by Raj Rudolph – www.electroqueer.com
The third album "Night Work" from the illustrious and flamboyantly fabulous Scissor Sisters is one big party straight out of the greedy, heady days of excess when you queued outside of Studio 54 - desperately doing anything you could to get in. And when you flashed your tits or blew the door whore to get in and made your way down that infamous corridor to the dance-floor filled with hedonism, drugs and judgment and found that beautiful stranger to dance with – the sinfully delightful sounds of "Night Work" was most likely what you heard.
I literally just got "Night Work" delivered to me less than 24 hours ago and it was one of those albums that I couldn't waste one precious second in getting uploaded to my iTunes library. Upon first listen, it became obviously clear to me what the Scissor Sisters were trying to accomplish with this album. It's somewhat of a homage to the last dirty days of disco in the 80's when lust and excess were celebrated, appreciated and most certainly en vogue. It's the last era in music and New York City night life that celebrated promiscuity, corporate sin and blatent homosexuality – the life lead by any New York city boy in the 80s before the AIDS virus wiped out all that fun and blew out the bright candles of millions across the world.
Some might argue that capturing this era of music is really what Scissor Sisters have been trying to do for a long time – but with the inclusion of Stuart Price on "Night Work" the band are more focused and have expertly executed bringing back the shattered disco ball ever-so-perfectly on their third album. The album opener "Night Work" kicks off classic Scissor Sisters style with it's glittery throw-down of wizzy guitars and one hell of an uplifting chorus. It's an excitable track, kind of like that feeling you get when you have worked hard all week and have planned a huge weekend in the city to do some serious de-stressing and over-indulging.
With "Any Which Way" the band are celebrating the lip-biting beauty in throwing down your lover for an evening orgy with Ana Matronic bringing in a orgasm-busting crescendo of what could be her signature monologue that OOZES fabulosity…
"You know baby when I was taking my pantyhose out of their egg this evening, I thought – I'm gonna find that man whose the right shade of bottle tan. A man that smells like cocoa butter and cash. Take me any way you like it. In front of the fire place, in front of your yacht, in front of my parents, I don't give a damn baby, just TAKE ME…"
One of the most single-worthy tracks on the album is most definitely "Something Like This" with it's dirty robotic beats, instantly catchy hooks and spasm-inducing lyricism. It was my go-to track when listening to the album for the second time. With "Sex And Violence" we see the album take a bit of a dark turn and it was obvious to me that the infamous book "American Psycho" was the backdrop for this tune – something of which Babydaddy himself confirmed to me yesterday – saying that famous creepy tale by Bret Easton Ellis was one of Jake Shears' personal inspirations for the song.
"Night Work" by Scissor Sisters is most definitely their finest piece of work to date – it accomplishes everything that the band set out to do from the beginning. Although there are less radio-friendly hits on this album, what's most notable here is the mood that this album sets throughout. It takes you back in time to a place where you didn't have to worry about anyone but yourself and your quest for self-discovery, sexual liberation and finding a place inside yourself where you are comfortable living in your own skin.
"Night Work" is most definitely the soundtrack to your twenties, no matter what age you are now. If you didn't grow up in the 80's, you'll still appreciate how flawlessly Scissor Sisters have captured the last days of disco in remarkable album.
"Night Work" by Scissor Sisters is released on June 28th and you can pre-order it now on iTunes.
Stay tuned for our EQ interview with Babydaddy next week and find out what Ana Matronic had to say to EQ about "Night Work" right here. Popjustice also has an essential early interview with Jake Shears that you all should check out as well…