"Introspective" is the third studio album by the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on October 10, 1988, by Parlophone. The album received generally positive reviews from critics.
What sets Introspective apart is its unconventional approach to pop and dance music. Rather than following the typical pattern of releasing shorter songs followed by remixes, this album features tracks all lasting six minutes or more. The singles "Always on My Mind" and "Domino Dancing" were released in shorter, radio-friendly versions prior to the album but were not issued as singles in their album forms. The same was true for "Left to My Own Devices" and "It's Alright."
Of the six tracks on the album, only "Left to My Own Devices" and "Domino Dancing" were written specifically for it. "Always on My Mind" and "It's Alright" are cover versions, while "I Want a Dog" had previously appeared as a B-side to the single "Rent." "I'm Not Scared" is a reworked version of a song written for the pop group Eighth Wonder. The track "Always on My Mind" was re-recorded for the album and mixed with "In My House," a new acid-house track.
The album was re-released in 2001 as Introspective/Further Listening 1988–1989, featuring digitally remastered tracks and a second disc of B-sides and previously unreleased material. Another re-release followed on February 9, 2009, titled Introspective: Remastered, which included only the original six tracks. The two-disc version was re-released again on March 2, 2018, with newly remastered tracks, and was also made available as a digital download and on vinyl.
Neil Tennant later expressed regret over the album's timing, feeling that its 12-inch format may have alienated some fans and impacted the sales of Behaviour, which is often regarded as the duo's finest work but was commercially less successful. Despite this, Introspective remains the best-selling Pet Shop Boys album internationally, peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart, just behind U2's Rattle and Hum.
