by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Equally revered and despised in their native England, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine has been on the cutting edge of the U.K.s dance-pop scene since their first hit single in 1989. Instead of following the disco-derived pop songs of the Pet Shop Boys, Carter relies more on the underground club/dance scene, bringing such techniques as spoken word samples, drum and riff samples, and a relentless beat to tuneful, hook-oriented pop songwriting. In addition, their attitude is inspired by punk rocks mentality, manifesting itself in their satiric lyrics and slash-and-burn approach to ravaging pops past and present. Their second single, Sheriff Fatman, is arguably the finest example of their style and established them as a force in the U.K. Perhaps it was coincidence, but after settling a copyright infringement lawsuit with lawyers representing the Rolling Stones in 1991, Carter began to open up their sound slightly; although they were still heavily dance-oriented, there werent as many recognizable soundbites, but not at the expense of their pop sensibilities. The pop audience was not as receptive to Carter as they were just a couple of years earlier, and the band still couldnt earn anything larger than a cult following in the U.S. By the mid-90s, their audience had declined sharply in both Britian and America, and their albums were generally ignored upon their release, yet the group continued to record.