Album: We Are The Pipettes / Artist: The Pipettes / 16 tracks / October 2, 2007 (North America), 2006 (UK) / Cherry Tree Records
Can music still be considered good if it is bereft of deep meaning and sophisticated chord changes? The hot power pop / punk group The Pipettes answers a resounding YES! Backed by musicians collectively known as the Cassettes, The Pipettes, use fabulous harmonies, laid over late e
arly to mid sixties rhythms. The harmonic structure of their songs comfortably sits between girl groups like the Shangri-Las and British pop icon Dusty Springfield. For good measure they mix in seventies soft punk.
The Pipettes have joined the small group of very good European artists, such as James Hunter (England) and Denmark’s Ravonettes, who are reinventing the music of the late fifties to the mid sixties. Not content to cover the songs from artists back in the day, the revivalists are writing new songs, reflecting a style of music that was made popular long before they were born. The Pipettes have done the same thing. It would make no sense and certainly not come off sounding genuine to have three young women trying to clone music from two generations ago. What they have instead
done with tunes like “Judy,” “Pull Shapes,” and “Because It’s Not Love (It’s Just A Feeling),” is place the music within a context that they can genuinely relate to and today’s listeners can understand.
The CD We Are The Pipettes was released in the UK in 2006, but the North American release did not occur until October 2nd of this year. The first single, “Pull Shapes,” went to # 5 on the Billboard charts. “Pull Shapes,” is one of the more refreshing songs to come our way in awhile. It will not win any awards or garner nominations for best song of the year, but what it will do is energize you, get you up on your feet dancing, and accept the trio’s invitation to become involved in the music. The song is comprised of great three part harmonies, a strong backbeat and high-octane guitars. The companion video to “Pull Shapes,” appears on the Pipette’s myspace site. It conjures up images of Austin Powers, and the ladies are resplendent in their polka dot dresses as they offer up choreographed moves reminiscent of the Supremes, Shangri-Las and other popular girl groups of yesteryear.
The Pipettes are very commercial, and that is obvious, but rather than deny that aspect of their music they appear to revel in flaunting and exploiting it. That is part of what endears the Pipettes to you, because they are not about anything else, other than having fun, writing and performing songs with simple lyrics and great hooks.
“Judy,” one of the few songs from We Are The Pipettes, that is less frivolous and explores a deeper theme has is chock full of catchy phrases, will have you snapping your fingers and singing along. The lyrics present, the bad girl, whose attitudes are well beyond her years and whose morals are dubious. She is the one who turns boys’ heads, and is hated by the other girls, but soon finds herself all alone. I found the companion video posted on the myspace website to be very cartoon like, and not at all consistent with what I took to be a song with deeper meaning.
One of my personal favorites is the third track, “Why Did You Stay,” which has a melody reminiscent of Joanie Sommers’ song, “Johnny Get Angry” (1962--#7 on Billboard). The song has a particularly cute and poignant line when the music stops, and one of the singers, either Gwenno, RiotBecki or Rosay say, “Well I’ve had just about enough of sweet.” One of the frustrating things about the packaging of this CD whether deliberate or not, is the liner notes—there just aren’t any to speak of. Band members are not identified, and you have to go on a major research expedition to discover that the drummer for this album was Joe Lean, since departed and replaced by Jason Adelinia (Testing Lulu, This City). We know that “Monster Bobby,” is in the band and the along with former band member Julia Clark-Lowes came up with the idea for the Pipettes. “Monster” plays the guitar, and all that we know about the rest of the band is some blokes named, Jon and Seb are part of the group, but we do not know who plays what. We also know that Gareth Parton (The Go! Team, Futureheads), was the producer.
Reviewed October 2007
