongue-in-cheek humor of &I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing,& the quietly shocking &Can You Forgive Her?,& and the bizarrely moving cover of the Village People's &Go West.& Alternately happy and melancholy, Very is the Pet Shop Boys at their finest.