Carol Sue Kirkpatrick & AndyF - I'll Always Be With You

Hear The Track Here

Yet another MP3 Unsigned collaboration - they are at it like rabbits over there I tell ya! This time with Carol Sue Kirkpatrick and my old mate AndyF, who I have known for many years. I met Carol Sue just recently and if you are reading this on Soundclick then you will already know she's set up camp there too. You didn't know??! Well her page is here so why don't you go over and give her a shout and make her feel welcome. I've reviewed a couple of her tracks so far and although there hasn't been anything that'll make me bounce off the ceiling, what she does is very listenable, and she does a good chooon. Faint praise I know but both these artists work in genres I never really feel comfortable in.

Andy's favourite frolicking ground is kinda new age-y verging on the classical which - for this reviewer anyway - sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It worked, for example, on his treatment of Ditheramb's Darkest Hour, but not on others I could name. I should stress here though that this is really a matter of personal taste because Andy has been around long enough to know what is required. His scoring for I'll Always Be With You is a fine example of what he does best, it's very understatement working perfectly with the vocal delivery.

This is obviously a very personal song for Carol, about her Mother making a will and all that entails, so be prepared both for angelic choirs and strings and lots of heart. Now normally I would run away screaming from something like this but again it's Carol's vocal that keeps the 'aaarrrggghhh factor' down to a minimum. Hearing such a personal song also makes demands on the listener too, and it's only total conviction of the lyricist and vocalist to make it work properly. Besides having a lovely, honeyed voice, Carol Sue has the emotional maturity to pull it off successfully. Not an easy trick.

I warn you though, it IS really gooey... Recommended (if you like gooey ballads)