So here's the second album; a rehash of popular culture circa 1977 - 1979. Ta-Dah. I personally protest against essentially an Elton John album being thrust repeatedly in my face - where are the sleazy electro beats which first brought this five-piece side-show to our attention? Lurking almost apologetically in tracks 'Kiss You Off' and 'Ooh', which don't make full impact due to their lyrical defunctness. Unfortunate considering they're two of the few that display any of the original individuality from their self-titled debut (although 'Kiss You Off's' backing track does resemble Amii Stewart's 'Knock on Wood' a trifle too much for our liking).The blatant floor fillers continue with the curiously entitled 'Paul McCartney', with repeated lyric "is it the music that connects me to you?" Let's hope it's something more substantial. The majority of the album is a mongrel bred from the big piano sound of 'Take Yer Momma Out'; countless examples of which can be seen in their recently released Elton John/Bee Gee's tribute 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing', alongside 'She's My Man' (a tribute to Elton John's 'I'm Still Standing'), ' I Can't Decide' (a glam-folk, expletive ridden, nursery rhyme), 'Lights' (Elton John meets Frankie Valli's Grease on a regurgitated funk trip), 'Land of a Thousand Words' (an Elton John ballad with 'November Rain' strings).Shall I go on? The only outstanding track is 'The Other Side'; a beautiful Duran Duran sound complete with a chunky bass line, languid guitars, saxophone, and the telling line "What will become of us?" The record's remainder merges into a mist of insipid staccato disco funk, a barrage of keys, and layered falsettos. Their bonus oblation, 'Transistor', however is something altogether alternative - a troubled track with Shears lamenting "We're getting nowhere, where did we go?" Good question. They seem to have gotten lost in the flurry of fame; their first album coming from a place of seedy joy, this hollow parody born from "what's good for the captain is good for us all."
