We have already heard the singles "Loneliness" and "Dancing Star" and I would rate them as middling (I found "Loneliness" particularly disappointing). However, the other tracks on this record are so good it almost makes me think the boys chose the worst songs to be singles in some perverse act of sabotage.
Songs that had the potential to sound cheesy ("The Secret of Happiness") sound amazing in the hands of James Ford. The first time I heard "Feel" and "Bullet for Narcissus" I was delighted as there are some great melodies woven around traditional octave basslines and Kraftwerk inspired beats. If you don't understand the genre you might miss the point of "The Schlager hit parade" and some might find elements of "Why am I dancing?" a little repetitive, but there are no horrors on the scale of "Wedding In Berlin" or "Hold On" here.
Make no mistake this is a great album and I consider it their best effort since "Yes" in 2009. In fact I'll go one step further and say I haven't enjoyed a PSB album as thoroughly since "Very". Personally I am delighted they have moved away from Stuart Price and enrolled the brilliant James Ford to produce - everything sounds fresh yet familiar and the production compliments the compositions perfectly.
Predictably the least likely single on the album, "A New Bohemia" is slated to be released next - but it does have one of my favourite lyrics, "My life is a mess, like an unmade bed".
1. Loneliness 3/10 6. A new Bohemia 7/10
2. Feel 8/10 7. The Schalger hit parade 7/10
3. What am I dancing? 7/10 8. The Secret of happiness 6/10
4. New London boy 7/10 9. Bullet for narcissus 7/10
5. Dancing Star 5/10 10. Love is the law 6/10
