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

Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp are two equally regarded yet disparate artists, Noonan of George fame and Schaupp a renowned classical guitarist. This debut is the first recorded pairing of the duo, seeing them delve into subdued and sometimes inspired versions of local classics.

Beginning with Into My Arms, Noonan's voice takes centre stage as she delivers the song through a smooth songbird interpretation in antithesis to Cave's original. Into Temptation follows the same interpretive elements, and again it's the quality of the two musicians that raises the cover above what would be saccharine in lesser hands. Noonan and Schaupp then tackle Gotye's Hearts A Mess with added strings and double bass that take the track from the quirky emotion of the original and turn it into a classical ballad. Noonan's voice is again sitting in a high register with clarity and control, but this does prompt yearning for some grit to lodge in the vocal chords. The grime never arrives, yet the choice of guest vocalists – such as the duet with Iva Davies on Man Of Colours – shows thoughtful choice rather than commercial sales behind the star appearances. The guitar-only interpretation, however, of I Hope I Never needs no additive elements and distinguishes Schaupp as a guitar player of talent as she portrays the lyrical melody as emotively as Finn's original.

With only three original tracks, this is essentially a covers album, but one that manages to tread new ground in interpretation. The softness of delivery may be acquired rather than required listening, but it's sure to appeal across a wide audience.