by Ned RaggettThe portentous intro song "Birds of Prey" sounds like something that could have been poached by Marilyn Manson in later years. Here, though, the massive electronic bombast is strictly for campy fun rather than making any sort of serious statement -- Army of Lovers in a nutshell, and bless them for it. Its self-titled release fuses Eurodisco's pulse and sheen (and at points the all-important string swirls, as "Ride the Bullet" merrily shows) with gay abandon in all senses of the word. The Army doesn't quite hit the heights that Deee-Lite served up with its own delicious debut World Clique, from the same year, but comes awfully close. Earlier hits "Supernatural" and "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun" appear with a slew of similarly minded songs (great titles abound -- some standouts: "Mondo Trasho" and "I Am the Amazon"). Bard's deliciously creamy and politely sleazy vocals and sense of style give the whole thing an outre but perfect elegance, while Barda and La Camilla round out things with their own presence as well. If not as distinct in terms of singing and performance compared to other dance divas, they still lend a lovely joie de vivre to Bard's tales of laser sex and dance explosions. Due credit has to also go to Magnus Frykberg, who cowrote nearly everything with Bard and whose synth work blends the all-important beat with a consistent lushness in sound. The Army aren't afraid to play around with house, hip-hop and various worldbeat percussion styles, adding just that little bit more to all the goings-on. Quirky samples sneak in at points as well, from The Andy Griffith Show's whistled theme to the "ooga-chuckas" from "Hooked on a Feeling." Add to that such delectabilities as the French vocals on "Scorpio Rising" and random theremin noises, and the Army begins its mission in full effect.