A pair of siblings who are striking out in a new direction are the Queensland-raised La Spinas - singers Rosario and Anna-Maria La Spina.
Milan-based Rosario is a rising operatic tenor, while Anna-Maria is a pop/soul singer-songwriter who has performed with Savage Garden and Meatloaf.
The two differing styles come together surprisingly seamlessly on this collaboration, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra helping create a cinematic sweep that combines with the earnest vocals for dramatic effect.
Often calling to mind the orchestral pop of the 1960s, Always You comprises original songs co-written by Anna-Maria, and a few covers – including the Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman standard Time to Say Goodbye and a fun version of UK heavy metal band Iron Maiden’s Run to the Hills.
La Spina
Always You (Universal)
Reviewed by: Christian Wilkinson