Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:48
Size: 100.3 MB
Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2016
Art: Front
[3:45] 1. Is This The High Life
[3:07] 2. Accentuate The Positive
[2:29] 3. It Ain't What You Do
[3:18] 4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
[3:13] 5. We Love To Bebop
[3:37] 6. Changes
[2:37] 7. Rapper's Delight-Chandelier Mash Up
[2:25] 8. Tico Tico
[2:51] 9. Work It
[2:56] 10. Tennessee Waltz
[3:56] 11. Material Girls Medley
[3:11] 12. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
[3:15] 13. Liar Liar
[3:04] 14. Hit The Road Jack
The Puppini Sisters' fifth studio album, The High Life, is the trio's first with Emma Smith joining original members Marcella Puppini and Kate Mullins. Aside from new membership, the vocal group stays the course, offering more of their close-knit, three-part harmonies on versions of big-band classics, a couple of original songs, and swing era-inspired rearrangements of more contemporary hits. The trio holds a few surprises in its selections of the latter, such as a medley of the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Sia's "Chandelier," and a fluid cover of Missy Elliott's "Work It." Their take on "Rapper's Delight" works especially well, riding the original's natural swing. The bass-driven medley eases back and forth between the rap classic and 2014's "Chandelier" with scatting and melodic percussion, and proves to be a highlight of The High Life. Not as much fun is their David Bowie cover, a piano-led, rim-clicking arrangement of "Changes" that comes off more like an exercise than a reinvention. They're back in form on "Material Girls Medley," though, which includes pieces of several female-led, money-themed songs, including Meghan Trainor's "Dear Future Husband" and Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money." All of the above are worked into the set list alongside expectedly capable versions '30s and '40s classics, such as Arlen-Mercer's "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," and the even earlier Brazilian work with many versions including a film appearance by Carmen Miranda, "Tico Tico" (aka "Tico-Tico No Fubá"). Ultimately, as on past albums, the Puppini Sisters thrive on the original tunes, which were written with their distinct delivery in mind. "Is This the High Life" employs a clarinet, piano, bass, and drum combo to support a rhythmic melody that slides between solo vocals and full three-part harmony, and for a taste of the women at their most Andrews Sisters, don't miss "We Love to Bebop." ~Marcy Donelson
The High Life
Always fun to listen to these women. The cover of Cyndi Lauper big hit shows creativity. Merci,
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Delete17-05-2018
Thank you once again, kind Giullia. We got a kick out of the Puppini Sisters' 1st album, "Betcha Bottom Dollar," which took the Andrews Sisters' probably INHERENTLY campy repertoire ("Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," etc.) and gave it some flourishes as appropriate to the 2006 release date as Bette Midler's bathhouse days flourishes had been appropriate to the early 70s. Confess we were disappointed by "The High Life." But this is the genius of the blog that you Silky Denims folks do. Thanks to you guys, we hear work that, otherwise, we would probably not even know existed. Some of what you post is blowaway; some of it, less so. But, one way or another, this blog of yours is one of the world's great treasure chests.
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