Where Our Love Grows, the first album in two years from the '80s jazz/pop duo Swing Out Sister, proves that they can still produce catchy tunes of the quality that gave them their well-deserved success with singles such as "Break Out." The high production values, big brass sections, extravagant arrangements, and the exquisite voice of Corrine Drewery make for some great middle-of-the-road listening.

"Love Won't Let You Down" kicks the selection off with its upbeat rhythms and a blistering brass-driven melody that Bacharach could've written for Dusty Springfield. Drewery's vocal delivery is just as sassy and sophisticated as Springfield's, enhancing the retro feel to the track, a feel that is carried over throughout the whole of the record. The laid-back arrangement of "When the Laughter Is Over," with its swooning violins, slows the tempo down further, the subtle drum loop behind the orchestrated melody provides the song with a grove that so many ballads lack. The uplifting hook in the chorus of "Let the Stars Shine" really demonstrates the class of songwriting that Swing Out Sister are capable of. The harmonies smack of the Carpenters' fluffy, innocent pop, never seeming cheesy or outdated. The double bass of "Happy Ending" funks the track up, Drewery's Cleo Lane-like vocals take the listener to a smoky late-night jazz club.

Swing Out Sister are a retro band and always have been. But the pure quality of their output of the last two decades has meant that they have never sounded stale. Their craftsmanship and their musicianship have served them well, making them one of the biggest bands of the last 20 years, in Japan. Swing Out Sister will be around for a long time to come, if they remain consistent in doing what they do so well. --Jamie Clark