Kissing the Pink's Certain Things Are Likely is generally considered by KTP fans to be the group's weakest LP. And they're right. Certain Things Are Likely sounds as if the band was trying hard to produce a hit. Place the blame on KTP's label, Magnet. The company wanted KTP to sell some records, and Certain Things Are Likely shaves the group's a...

Kissing the Pink's Certain Things Are Likely is generally considered by KTP fans to be the group's weakest LP. And they're right. Certain Things Are Likely sounds as if the band was trying hard to produce a hit. Place the blame on KTP's label, Magnet. The company wanted KTP to sell some records, and Certain Things Are Likely shaves the group's artiness and subtle charms for faceless dance-rock. "One Step" has its toe-tapping moments, but Nick Whitecross' passionless half-spoken, half-sung narrative becomes annoying after a while. Unfortunately, the track's repetitive, manufactured hooks get stuck in the brain; the "hey mister, hey mister, hey mister, hey mister" background vocals pester the ears like a fly buzzing around the room. The title song recalls Blancmange's pulse-pounding synthesizer pop; it's slightly better than "One Step" and shows that KTP haven't lost it completely. Certain Things Are Likely is much too slick; the band can barely breathe underneath the layers of studio gloss. "Can You Hear Me" tosses in bagpipes to prove that KTP haven't been replaced by machines. Sadly, it doesn't help as KTP is running on automatic pilot on Certain Things Are Likely. Only on "Jones," slightly reminiscent of Scary Monsters-period David Bowie, and the Scritti Politti-ish new wave funk of "I Won't Wait" can the true face of KTP be seen through the commercial haze of Certain Things Are Likely. ~ Michael Sutton, Rovi