Poised somewhere between
the Andrews Sisters and
Nouvelle Vague, the
Puppini Sisters modernize vocal harmony pop while keeping its "so traditional, it's hip" appeal. On their debut
Betcha Bottom Dollar, the
Sisters' style is their substance; it's not a coincidence that the founding Puppini,
Marcella, worked for fashion icon Vivienne Westwood before forming the group. Fortunately, the trio's style -- vintage '40s outfits, cheeky covers of new wave and post-punk classics and all -- manages to stay on the likeable, not grating, side of kitsch. Taken individually, the trio's voices aren't spectacular, but they blend together nicely enough to create a convincing homage to the heyday of vocal harmony pop in the '30s and '40s. A very pleasant "Mr. Sandman," a pretty, languid "Java Jive" and "Sway" are among the best vocal pop standards on
Betcha Bottom Dollar, but interestingly enough, the
Puppini Sisters often sound less campy on the songs they remake than on the classics. Not surprisingly, the original versions of the tracks they've chosen to give three-part harmony makeovers have strong melodies and distinctive singers, so it's not really all that surprising that
Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" sounds lovely with three-part harmonies, or that their version of
Blondie's "Heart of Glass" fits right in with "Mr. Sandman." There are times on
Betcha Bottom Dollar that things feel a little too knowing and ironic, as on the chirpy cover of
the Smiths' "Panic," and the album might be a little too long for the mood it's trying to sustain. On the whole, however, the genuine affection for the styles the
Puppini Sisters adopt and adapt saves
Betcha Bottom Dollar from being insufferably cutesy. [The U.K. versions contains two bonus tracks.] ~ Heather Phares