STACK #208 Feb 2022

MUSIC FEATURE

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The Ronettes, L-R: Veronica Bennett (Ronnie Spector), Estelle Bennett and Nedra Talley

(even though we wouldn‘t‘ve thought this were at all possible)! MEL &KIM Another fine example of sibling unison singing, British sisters Mel and Kim Appleby enjoyed a string of hits in the late ‘80s – Respectable, Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend), F.L.M. and That‘s The Way It Is – before Mel tragically died of pneumonia, following cancer treatment, in January, 1990 (aged just 23). Prior to their music career, Mel was working as a model in a nightclub when she was approached by a U.S.

producer who had previously worked

with Aretha Franklin. He

asked Mel if she could sing and, if so, whether she perhaps had a friend she‘d like to form a singing duo with. The hit-making

“Beloved earth angel“ and peerless ‘60s icon Ronnie Spector joined her older sister andThe Ronettes bandmate Estelle Bennett at the Great Gig in the Sky last month.We‘re taking a look at other singin‘ sisters who‘ve blown our minds with their beautiful blood harmonies; read the full piece online at stack.com.au. Words Bryget Chrisfield SINGING SISTERS WHO SLAY

trio Stock Aitken Waterman eventually wound up collaborating with Mel & Kim to create their distinctive, club-friendly sound, which infused irresistible pop sensibilities with cutting-edge Chicago house elements. Following her sister Mel‘s untimely passing, Kim embarked on a solo career, releasing her debut album Kim Appleby (1990), which was composed of songs she had co-written with Mel for what was intended to be the next Mel & Kim record. FIRST AID KIT The sibling

harmonies of Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit, Johanna and Klara Söderberg, are undeniably exquisite. From the bedroom and forest jams they recorded as teens, First Aid Kit have gone on to release

Masters of unison singing – during which Linda‘s soulful-sweet quality wonderfully complements Vika‘s more gutsy, powerhouse delivery – this much-loved vocal duo were the backing singers of choice for many legendary Australian acts – including Paul Kelly and The Black Sorrows – over the years. They‘re now finally enjoying the level of success they so richly deserve and we‘re totally here for it: they topped the ARIA Albums Chart for the first time ever in 2020 with their ‘Akilotoa anthology, followed it

four EPs and five albums to date. Following the release of First Aid Kit‘s debut album The Big Black & the Blue in 2010, Jack White invited the sisters to record a single at his Third Man Studios, which resulted in their cover of Universal Soldier by Buffy Sainte-Marie. First Aid Kit‘s latest record, Who By Fire: Live Tribute To Leonard Cohen (2020), collates performances from their two-show run at Stockholm‘s Royal Dramaten Theatre in 2017, for which Johanna and Klara were joined onstage by assorted guest artists, a string section and choir to pay tribute following the death of one of their primary influences and musical heroes.

VIKA & LINDA During My Heart Is In The Wrong Place – the second single to be lifted from The Wait , Vika & Linda‘s first album of original material in 19 years – Vika sings, “Just don‘t give up the chase,“ which accurately describes the tenacity of these extraordinary singing sisters who continue to enjoy career longevity.

up later that year with gospel collection Sunday (The Gospel According To Iso) which peaked at #2, then released The Wait last year (with songwriting credits that read like a who‘s who of Australian music royalty: Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly, Glenn Richards, Chris Cheney, Bernard Fanning…), which also reached #2. You‘d have to agree they just keep getting better and better

Continue reading the full interview online at stack.com.au

74 FEBRUARY 2022

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