The campest act to ever come out of Australia, Young Divas, are back with a follow up album to last years self titled effort.  Whilst the line-up may have altered since then (goodbye Ricki-Lee, hello Jessica Mauboy,) the core essence of the Young Divas mission statement remains the same; get the gays dancing and the kids singing.  And if you can look at this for what it is - a fun, trashy collection of exceptionally recycled pop classics - then you’ll be able to get right into it.

The Cheryl Lyn disco classic “Got To Be Real” gets a long-overdue make-over that gives the original a serious run for its money, whilst their take on Kim Wilde’s take on the Yvonne Elliman classic “If I Can’t Have You” retains the core of Wilde’s mid-90’s throw down.  New single, a cover of Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose” is pretty listenable, that is until the rap from Savage comes in mid-point, reeking of absolute desperation, though maybe not as much as the sort found on Kylie’s “Spew-di-ty.”  Whoever told the Difffas it would be a good idea to incorporate urban rapping into the lead single of a covers act whose core audience is the gays, needs to be fired/set on fire immediately.

Stevie Nicks‘ 1985 classic “I Can’t Wait” even gets a go on here, with a pulsing electrohouse bassline which is, quite literally, gagging to be a single.  Other quality moments include the Diva’s take on Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It To My Heart” (which kicks some serious original-version arse - the best cover on this CD,) and the Christmas themed “Dear Santa,” which is the trashiest the festive season has ever sounded.  In fact, don’t you think it ’s been modeled off the dance remix of Beyonce’s “One Night Only” from Dreamgirls?  What fun!!

“Love Will Lead You Back” fills the ballad quota out nicely, and iTunes bonus track “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is well worth the $1.69.  There’s nothing new here, but the girls don’t really claim there to be either.  I seem to be alone in thinking former member Ricki-Lee’s solo album - excluding the fabulous new single - was an absolute pile of dog turd (how many slow-jams can you fit on the one CD?  Someone has obviously attended the Mutya Buena school of album writing - definitely my two worst albums of the year, I mean, seriously, what a load of old shit they were.)  Whilst the new record from Young Divas is not filled with self-penned stories of love and loss (or awful, second rate Gia Farrell rip-offs,) it does manage to do the one thing Ricki-Lee couldn’t with her follow up album; keep the listener awake.  If you can drop the boring elitism, look past the fact that this is a well-oiled disco machine, then you’ll be able to enjoy “New Attitude” as  much as I have.

And just for the record, my favourite Young Divas are Paulini and Cake.