In many ways polka-dot wearing, sixties girl-group aping threesome The Pipettes are like an indie Sugababes. For a start there's three of them, all female, and most importantly they change line-ups seemingly at the drop of a hat. When I first saw them live about five years ago there was Rose, Becki and Julia, then Julia left to be replaced with Gwen and then Rose left and then Becki left, so then they hired two new ones called Ani and Anna but then Anna quit after seven months so now there are two...so actually it's more like that time Destiny's Child lost two members, hired two new ones and then ditched one of them all in the time it took for Beyoncé to scream "don't touch me until you've washed your hands you prole" (allegedly).



Anywho, Rose (or Rosay as she was known in the band) has now gone solo under her full name Rose Elinor Dougall and has recently released the limited edition single, 'Another Version of Pop Song'. It's really quite lovely (as is 'May Holiday'), replacing the doo-wop stylings of old for some sweeping strings, soaring vocals and something decidedly French.

You can hear the single here

Why we're at it, ex-Pipette number two, Becki Stephens, has also branched out musically, forming Electric Blue (named after a porn film no less) with the wonderfully named Randy Michael. You can have a listen right here

Come on Anna, you're next...