Creating
a new musical genre is a feat to which few musicians can lay a genuine claim.
But when the talents of a pop diva were merged with one of Australia's leading
operatic tenors, a new category of 'Orchestral/Pop' was born and with it, an exciting
one-of-a-kind musical act with a truly epic new album.
Factor in that they
are brother and sister, and it's easy to see why LA SPINA occupies such a unique
place in the international recording arena.
After forging successful musical
careers independently over the past decade, Anna-Maria and Rosario La Spina have
come together for their first album, ALWAYS YOU.
Co-written and co-produced
by Anna-Maria with her musical arrangements made in partnership with a Hollywood-based
film arranger, this debut album is emotionally overwhelming and of cinematic proportions.
One listener described it as being "like the Empire State Building in music!"
Backed
by the 60-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and a support band that toured with
Savage Garden, the two sibling-singers have melded their natural pop and operatic
flairs to create an epic sound, taking their Orchestral/Pop genre to a whole new
level.
"The debut album from LA SPINA redefines the world of crossover,"
says George Ash, Managing Director of Universal Music Australia. It's a collaboration
between Australia's largest record company and Australia's premier classical record
label, ABC Classics. "The creative process has been a genuine labour of love
for all involved; they made it as if their lives depended on it. An album of this
scale and beauty is something we all dream about being a part of."
For
Anna-Maria La Spina, who co-wrote many of the tracks and who many years earlier
encouraged her bricklaying brother to pursue an operatic career, "this has
been a lifelong dream for us. Some of the songs were conceived as dramatic stadium
showpieces and yet there are others where the melody and lyrics will lead you
into a beautifully tender moment, all the while incorporating our contrasting
vocal styles.
"This album is a collection of stories signifying hope
and love," she says of the powerful musical arrangements which also include
her own arrangements of the songs 'Time To Say Goodbye' and 'The Prayer', as well
as a no-holds-barred cover of Iron Maiden's 'Run to the Hills'.
But what
makes this album so unique is that nine of its twelve songs are originals; but
so powerful and immediate is their impact that they sound as if you might have
heard them before. Their messages are potent.
"I think the listener
can identify with most of the story-lines in each song," says Rosario. For
instance, 'Vivere' is about living with no regret and being the best you can.
The title track 'Always You', sung in both English and Italian, is a poignant
ballad of love and loss, while 'Everyday' has a conclusion of such driving power
that it sounds like classic rock. The lilting melody of 'Love Holds The Answer'
is a kind of musical oasis in a world of heightened emotions. The deeply moving
'You And I' comes straight out of the La Spina family experience.
Despite
a three-and-a-half year difference in age, the siblings, who were born and bred
in a Sicilian-Australian household in the suburbs of Brisbane, have embarked on
starkly different musical journeys. Anna-Maria went on to sing at London's Hyde
Park and Madison Square Garden in New York with Savage Garden and worked alongside
superstars Meatloaf, Ozzy Osbourne and Slash, while Rosario, who has been described
by a former Opera Australia executive as "the Australian Pavarotti",
has appeared at that shrine of opera houses, La Scala in Milan, in the company
of Plácido Domingo.
LA SPINA exudes sophistication, timeless elegance
and excitement, all of which are reflected in their music. In a world of pre-fabricated
artists and contrived tunes, their fusion on ALWAYS YOU stands out as much for
its genuineness and musical integrity as for its unique, monumental sound and
staggering vocal performances.
'Always You' is available now.
