Album Review: Katie Noonan & Karin Schaupp - Songs Of The Southern Skies

This pairing of two like-minded musicians is fortunately a union made in recording heaven on this collaboration. As usual Noonan floats around the melodies with her ethereal warbling and Schaupp actually grounds the album with her superb nylon-string guitar-playing. The selection of songs is also what gets this album over the line as we get to hear some of our favourite popular Australian songs reworked. The emotional depths into which the pair dive are really quite impressive.

The recording of Goyte's Heart's A Mess is the obvious hit on the album as this version allows Noonan to dazzle us with her vocal display. Another spectacular moment comes in the form of Schaupp's acoustic reading of Tim Finn's Hope I Never, which is a mesmerising song in its original form. These songs were obviously chosen for their intimacy and melodic depth, as there isn't one weak moment on the album. The Icehouse song, Man Of Colours, with Iva Davies on board is also a remarkable duet that makes something old new again.

If it weren't for the wonderful performance angle taken on these songs, this album could be simply seen as a cover album with no real virtues. Even the version of Cold Chisel's Saturday Night brings something new to the table. The melodies get stretched and bring out something very Australian and reminiscent to the song. The duo will be touring the country to support this album and I can imagine that the shows will be sold out just on the strength of these songs. The songs and their part-time owners no doubt will take good care of each other on the road together.