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One half of the Australian duo Mr. Sister is singer/songwriter/cellist Mel Robinson, whose music has been described by the West Australian as "fresh and engaging, down-to-earth and bubbling with creative brilliance".
The other half is pianist and percussionist-extraordinare Steve Richter, described by the West Australian as "a young virtuoso".
Mr. Sister's style ranges from pop to acoustic folk to evocative world sounds, from instrumental soundscapes to lyric-driven stories, from intimate and sparse songs to large sonorous tapestries of live samples and loops.
Both Mel and Steve hold Bachelors of Music (Performance) from the WA Academy of Performing Arts. They can be seen playing cello and percussion, respectively, in a whole range of groups, including Tetrafide, Mukti, the WA Symphony Orchestra. Mel also works as string arranger, co-producer and cellist for a number of Australian artists.
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
...falls like soft rain on the bone-dry ground.
The West Australian
There is no questioning Mel Robinson’s musical fortitude. Not only can you hear her orchestral input on You Am I’s recently released Dilettantes, the cellist also recently released an album of her own. Mr. Sister is a collaborative undertaking between Robinson and pianist Steve Richter. The duo typically craft immaculate, string-laden songs fueled by piano and percussion. But, more importantly, they do it with charm and ingenuity. The album’s title track finds Robinson’s cello laying a platform for Richter’s piano parts and her own chaste vocals. At the other end of the instrumental spectrum, the pulsing strings of “Part Gold†collide with programming by Trilby Temperley in something of a musical uproar. While the lyrical hopelessness of Empty Places provides for a number of poetic songs, the album also features several instrumental numbers. “Ghost†serves as jagged introduction to “The Edge,†while “Precious†is a chiming affirmation of reverence. Given her recent flurry of activity, Robinson knows better than anyone the importance of taking time out to feel the wind in your hair. Empty Places provides just such a gust.
Brett Leigh Dicks, Santa Barbara Independent
If you are looking for proof that the cello can leave the classical and enter the pop world, look no further. Mel Robinson … known nationally and internationally for her unique and truly captivating string sound in outfits such as You Am I (AUS), Squint (USA) and Mr Sister (AUS) … takes you on a soulful journey of intimate and very personal songs mixed with the soaring, often funky, sometimes cheeky and always beautiful sounds of the cello. Her debut album is a rare jewel.
www.playforme.com.au