Even though they open their debut CD with Irving Berlin’s “Sisters,” The Puppini Sisters aren’t. No matter. Their close harmony singing that will coax smiles evokes styles of sibling acts like the Andrews, Boswells, and Clooneys. Who needs shared DNA? They share a sense of fun and merrily mischievous musicality. The trio lets their affection for perky swing take wing by sticking close to the approach of classic versions of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” or—with a broad wink—bring the style to retro-activate latter day pop songs like “I Will Survive” or Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” Some arrangements are by the ladies (Stephanie O’Brien, Kate Mullins, and the one with the actual surname, Marcella Puppini), and producer Benoit Charest contributes to the arrangements on half of the CD’s 14 tracks, bringing in such varied sounds as mandolin, a musical saw, tuba, vibes, and bottles—plus the marimba and violins for a song where they’re mentioned in the lyric: “Sway.” Cute, audacious, playful, and musically astute (with more of a sense of kitschiness than bitchiness when transforming the angst of a rock song by covering it—with cotton candy), the album may not have depth or touch you emotionally, but just entertains. The women played The Oak Room last year and have returned to the U.K. where they’ve since released a second album. Like Betcha Bottom Dollar, betcha it’ll be another wink and a smile.

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
January 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org