Having already made all the right tongues wag in the music industry thanks to their self-titled debut, multi-instrumentalists Kitty, Daisy & Lewis aim to capitalise on the kudos with their second stab at things, Smoking In Heaven. Recorded at home by their dad Graeme, the album variously incorporates surf guitar, blues, skiffle, rockabilly and swing influences to create a killer sound that is sure to make the sisters (whisper it) The Next Big Thing.
An immaculately produced record, the shimmy-inducing retro styles on show are effortlessly cool and tracks like ‘Will I Ever’ are ear-gasm inducing affairs. Calling to mind the days when R&B meant sharp suits and even sharper songwriting instead of the slimy – and too often sleazy – power ballads of the modern era, Smoking In Heaven sees the trio swap genres, instruments and vocal duties as regularly as a divorced couple would insults. The trumpet playing from ska legend Eddie ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton on tunes like ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘I’m So Sorry’ is sublime and the handclap heavy ‘I’m Going Back’ – a thrillingly raw and raunchy three minutes of rockabilly – is a real stand-out. While the old school Spartan sound may not be to everyone’s tastes, it has to be said that this is one time-warp that this reviewer wants to do again (and again, and again).