Swing Out Sister

Remembered in the U.S. primarily for their 1980s era-defining hit single "Breakout," Swing Out Sister have actually enjoyed a long and rewarding career. The duo comprises vocalist Corinne Drewery and keyboardist Andy Connell (who was in the post-punk bands A Certain Ratio and The Immediates). The two were inspired by 1960s and '70s soul, adult pop (think Burt Bacharach and Dusty Springfield), jazz and Brazilian music. Their first album, It's Better to Travel, housed "Breakout" and the lesser hit "Twilight World." Next came 1989's Kaleidoscope World, which featured orchestral arrangements by the great songwriter Jimmy Webb. After 1992's Get in Touch with Yourself (which included their hit cover of the Northern Soul staple "Am I the Same Girl"), the band released the concert set Live at the Jazz Cafe. This album revealed a joyful, high-energy soul/jazz pop band. Swing Out Sister's subsequent studio sets -- such as The Living Return, Shapes and Patterns and Filth & Dreams -- were more vibrant and lively than their earlier recordings, though they discovered that an ever-growing Japanese fan base never translated into sustained crossover success in the rest of the world.