Magic Hour
by Scissor Sisters
  • Record Label: Polydor
  • Release Date: May 29, 2012
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 44 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 44
  3. Negative: 8 out of 44
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  1. GagaForGhibli
    Jun 4, 2012
    3
    Not Going To Jump For Joy Over The Very "Plain" Songs Again...
    Just Plain Boring.....
    Just Not Original...
    Sorry Sisters You CAN DO BETTER!
  2. ECD80
    May 29, 2012
    6
    Just finished my first listen of Magic Hour. I am not feeling magical yet that's for sure! I will have to give it a few more spins because I didn't feel much on the first listen. What I did feel is this, Magic Hour seems generic and falls flat with the ballads. Jake Shears isn't known for his vocal ability (or lack there of) so when he's singing ballads on this album it's confusing and itJust finished my first listen of Magic Hour. I am not feeling magical yet that's for sure! I will have to give it a few more spins because I didn't feel much on the first listen. What I did feel is this, Magic Hour seems generic and falls flat with the ballads. Jake Shears isn't known for his vocal ability (or lack there of) so when he's singing ballads on this album it's confusing and it doesn't work effectively. KEY TRACKS: Somewhere, Shady Love, Let's Have A Kiki, Only The Horses and Baby Come Home. DUDS: Inevitable, Self Control and The Secret Life of Letters. And sadly I don't remember the others tracks. I give it a modest 3 out of 5 stars. Just my opinion. I LOVE them though! Night Work was basically the only album I listened to in 2010! Maybe next album them can make HAWT dance beats again. And less ballads.… Collapse
  3. joerizkallah
    Nov 25, 2012
    1
    I think Magic Hour was a slightly new direction for the band but one they shouldn't have tried. It does nothing for what they're capable of, especially the slower tracks that don't sound like Scissor Sisters or suit them at all. Ultimately I believe that's why their popularity has been dying out over the years. They do switch up and try new things, but the quality of their music declinesI think Magic Hour was a slightly new direction for the band but one they shouldn't have tried. It does nothing for what they're capable of, especially the slower tracks that don't sound like Scissor Sisters or suit them at all. Ultimately I believe that's why their popularity has been dying out over the years. They do switch up and try new things, but the quality of their music declines steadily with time. The Scissor Sisters people fell in love with seem to be gone and replaced by mind-washed robots who are making music as if they're forced to, not for the love of it. I think it's great they've taken a hiatus, and I really hope it helps them gather themselves and find their passion for music again. I think they have it in them to create really great music, but they just have to give it time and believe in what they're making. Otherwise it will just turn out a mess like Magic Hour.… Expand
  4. EvanS
    Jun 17, 2012
    4
    Jake Shears doing his best John Cameron Mitchell. Starts strong before showing a threadbare quality. Its lacking confidence and skill of Night Work which is a shame considering it kicks off with a giddy start.
  5. owenrw89
    Dec 11, 2016
    5
    The upbeat numbers may be fun, but they'll date quickly. The mid-tempo tracks may be quirky, but they're forgettable. The ballads may be well produced, but they're dull. Magic Hour sees the Sisters grabbing several genres and mixing them about. It jumps from sound to sound with little grace or warning. Their debut was alternative pop, the follow up was twisted party pop, and 'Night Work'The upbeat numbers may be fun, but they'll date quickly. The mid-tempo tracks may be quirky, but they're forgettable. The ballads may be well produced, but they're dull. Magic Hour sees the Sisters grabbing several genres and mixing them about. It jumps from sound to sound with little grace or warning. Their debut was alternative pop, the follow up was twisted party pop, and 'Night Work' was euphoric electro-pop. Magic Hour is patchy mod-pop.
    It's by no means a bad pop album, in fact, had this been the debut of a new artist, it would have been lauded. It's just not a very good Scissor Sisters album.    … Expand
  6. moav
    Jun 9, 2012
    4
    I know that the sisters aren't the most sophisticated indie band around the block, but those mainstream dance tracks are downright cheap club backround music.
  7. AlexxTrusc
    May 31, 2012
    6
    On the new album of Scissor Sisters - "Magic Hour" through such songs as "Baby Come Home", "Year Of Living Dangerously" or "Best In Me" can be seen attempts to vary the songs by for example - perhaps best seen in "Somewhere" electronic inserts, but this do not change the fact that throughout the CD is a constant feeling of shoddy work.
  8. comeandgetit
    Mar 23, 2014
    6
    This album includes the quirky sounds of 'Scissor Sisters' and the fun sounds of 'Ta-Dah' but does seem to lack the powerful sounds of 'Night Work'. However, what it might lack in power, it certainly makes up for in quirk.
  9. Henry75
    May 31, 2012
    4
    I never thought i would find myself saying this but Magic Hour, the new album from the Scissor Sisters is just boring. With the exception of a few songs the album is down right boring.
  10. pdf
    May 30, 2012
    8
    This album is a grower. There are fun party tracks that are almost as strong as "Night Work" (their best album by far) but there are also more chill songs that evoke their earlier sounds. It's not a perfect album but after listening to it for 2 days, I am really into it. Can't wait to see you guys in July!
  11. WeAreTheFilter
    Jul 1, 2012
    6
    Success came and went relatively quickly for the Scissor Sisters. Their self-titled debut album spawned five hits and went on to sell close to 3 million copies in the UK; an odd achievement considering the band never really
  12. Jonalfie
    Jul 13, 2012
    9
    A celebration of club life with a hint of melancholy that things are changing. New producers inject a tighter sound against the band's whip-smart lyrics.

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. Q Magazine
    Oct 12, 2012
    80
    They pull it out of the hat in quite an extraordinary fashion here. [Jul 2012, p.94]
  2. Mixmag
    Jun 27, 2012
    80
    Smoky, slow- paced, disco soul with Bee Gees-style falsetto harmonising, it's the type of grown-up pop Scissor Sisters can pull off like few others.
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  3. No Ripcord
    Jun 19, 2012
    30
    Magic Hour's never exactly bad. It's worse than that. It's boring.
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