The Puppini Sisters 'Betcha Bottom Dollar' album

On Tuesday, May 1, Verve Records will release Betcha Bottom Dollar, the US debut from The Puppini Sisters. This UK-based vocal trio brings three-part harmony into the modern age with both respect and tasteful irreverence, as their repertoire includes everything from “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” to “I Will Survive.”

Inspired by the Oscar®-nominated film The Triplets of Belleville (a French animated movie which features a ‘40s-style harmony group), The Puppini Sisters — Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins, and Stephanie O’Brien — formed in London. Dressed in 1940’s-style wardrobe, the three sing like The Andrews Sisters with inspiring harmonies, and perform classics such as “Mr. Sandman,” “In The Mood,” and “Jeepers Creepers.” But what makes The Puppini Sisters truly stand out are their show-stopping interpretations of more current tunes: Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights,” and The Smith’s “Panic,” among others.

With this range in style and song selection, it should be no surprise that The Puppini Sisters cite everything from Carole King to Marilyn Manson to the neo-Burlesque movement (Marcella worked as musical director and orchestra conductor for the Whoopee Club, London’s leading Burlesque troupe, and had a brief stint as a dancer in Soho’s trendy lesbian club the Candy bar) as influences. Betcha Bottom Dollar captures this range as well as the group’s flare for both performing and reinterpreting this material. Serendipitously, the album was produced by Benoit Charest, the Oscar nominee for his musical work on The Triplets of Belleville. After hearing a demo of what the girls were doing, he feel in love and brought in an army of weird instruments (musical saws!) to bring the project to life.

The album kicks off with The Andrews Sisters’ trademark tune, “Sisters,” (this song was actually sung by Rosemary Clooney in the movie Winter Wonderland) before jumping right into a peppy “Mr. Sandman,” and then a quick-paced “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (from Company B),” a fitting choice for the times. Next up is the slow-brewed “Java Jive” and a respectful version of the Yiddish classic “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon.”

And here is where things start to get very interesting. The group sets their sights on Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights,” rendering it nearly unrecognizable in three-part harmony with a jazzy arrangement. In this mode, The Puppini Sisters also give an extreme makeover to Gloria Gaynor’s disco anthem “I Will Survive” and make you see the Blondie classic “Heart of Glass” in an entirely new light. Gently handling “Panic” by The Smiths, the group creates a finished work so natural, you pause for a moment to remember how the original song sounds.

Some of the other numbers featured on Betcha Bottom Dollar include “Heebie Jeebies,” “Sway,” and the 1960’s Italian canzone “Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano.”

With their unique blend of retro style, pop kitsch, and stunningly crisp vocals, The Puppini Sisters have earned quite the celebrity following – from Sharon and Kelly Osbourne to Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss and Stella McCartney to members of The Royal Family, including Prince Charles, Camilla The Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince William.

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The Puppini Sisters - Betcha Bottom Dollar