The Scissor Sisters Work It Day and Night
The Scissor Sisters' new record is one hundred percent dance.
Scissor Sisters
Night Work
Released on Jun 29, 2010
Certain musical acts will be able to continue to perform and make money for as long as they want if they are willing to simply embrace the proper venues. Classic rockers like REO Speedwagon, Styx and Hogfat – whoops, slipped, I meant Foghat -- will continue to make good money so long as they are happy playing state fairs across America. The same can be said of dance artists. Just this past weekend both Tiffany and Taylor Dayne performed to big crowds at Chicago’s Pride Fest, a celebration of gay, lesbian and transgendered culture in the city. As similar celebrations become more common and more mainstream there will always be a place for dance acts that are past their prime to perform.
While the Scissor Sisters have no need to play the festival circuit now, they are just one hit song away from securing their spot in this fabulous retirement plan and their new release, Night Work, might just get them there. The band’s third album is 12 tracks of club friendly dance music just waiting to bridge the gap into mainstream America. Many of the best songs sound like a love child of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan and Barry Gibb who is finally finding his or her own voice.
Led by vocalists Jake Shears and Ana Matronic, the Scissor Sisters first taste of success came when club DJ’s discovered their dance cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” which was originally released on the b-side of their debut single “Electrobix.” That led to signing a deal with Polydor records and the release of their self-titled first album in 2004. While successful in the U.K., neither it nor their second release Ta-Dah brought the band much attention in America.
Now with Night Work, the band may be about to overcome that hurdle. In addition to the fact that the new release is great from start to finish, the band’s timing seems right as dance music from artists like Lady Gaga has been doing very well on the American charts. Ironically, the lead single, “Invisible Light,” doesn’t feel as crossover-ready as other tracks like “Skin This Cat,” “Fire with Fire,” and “Sex and Violence.” Most likely, the release of “Invisible Light” was a calculated move to get the attention of core fans and club DJ’s.
If there’s one complaint to be had about Night Work, it’s the lack of tempo changes. While critics of previous releases have dismissed the group’s attempts at ballads and other less dance-focused tracks, the consistency of the new release is both a strength and a bit of a liability.
Despite choosing a band name that refers to a sexual position associated primarily with lesbians, the group says it does not want to be labeled as a “gay band.” In one interview Shears is quoted as saying, “The fact that some of us are gay affects our music the same amount as it does that some of the members of Blondie are straight.” While that is probably a fair statement, the band’s music clearly appeals to, and frequently addresses issues that effect, the gay community. But hey, if rednecks across America can dance to “Y.M.C.A.” at sporting events while the Village People sing about homosexual encounters there’s no reason the Scissor Sisters can’t become a household name in America and Night Life might just be release that does it for them.
High Point
12 tracks of great dance music.
Low Point
A lack of variation and range.
Posted by Mike Stern on Jun 03, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
