Ditzy and epic in the same heart-beat, Brighton's The Pipettes lay their debt to the girl groups of the '60s on the table and dare you to smirk.
A brave first step rather than anything definitive, We Are The Pipettes charms in places, confounds in others. It starts in a muddle of invective and kitsch: the opener (and title track) aches to be a call to arms, but comes off as an irritating jibe: "We are the Pipettes," warble vocal trio Gweno, Becky and Rose (who wear tissue-flimsy cocktail dresses, as though making a point) – the listener may be left to wonder why they should care especially.
Happily, the rest of the record is far less shrill. Once settled down, The Pipettes crank out a handsome racket: 'Pull Shapes' efficiently channels ‘90s Britpop; the delicious shoegazing shudder of 'One Night Stand' traces icy fingers down your nape. Elsewhere, the ghost of indie discos past stalks 'Judy', while 'Tell Me What You Want' fetches up somewhere between The Chalets and St. Etienne.
All told, a winsome job.