¡viva la graham!

the scissor sisters do their best to defy the sophomore slump on ta-dah, the much-anticipated follow-up to their multi-million-selling debut. it’s just as kitschy, campy, catchy and clever and as its’ predecessor… and even if does stick to a familiar formula, that’s saying a lot.

as you might expect, i already have my favorites. so let’s get to it! here’s my track-by-track review:

• “i don’t feel like dancing” – currently atop the u.k. charts, this mid-tempo retro-disco track was a safe choice for the first single. that doesn’t mean i don’t love it, of course, especially because it’s so adept at getting my feet moving. it is also important to note that elton john plays piano on this track, in essence proving the band has been given the stamp of approval from one of their biggest inspirations.
• “she’s my man” – this one reminds me a bit of fleetwood mac, but only until the chorus kicks in. then the melody is pure scissor sisters… that and the gender ambiguity. i don’t know if this one’s quite single material, but i have a feeling that it’s going to grow on me.
• “i can’t decide” – i love this one, and not just for the great naughty lyric in the first verse (“fuck and kiss you both at the same time”)! it’s got an old-school country vibe to it, but it works well with the subject matter. “i can’t decide whether you should live or die,” shears sings before running through several options for comedic homicides. brilliant.

(more…)