Scissor Sisters 'Magic Hour' (Polydor)

For those who were expect a really thrilling, exquisite fourth album from the Scissor Sisters – sadly you might be mistaken. They say music is a thing of moods – and with this album, that is rightly so. You definitely need to be in the right mood and frame of mind to listen to this as a whole, or to enjoy it.

Throughout the entire album, there are consistent bouncy rhythms, no matter what the tone or lyrics of each song. The album as a whole has a very electro feel to it, and While it could be considered a chill-out, background album, it’s a little disappointing considering what the band used to produce.

Jake Shears’ voice is prominent throughout which once again draws the question – why do they have a female vocalist in Ana Matronic when she is barely ever heard? A lot of their album does seem to still contain the same strange, gimmicky themes the band are known for, however this is definitely a matured comeback on their part. 'Let’s Have A Kiki' is definitely the strangest of songs on the album with what sounds like a telephone conversation recorded over the majority of the beats. 'Shady Love' and 'F*** Yeah' however hold similarities in tone to the female artist M.I.A. so it’s hard to define exactly what image or idea this band are aiming for.

'Only The Horses' is possibly the best song on the album, so with that already out as their current single, it’s concerning to think what they’ll release or do next. 'The Secret Life of Lovers' has a potentially creepy tone with the way that the Jake Shears sings the lyrics on will perhaps become one the least popular tracks in the collection.

It’s hard to determine how this album will be received by the public or in the charts – devoted fans will probably love it, and new fans will probably be just as confused as this reviewer. However, it’s worth keeping an open mind, if anyone is likely to shock us with their next offering, it's this lot.