Earth vs. The Pipettes

iTunes Review

Less ’60s, more ‘80s is the order of the day on the Pipettes’ sophomore album Earth vs. The Pipettes. The stylistic shift coincides with a radical line-up change, resulting in Gwenno and Ani Saunders’ emergence as the British combo’s two lead vocalists. In these tracks, songwriting mastermind Monster Bobby moves the group forward from Phil Spector-style girl-group sounds into the synth-pop era with the help of producer Martin Rushent (the man behind the boards for Human League and Altered Images, among others). The result is heavy on buoyant tunes and spun-candy harmonies, all in the service of semi-ironic lyrics about love, break-ups, dancing and alien life forms. Gwenno and Ani dive into the material with plenty of zest, propelled by glossy rhythm tracks and swathed in gossamer strings. The breezy “Call Me,” the tropically funky “Stop the Music” and the throbbing “From Today” are among the highlights. Best of all is “Our Love Was Saved by Spacemen,” a shameless hunk of DayGlo kitsch that the singers treat absolutely seriously.