A few years ago, the Scissor Sisters were the next big thing. Their debut album was critically acclaimed (hell, even I liked it). Almost all the members of the group were good with a quip, and I seem to remember the “Take Your Mama” video popping up on VH-1 fairly frequently back in the day.

They then fell victim to the sophomore jinx. Their second album, “Ta-Dah”, didn’t sell nearly as well (it also wasn’t nearly as good). Plus, on the eve of it’s release, Shears made an unfortunate comment at a record industry convention, blasting a major US retailer for pricing their records too high. That retailer pulled all their Scissor Sisters albums off the shelves. Needless to say, that didn’t help matters much.

Now, the Sisters are back with their third album, “Night Work” (not coincidentally arriving on the last Tuesday in June, which is Gay Pride Month) , and it promises to offer some more of the slightly dirty yet frothy dance-pop goodness the band is known for. Can the Scissor Sisters finally find fame in a Lady GaGa world? I guess we’ll see…

They could definitely have thought up a better album cover, though. Don’t you think?

Otherwise, it’s a relatively quiet week for new releases (looking ahead, it looks like many of the next few weeks will be…it seems to be either feast or famine in the music business on Tuesdays). The albums with the best commercial prospects are probably the sophomore effort from pop band 3Oh!3 and the third and allegedly final album by R&B singer/songwriter The-Dream. The former act is as juvenile as their name is, and as if to prove the point, their list of collaborators includes Katy Perry and Ke$ha. Meanwhile, the latter artist is just about the most overrated R&B musician out right now. While he’s certainly come up with more than his share of smashes as a writer (like Rihanna’s “Umbrella”), his own work is nowhere near as good. He also won a very undeserved Song of the Year Grammy this year for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (the fact that it won a songwriting award still makes me laugh…and then cry a little) and bitched out the Grammy committee for not nominating him for his own recordings. He’s also threatening to retire as a performer after the release of “Love King”, his latest album. Dream, don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Uh…there’s also a new Kenny G. album. I know you’re excited.

As always, get your full list of this week’s releases at Pause and Play!