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As an obsessive girl-group fan and an unabashed anglophile I am basically the target demographic for an album like We Are the Pipettes. Hailing all the way from Brighton, The Pipettes (pronounced “pee-pets”) are a reincarnation of the beloved Phil Spector template mixed with a notable amount of contemporary sass.

There is really nothing bad to say about this album. As an homage to classic girl-groups like The Marvellettes, The Shirelles, (Martha Reeves &)The Vandellas, it comes up as a stellar offering. Vocalists RiotBecki, Gwenno, and Rosay have mastered the cutesy three-part harmony, but the instrumentation by their backing band is ultimately what completes the genuine throwback vibe.

The Pipettes manage to stay true to the traditional girl-group subject matter with songs centered mainly on relationships, but they don’t let you forget that this is no longer the American Bandstand era. They easily weave female empowerment through many tracks giving their 1950s sound a distinct 2008 feel. Take the tongue-in-cheek track Sex which makes masterful use of a drumbeat intro reminiscent of The Ronettes “Be My Baby.” While the lyrics leave more to the imagination than the title would suggest, its definitely more risqué than anything that would have made Dick Clark’s top ten.

Every song on We Are the Pipettes sounds like a polished retro-pop gem. With each track averaging about two and a half minutes, its pure nostalgia at its concise best. Highlights include break-up ditty It Hurts to See You Dance So Well that has the girls channeling The Shangri-Las as they lament the hip dance moves of an ex. To sum up the group’s energy in one track, however, look only to the spirited Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me. Becki, Gwenno, and Rosay bluntly blow off a suitor over a backdrop of cheerleader chants and a catchy handclap chorus that will stay stuck in your head for days.

As entertaining as modern music ranging from new-alt to new-rave to neo-soul can be, sometimes there is nothing quite like the appeal of a good old-fashioned pop song. We Are The Pipettes is an album of thirteen such songs that, for any girl-group lover, is a must-have.