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Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart

Single Reviews

It's a simple song, really, straightforward and lyrically uncomplicated.

The unexpected but genuine collaboration between Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan continues to flourish on 'Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart', despite the seemingly oil and water mixture of not only their voices, but their persona's as well. Something has clicked between the two of them, enough for them to record a second full length album together, and that familiarity and comfort level is especially apparent on the groups new single. It's a simple song, really, straightforward and lyrically uncomplicated, but there is a longing and loneliness inherent within each artist's voice that really gives the song its meaning and depth.

And perhaps that is the appeal of this project in the first place, to take two artists so radically different, both in appearance and sound-one, a towering, growling veteran of the grunge scene, the other, a diminutive blond with an angelic voice from one of the most diaphanous bands in modern pop music-shake well, and see what happens. Surprisingly, most of it is restrained magic. There is a level of emotion within this two and a half minute pop song that some bands spend their whole careers trying to achieve. It just seems so effortless for Isobel and Mark, and therein lies the allure and the appeal of this project, and forms the heart of the success of their partnership. Rating: 7/10