Music act La Spina might be a family affair but if you’re expecting Partridge style harmonies and Von Trapp family matching kitchen-curtain outfits you’re way off- the brother-sister music act say music from their first collaboration will “smack you in the face.”
While Anna-Marie, 36, had an established career singing with pop megastars Savage Garden her 40-year-old brother Rosario was an acclaimed opera tenor.
But now the pair are relishing the opportunity to create their debut album together, Always You, a groundbreaking collection of ‘orchestral-pop’ epics.
And surprisingly, sibling rivalry was the last thing on their minds.
In fact, working with her brother took a lot of the strain out of the music making process, explains Anna-Marie.
“We don’t have to watch ourselves or be diplomatic. If we fight or don’t want to do something we can yell and scream and then go and have lunch two seconds later,” she says.
With Anna-Marie in charge of the musical composition, Rosario was more than happy to be “just the singer.”
“Anna’s the smart one out of the two of us,” he explains, “I’m just the ‘do-wop’ boy”.
The upfront approach certainly works for the pair as the album brilliantly manoeuvres through a range of original tracks and cover songs, the most surprising of which is a unique version of the Iron Maiden classic ‘Run to the Hills’.
“I love that song,” says Rosario. “To me it’s very classical, almost operatic in the way it is written,” no doubt a surprising insight for many fans of the classic heavy metal group.
“Every time it’s mentioned, everyone has the same reaction as you. They all go ‘Oh wow!’ And I say ‘Well good!’ Some people are going to hate it and some people are going to love it. And that’s fine you know.”
Recorded with the 65-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, one would expect the cascading sounds of strings, brass and woodwind. Less expected is the appearance of the Savage Garden rhythm section, whose drums and bass guitar lend a heavy pop-music slant on Anna-Marie’s classical arrangements.
La Spina’s debut album Always You will be available on August 6, 2010. For a free download of the album’s title track click here!
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