The High Life is the fifth studio album by the close harmony trio The Puppini Sisters, through Millionaire Records on 5 March 2016. The album is the trio's first album with new member Emma Smith, replacing Stephanie O'Brien who departed the group in 2012. It is also their first album since leaving their major label Universal Classics and Jazz and Verve.
| The High Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 March 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 6 September – 5 October, The Premises Studios | |||
| Genre | Jazz, pop, vocal, Swing | |||
| Length | 44:05 | |||
| Label | Millionaire Records | |||
| Producer | Fred De Faye | |||
| The Puppini Sisters chronology | ||||
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Background and development
editThe High Life contains a mixture of original material (written by Puppini and Mullins) as well as their own takes on vintage standards such as "Accentuate The Positive" and "Tennessee Waltz" and the complete re-imagining of current pop and chart songs such as "Dear Future Husband" and "Chandelier".
This is the trio's first album with new redhead Emma Smith who joined the group towards the end of 2012 when Stephanie O'Brien and later Terrianne Passingham both departed.
To raise the necessary studio and marketing funds, the trio launched a crowdfunding campaign through Pledge Music allowing fans to purchase the single album, the LP, the double deluxe album in addition to many other limited edition products and opportunities such as; the chance to duet with The Sisters on stage, to be able to appear on one of the album's tracks, copies of their previous arrangements and executive producer rights.[1]
By 17 August, the album was fully funded and recording commenced the following month at The Premises Studios. With the album being released in March 2016 (Pledgers were able to receive the album on 25 February), the trio embarked on a UK tour to promote the album culminating in a London show at Islington Assembly Hall with special guest male dance crew, The Hoppers.
The Bonus Remix edition of the album was released on 21 October and contained both the original tracks as well as multiple remixes from an array of acclaimed DJ's such as The Real Tuesday Weld and Bart&Baker.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Is This The High Life?" | Marcella Puppini | 3:46 |
| 2. | "Accentuate The Positive" | 3:08 | |
| 3. | "It Aint What You Do" | 2:30 | |
| 4. | "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" | Robert Hazard | 3:18 |
| 5. | "We Love To Be Bop" |
| 3:14 |
| 6. | "Changes" | David Bowie | 3:39 |
| 7. | "Rapper's Delight/Chandeliler Mash Up" |
| 2:39 |
| 8. | "Tico Tico" | Zequinha de Abreu | 2:26 |
| 9. | "Work It" |
| 2:53 |
| 10. | "Tennessee Waltz" | 2:57 | |
| 11. | "Material Girls Medley: Bills Bills Bills/ Dear Future Husband/ Cabaret-Money/ Bitch Better Have My Money/ Dirty Cash/ Material Girl/ Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" | 3:58 | |
| 12. | "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" | 3:12 | |
| 13. | "Liar Liar" |
| 3:20 |
| 14. | "Hit the Road Jack" | Percy Mayfield | 3:06 |
Sample credits
- "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" contains an interpolation of "Someday My Prince Will Come", written by Larry Morey and Frank Churchill, and performed by Adriana Caselotti.
Personnel
editPersonnel adapted from The High Life liner notes.
- Marcella Puppini – vocals, accordion
- Kate Mullins – vocals
- Emma Smith – vocals
- Blake Wilner – guitar
- Henrik Jensen – double bass
- Peter Ibbetson – drums, synthesizer
- William Bartlett – piano, keyboards
- John Shenoy – clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Fred De Faye – producer, engineer
- Neil Tollitt – engineer
- Jonjo Keefe – engineer
- Boris Balkarov -executive producer
References
edit- ^ "PledgeMusic". pledgemusic.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.