After years of obscurity, shot to stardom in Britain with 1994's . By the time was released at the end of October 1995, the band, particularly lead singer , were genuine British superstars, with two number two singles and a triumphant last-minute performance at Glastonbury under their belts, as well as one tabloid scandal. On the heels of such excitement, anticipation for ran high, and not only does it deliver, it blows away all their previous albums, including the fine . don't stray from their signature formula at all -- it's still grandly theatrical, synth-spiked with and flourishes, but they have mastered it here. Not only are the melodies and hooks significantly catchier and more immediate, the music explores more territory. From the faux- romp of the anthemic opener and the glitzy, gaudy stomp of (complete with a nicked riff from 's ) to the aching and the startling sexual menace of construct a diverse, appealing album around the same basic sound. Similarly, 's lyrics take two themes, sex and social class, and explore a number of different avenues in bitingly clever ways. As well as perfectly capturing the behavior of his characters, grasps the nuances of language, creating a dense portrait of suburban and working-class life. All of his sex songs are compassionate, while the subtle satire of is affectionate, but the best moment on the album is the hit single about a rich girl who gets off by slumming with the lower class. Coming from , who made secondhand clothes and music glamorous, the song is undeniably affecting and exciting, much like itself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine