Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters

1.Laura / 2.Take Your Mama / 3.Comfortably Numb / 4.Mary / 5.Lovers in the Backseat / 6.Tits on the Radio / 7.Filthy/Gorgeous / 8.Music Is the Victim / 9.Better Luck / 10.It Can't Come Quickly Enough / 11.Return to Oz / 12.Skins [*] / 13.Get It Get It 

   Polydor / 2 February 2004

Your usually happy toon, little Arcadia, having suffered from what is known as a severe case of stiff neck, and unable to move, has been in a bad mood lately forced to stay indoors(as a matter of fact, three days)...so she got round to this album of the reverend Scissor Sisters, you know, to listen to some new and hopefully cool tunes.
and here it is, SPAllikaria!

 Right, these people just know how to make synthpop, three-minute-long songs included. Their canning is evil, almost. They have "separated" the album in two sections - this could be because of a vinyl release as well, but still, the separation seems to benefit their intent to show us all how they can do several styles. And boy, these styles are varied! They've sold their souls, but dammit, it was worth it. Because the overall effect of Scissor Sisters, the band's namesake album, just rawks. oh yeah. Let me take you through it...

Yours trully has written a review for "Laura", as a single release. I still have the same opinion alors.. Moving on to the rest of the album...  

It is true. The best stuff was written in the 80s. At least that goes for "take your mama" it gives me a nice feeling of FAME as in the namesake film (and consecutive series...I could really imagine the talented students of the New York Performing Arts academy to be dancing to this upbeat little tune at their lunchbreak in the cafeteria...guitar strings opening to a score welcoming a jam by saxophones, synths, spoons(we're in a cafeteria remember?!) New York students aside, any one driver stuck in traffic would find this an uplifting, sing-along, funky tune to tap your fingers on the dashboard along ...and then a sunray hits you..the piano staccato melodies go so well with the chorus...do it!...Arcadia is grooving along.
But lets move on to "Comfortably Numb". Now, what did I say about electro-clash? well, it sure goes with disco stuff as well guys. OK, Mr Gilmour said he wouldn't buy it but then again, he did get his free copy (a-ha a-ha) I must say when I first heard it on the radio, I thought it was a cover by the Bee-Gees.. but no, it's those Sisters definitely. They dare to take such an honoured, heavy song and make it a danse tune. The nerve....pah! They are shameless! But it amuses me no end.
On to "Mary"...it's quite a beautiful melody. This is a lovesong, possibly Jake's for his girlfriend, one credited Mary Hanlon? There's that piano again...and it's a cross between Elton John and the Beatles, a slight Hey Jude feeling... Apart from the reminiscing, it stands as a nice late night song I wouldn't be surprised to hear in Galaxy FM...hehe...and the band has something about saxophones, I can see a pattern already. It's a sweet track, but reminds me exactly why happiness can be a bad muse...
"Lovers in the Backseat" an eerie, lovely intro...and it's David Bowie! Nope, it's the Scissor Sisters, chameleon-ing anything worthy, once again, in a unique way (...on this side of the street). Bowie would kill to get such a catchy tune these days. It's good this one. I'm already listening to it for the seventh time. It's almost not enough, it's that catchy. And grows on you. Track lasts 03:10... just once more on the repeat...ooh, it's sensual this one. Arcadia fantasises a slow strip-tease in front of her beloved...or just some sleazy dancing in a dark, sweaty, smoky club.... ehem....where was I? That concludes the first "section" of the album. It is rather cheerful, tho it slows down to the "final" track..one must end things no? But this is not the end...

Ana Matronic takes formidably over on the vocals in Tits on the Radio sounding like a stroppy she-robot. Diva-esque singing from the Mistress. She's been around this one, it shows. And Jake Shears is hilarious sing-alongey in the chorus, you've got to hear it to believe it! "there ain't no tits on the radio/oh no"... the man is gifted. I love the bass line here, too! Mad lyrics as in Laura, a Scissor Sisters "classic" attribute!!
On to Filthy/Gorgeous now this is what they do best! A guetto-blaster sleaze of a song, Arcadia has come to believe the band wants to write music for black x-ploitation movies-or maybe tour with Kelis!this would stand up to "milkshake" anytime- they're so funny!! I mean: "when you're walking down the street/ and a man tries to get your business/ and the people that you meet/ want to open you up like Christmas".Here the music is not quite inspired but this meaningless bundle is so danceable.. And so 80s...ah, straight to the dancefloor...On with the Music is the Victim an insane roller-coster of piano and... tam-tams? no, it must have been the drum key on miss Matronic's synths. This is also identical to "stop the rock, can't stop the rock" by Apollo 440 (spacelab please correct me if I'm mistaken). Hardly above mediocre. hmm. hmmm I say. Music was the victim there... 

 Let's see if it'll improve...Better Luck yes, it improves, about 1000 times over. This one is so catchy. Fine tunes. Bitter-sweet lurics. and they ring so true..and hell, can you dance to it...Oh I'm wet. (just joking) I merely spilt some tea on my lap. ehem. This is a very good song. My neck hurts and despite that I groove. This is no joke song. It is a poignant viewpoint of a breaking relationship, sarcasm aside, the song pats you on the back, telling you not to worry too much, not to do all that people left behind do, the future somehow might bring better things.

Arcadia
(off to replay the whole thing again and again and again)
 

Maria Kalapanida