"In the Meantime" was a huge hit, and went gold, but debut earned them no critical respect. At any other time, the group's glitzy revival of , and would have earned kudos, but it arrived at the height of Brit-pop, when other, more celebrated (and, frankly, better) bands were dominating the media spotlight. So, when it came time to deliver their second record, knew they had to make a big splash, and delivers on that promise. A faux song cycle layered with details and hooks, is a big album conceptually, but the band doesn't quite have the gravity required to make it the sweeping achievement they desire. That hardly means that the album isn't enjoyable, however. mock- baritone is damn near irresistible, and when they have the right hooks and melodies, the result is a gaudy guilty pleasure. There are quite a few of those moments on , but the band is occasionally derailed by underdeveloped hooks and ill-fitting humor (their foray into music-hall stumbles). Still, the record illustrates that has fashioned their own identity out of their glam influences, and that makes the album an impressive effort, even if it lacks a knockout track like "In the Meantime." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine