Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah

The Scissor Sisters comes with a laundry list of easily identifiable influences, including Elton John, the BeeGees, David Bowie, the B-52s and George Michael. The rock, pop, dance feel of the band comes with the burlesque/drag/glam aesthetic that was edged out of mainstream rock as grunge started its takeover This sophomore release brings the already-trademark Scissor Sisters sound to the table. Although Ta-Dah topped the charts in the UK, it hasn’t been as popular as the band's startling 2004 debut. The album begins with a chorus laden guitar riff, broken by a electric-organ and sing-songy falsetto vocals. Backed by a drum-machine and a steady hand-clapping, the song brings to mind velvet bell-bottoms, and Studio 54, snorting coke in the bathroom and roller-skates. Exceptional production is due to multi-instrumentalist Babydaddy, and various guests appear througout the record's tenure; actress Gina Gershon lends her talent on the Jew's Harp in "I Can't Decide," while Sir Elton John's piano work backs the disco-ball balladry of the ironically-titled "I Don't Feel Like Dancing."< > The album tones down a bit with the track “Land of A Thousand Words,” a mellow, sweet, piano and vocals type song that has a slightly Queen feel to it. Two songs later the album kicks back into overdrive with “Kiss You Off,” an up-tempo, break-up song. The mid-tempo track “The Other Side” has the easy, honest feel of an early '80s romance movie, complete with echoing guitar solos, and David Bowie background drums. The album ends with the track “Everybody Wants the Same Thing” which has the arena-rock feel of lights and pyrotechnics encore--complete with the slow -down and slow swell back up to Scissor Sister standards. [www.scissorsisters.com]