The Singing Sisters

I believe my first encounter with the music of the Puppini Sisters was on another music blog a year or two ago. Someone (who I wish I could thank) had posted the trio’s cover of ‘Wuthering Heights,’ a song written and originally recorded by Kate Bush. I have always loved the song, but to hear it recorded the way this England-based trio did, was truly remarkable.

The Puppini Sisters are not actually sisters in the biological sense. Consisting of Marcella Puppini of Italy and England’s Stephanie O’Brien and Kate Mullins, the three women perform in three-part vocal harmonies, a style made popular in the 1940’s by such acts as the Andrews Sisters.

Their first album, Betcha Bottom Dollar was released just last year in the U.S. (and a year earlier in the U.K.) and features some surprising covers; the aforementioned ‘Wuthering Heights,’ Blondie’s ‘Heart Of Glass,’ and the Smiths‘ ‘Panic.’

Soho nights were so black and white
The color came throughout the night
The more we took like everyone else
The more alive the both of us felt

Soho nights opened my eyes
I become a hag by your side
I thought we’d last, but I was wrong
Soho boys don’t keep ties for long
- The Puppini Sisters

Other songs, like ‘I Will Survive,’ ‘Mr. Sandman’ and a tribute cover of ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ (the quintessential Andrews Sister song) fit perfectly and seem like they were made for the Puppini Sisters.

Their follow-up album, The Rise And Fall Of Ruby Woo, was released in the U.S. in February of this year and continues their brand of cheeky harmonies. This time around the group’s choice of covers consist of the Bangles‘ ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ and offers up a frantic version of Beyonce’s ‘Crazy In Love.’ But the group also pens some original material as well. Puppini’s ‘I Can’t Believe I’m Not A Millionaire’ is a slow and swaying blues track, and on the jubilant ‘Soho Nights,’ the listener is taken on a nostalgic trip through a period of unbridled passion.

It’s not clear how long the Puppini Sisters’ brand of music will last, as a style as specific as this runs the risk of getting played out. But I have to say that it’s incredibly refreshing to listen to these talented ladies and experience their unique delivery of famous songs performed in a way you may have never thought possible.

WWW:

The Puppini Sisters - The official site.
The Puppini Sisters @ MySpace
Marcella Puppini - The official site

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