"TA-DAH" BY SCISSOR SISTERS; UNIVERSAL MOTOWN

New York's Scissor Sisters caused a sensation everywhere (except hip-hop-obsessed America) with its 2004 debut CD, a giddy throwback to the days of disco, eight-tracks and Jimmy Carter.

But it also suffered the modern CD-era problem of too much filler, and singer Jake Shears overdid his Bee Gees-loving falsetto. That's not the case on the follow-up, "Ta-Dah."

Musically, a thumbnail description could go like this: Take Elton John, the Bee Gees and Leo Sayer, add a little Village People, and get a blend of infectious pop-disco hooks.

But there's more beneath the surface — the missing exclamation point in "Ta-Dah" is intentional. The music never mopes, and the bouncy "She's My Man" is an ode to storm-battered New Orleans — "This Town Was Built On Muddy Stilts/ By The Lunatic Parade" — set to the melody and rhythm of Elton's '80s hit, "I'm Still Standing."

"I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," one of two new tracks co-written by and featuring John on piano, may inspire "Saturday Night Fever" flashbacks thanks to its effervescent pulse. But Shears has more on his mind than scoring in the VIP lounge: "The Other Side," the most haunting track, casts its gaze heavenward.

Like Britain's Pet Shop Boys, Scissor Sisters recall pop's good times and adds brains, too.

Pod Picks: "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," "The Other Side," "She's My Man."

"IT JUST COMES NATURAL" BY GEORGE STRAIT; MCA NASHVILLE

George Strait's umpteenth album has a straightforward title: Making traditional country music just comes natural for this Texan.

Sure, it's predictable, and King George might benefit from stretching himself the way peer Alan Jackson has lately. But with songs as strong as those he records, why whine?

Best bet: "Give It Away," an almost humorous — yet pathetic — tale in which the singer's wife wants out of the marriage so badly that she doesn't even want anything from their home. The current No. 1 single features a bluesy Mark Knopfler-like guitar intro and Strait offers recitation on the verses. It's a bit different and it bolsters a reliably good CD from a man who cranks them out annually.

Pod Picks: "Give It Away," "It Just Comes Natural."