Pet Shop Boys' official outing

And so after being leaked at the end of last week, today saw the oh-fish-y-al coming out ceremony on Radio 2's Ken Bruce (!) Show of Love Etc., the duo's new single. For your own evaluation, go listen here first before EMI pull it.

The common consensus is that this is a good track, if an odd choice for opening single, and hopefully heralds an even better album. And I thought I'd wait until it was given a nationwide hearing before I gave my two pennies' worth. I hate it.

Only kidding. I love this track. Hearing upon hearing it gets better and better. When a favourite band comes back with an off-beat single its oddness can throw you. Back in the day, I lost Adam Ant after Puss In Boots and loved The Human league even more after The Lebanon. But PSB have been here a few times. It's very them to throw their audience. Love Etc. has no discernible formula: there's one verse and the rest are all choruses (very Xenomania BTW). And rather than be warm and cuddly as they bask in their god-given BRIT Award for being the best oldies, they're as cold and icy as the February winds blowing in from the Russian Urals.

The graphic theme for the album, Yes and single artwork is reminiscent of Introspective. And the aloof chant/rap style of Love Etc. has a lot more in common with that album's lead-off single Left to My Own Devices than any other.

Like every Pet Shop lover, I expect to adore this album, if only because this single is so good. But only time will tell if it rises above my top five of Please, Introspective, Behaviour, Billingual and Nightlife.