Larry Neild embraces the silk, glitz and red lipstick-coated world of the Puppini Sisters.
Long before Peter Guy was an accident waiting to happen, as opposed to a twinkle in somebody’s eye, Brits boogie-woogied their way through World War 2 to the melodic backdrop of the Andrews Sisters.
Forget sugar butties, rationing and the threat of flea-pit picturedromes being bombed, the American trio of beauties oozed style and sophistication. You would never see one of the sisters draped in a pinnie and a headful of curlers. Oh No, it was silk, glitz and lipstick so red that if you happened to own a car you would do an emergency stop.
Fast forward a handful of decades, and at around the same time young Mr Guy entered the world, three females Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins and Stephanie O’Brien also made their grand entrances. Jump to the 21st century and those three beauties have become the Andrews Sisters re-visited.
People say beware of imitations, but the Puppini Sisters are no imitators. They are innovators of retro, sophistication and the kind of moody jazz sounds normally reserved for Heaven. This is not just music, it is the kind of music Marks & Spencer customers would die for.
October sees the next phase of their music revolution, the release of their second album The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo.
It follows their debut cd, Betcha Bottom Dollar, sensationally received on both sides of the Atlantic.
We’ve done with girl bands, the Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, etc. That was kidz stuff. Three graduates from Trinity College of Music joined forces to reinvent, reinvigorate and create music of a bygone era, with a huge ration-free helping of allure and passion. This is music to hold-hands by, snog by or just enjoy a slowey on the dancefloor after being bombarded with the kind of stuff that makes me worry about the long term welfare of young Guy.
You don’t need wacky-backy and go into orbit around the planet Zanussi to appreciate the Puppini Sisters.
Not only can the girls sing, they can between them play an orchestra-full of instruments. It makes you almost yearn for World War 3 so they can help us boogie woogie through the dark days and nights.
The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo is an eccentric mix of originals, written by the ‘sisters’ and their own blend of cover versions. Not only do the Puppini’s dress to impress, they sing to impress.