Hear the ladies go pop
Girl bands and genre-breaking women release a fresh slate of albums
By Lee Ann Westover
KT Tunstall
Drastic Fantastic
Virgin Records
In the USA, KT Tunstall’s cemented her success with the double whammy of giving Katherine McPhee permission to perform “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” on “American Idol,” as well as the choice placement of her single “Suddenly I See’” in the opening scene of the film “The Devil Wears Prada.” Despite the mainstream fame she’s achieved, Tunstall remains ballsy and outspoken in interviews, and refreshingly solid in her recordings. Her folk-rock sound pulls from all over and at times seems very Melissa Etheridge due to her raspy voice and blues-tinged delivery. Her latest album, “Drastic Fantastic”, adds to the roots with doses of late ’90s pop. Though not the least bit ethereal, her guitar work and melodies bring to mind The Cure’s later releases and a bit of The Sundays as well. “I Don’t Want You Know” channels early R.E.M. with punk-folk driving rhythm. All in all, it’s a solid pop release that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a great groove and solid songwriting that flies head and feet above most of what you’ll find on top 100 radio these days.
The Puppini Sisters
Betcha Bottom Dollar
Universal Classics and Jazz
I absolutely loved The Puppini Sisters when I saw them perform last winter at an industry showcase. The three ladies (not actually sisters) were backed by a very dapper group of male musicians, and cut a fine figure in vaguely vintage dresses. They blew the crowd’s cashmere socks off with their technically perfect close-harmony singing and quirky British sense of humor. I had high hopes for their album, hoping they would take that Andrews Sisters’ sound and twist it into fresh shapes. Sadly, the women ended up with what feels like a manufactured tribute album, rather than a new contribution to the canon. I personally think there are plenty of recordings of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” out there, and can’t for the life of me figure out why these obviously brilliant songbirds felt the need to publish another one. Thankfully, however, they did include a few more well-chosen cover tunes including a peppy swing version of “Panic” by The Smiths and — my personal favorite — a longingly beautiful take on Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights,” which has spent weeks on my iTunes’ most played list.
The Pipettes
We are the Pipettes
Cherry Tree Records
In 2003, guitarist Monster Bobby set out to re-create the sound of the ’60s with his very own girl group. Culled from the Brighton, UK scene, front-women Gwenno, RiotBecki and Rosay Pipette wowed the show-me-something crowd at SXSW music festival not too long ago, and have continued to surprise critics with their upbeat, girly tunes. Among the growing crop of emo boy bands, the Pipettes stand out like neon with their rough and ready girl group harmonies, wall-of-sound production and matching polka-dot dresses. Their songs touch on tales of heartbreak and revenge, like the Ronettes and the Shangri-las before them, with equal parts back beat and sass. The tunes on their new CD are short and easily digested, with few reaching longer than three minutes. Like the Puppini Sisters, the girls are unrelated, but highlight their status as a trio with choreographed dance moves and their adopted surname. Though it would be nice to see a few more girl groups who can wail on their own instruments, the Pipettes’ happy-go-lucky energy is magnetic and well worth investing a little time in.
Various Artists
Guilt by Association
Engine Room Recordings
Each of us has a song that, whether we want to like it or not, has crept off the pop music airwaves into the backs of our brains to haunt our dreams. I would like to thank Engine Room Records for helping me to feel better about my secret love for Christina Aguilera and Toto with “Guilt by Association.” This compilation pulls some of the most sincere indie artists into the open with their own guilty pleasures — some guiltier than others. On the tame end, freak-folk pioneer Devendra Banhart performs an unrecognizable version of Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Some of the more bizarre contributions include Superchunk’s boy-punk “Say my Name” of Destiny’s Child fame, Luna performing Paula Abdul’s “Straight up” and Mark Mulcahey’s interpretation of Shania Twain’s “From This Moment On.” The entire album is a treat, but the obvious standout of the bunch is Petra Haden and the Sell-Outs a cappella version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” The 8-woman chorus pulls off the song flawlessly — down to each and every guitar riff or Steve Perry high-note.
Amiina
Kurr
Ever Records
Amiina began in Iceland as a string quartet and has since grown delicately outwards in musical scope. Where each young woman in the band once kept to her own viola, violin or cello, they now move about the stage in live performances, from saw to glockenspiel to harmonium to harpsichord. The band’s first full-length CD, “Kurr,” features intricate compositions which echo classical and avant-garde styles while somehow appealing to a pop sensibility. The weaving electronic and acoustic sounds are reminiscent of fairy tales or the contents of dreamy music boxes. Sadly, a recent trip to North America had to be postponed due to a reported illness in the band, but Amiina swears they will get here. Meanwhile, get acquainted now so they will have a gaggle of fans in the front row swooning to their shimmery melodies.
Rasputina
Oh Perilous World
Filthy Bonnett Co.
In direct contrast to Amiina’s rainbows and sweetness, Rasputina’s tone begins on the dark side of the spectrum and stay there. Since 1992, bandleader and songwriter Melora Creager’s distortion-feuled cello rock has burned unabashedly baroque while bursting with energy and innovation. According to Creager, this sixth album’s dangerous tone is influenced by current events and international politics. In an interview with CMJ.com she shared, “I wrote the songs featured on ‘Oh Perilous World’ over the last two years when I realized that current world events were more bizarre than anything I could scrounge up from the distant past.” As much as the band’s crazy high harmonies and noisy declarations can feel a little stressful at times, this album is a highly individual and ornate collection of tunes that stand contentedly far apart from any specific genre or scene.
Rasputina plays the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, October 31st
