Rise & Fall of Ruby Woo

The second album by the Puppini Sisters--the U.K.-based vocal trio of Marcella Puppini, Stephanie O'Brien, and Kate Mullins--proves that their debut, BETCHA BOTTOM DOLLAR, was no fluke. Directly inspired by the likes of the Andrews Sisters, the Puppini Sisters' close harmonies are pure big-band jazz and Tin Pan Alley pop, applied to modern-day tunes. Some songs skirt close to novelty (covers of the Bangles' "Walk Like An Egyptian -- to be fair, a novelty tune itself -- and Beyonce's "Crazy In Love"), but at their best, the Puppini Sisters transcend kitsch. Songs such as "Old Cape Cod" and the wistful ballad "We Have All the Time in the World" are simple, lovely pop songs, and jazzier numbers like "Soho Nights" are genuinely exciting.