Night Work Review



The current popular music climate is drowning in electronic synths that all blend together into one repetitive and boring strand. Step forward Scissor Sisters, purveyors of camp, infectious and feel-good anthems. Their previous two albums have topped charts worldwide and springboarded phenomenal songs such as I Don't Feel Like Dancin', Take Your Mama and Filthy/Gorgeous.

Now with a change of musical scene you'd expect them to thrive given the rather stereotypical view of a group of homosexuals from New York and its supposed experiences with dance music. And they do.

"Night Work" is jam-packed with what most current albums and artists are not: memorable tunes, poetically outrageous lyrics (no disco sticks or show me where your dick's at here) and consistency.

The titular track is an immediate fast-paced reflection on the mood of the album, keeping with their quirky and honky-tonk lyrical delivery that Jake Shears is able to slip into with ease. "Whole New Way" slows the pace considerably and offers a more funk-driven guitar hook with innuendo-laden lyrics.

The first single from the album, "Fire With Fire", has already proved somewhat successful with a top 20 placing in the UK. With its cute piano and soaring vocals, it's going to be difficult to find something more euphoric this year. I can say with quite genuine belief it's my favourite song of the year.

"Any Which Way" might have caught your attention due to a rendition at this year's Glastonbury with a certain Kylie - and the lyrics to this are quite fantastic. "In front of my parents, I don't give a damn baby, just take me" is enough to reassert Ana Matronic's position as the gay idol she is rapidly becoming/is. "Harder You Get" is the epitome of 80s suggestive electronics that Frankie Goes to Hollywood would be proud of. With a chorus riff somewhat reminiscent of Paul Oakenfold's "Faster Kill Pussycat" it's not really going to disappoint.

The sound of panting was never going to be a huge surprise with the themes dealt with already, so "Running Out" makes a welcome appearance. More guitar-driven than most of the album, it sticks out with extra help from oddly deep vocals that make this more Depeche Mode than Soft Cell. "Something Like This" however quickly returns to their signature falsetto and with crawling rhythm.

The two Skins of the album are polar opposites. "Skin This Cat" is a slow and slightly boring track that sounds like a Kylie album track rather than the Scissor Sisters. However, "Skin Tight" provides one of the album's highlights with its earnest and sweet romantic lyrics (no double-entendres or references to the album artwork here!) set to a slowly building euphoric tune.

Nearing the end of the album now, "Sex and Violence" is the first of three similar-sounding (due to their relatively parallel intro/outros) and whilst it's never going to be anything near single material it somehow fits with the album perfectly. "Night Life" has an intense Prince (Purple Rain era) to it with its simple hooks, fast pace, falsetto and sex appeal.

"Invisible Light" however is the most memorable and outstanding of the three with guest vocals from Sir Ian McKellen and the album's most poetic lyrics - telling tales of bacchanalia (indulgent orgy-like parties of ancient Greece and what not) and Babylon that gives an album of otherwise shallow sleaze a saving grace.

In summary, this might divide their established fans. It's inevitably going to appeal to the more flamboyant and outgoing types, but there are no real pop tunes that have influences outside of the electronic genre (that previous songs Take Your Mama, Laura and Mary offer). There's also a glaring lack of lighters-in-the-air momentry in the shape of a beautiful ballad; the debut had Mary, Ta-Dah! had Land of a Thousand Words.

However, for what it is - and that's a contemporary album in a haystack of electro - it's faultless. It's taken a very facetious and repetitive genre, moulded it into something infectious, catchy and brilliant, and I cannot even pretend to be disappointed with it. It's possibly even better than "Ta-Dah!" in that respect.

Rating: 8/10
Highlights: Fire With Fire, Skin Tight, Any Which Way, Night Work, Invisible Light
Avoid: Skin This Cat

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