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Some People Have Real Problems

Sia

If Some People Have Real Problems, then Sia certainly doesn’t have any real problems singing a soulful piano ballad or two. The main attraction in this album is the many calculated shades of Sia’s sometimes sweet, sometimes raspy voice.

Adelaide born Sia is best known from the song ‘Breathe Me’ from the final episode of ‘Six Feet Under,’ and has found more success abroad than back home here in Australia. On Some People Have Real Problems, Sia is definitely trying to expand her audience by dabbling in sweet piano ballads (Lullaby, I Go to Sleep), white soul (Soon We’ll Be Found, Death by Chocolate), angry girl rock (The Girl You Lost to Cocaine), and soft electronica (Academia, Playground).

Track by track, I can certainly pick out Sia’s influences, mostly female singer songwriters: Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, even Alicia Keys on a track or two. And although Sia has a gorgeous set of lungs that can keep up with the most successful of them, the only bone that I could pick with Some People Have Real Problems is that its song writing has some catching up to do with the lush vocal performances. Although the songs are devoid of big melodic hooks and melodramatic choruses, which contribute to a progressive, dream-like quality, they are not catchy enough –they do get a little samey and unmemorable as the album progresses.

There are some highlights though - each song is contemplation on loneliness, lost relationships and identity. The bluesy soul of ‘Day Too Soon’ is musically a tribute to old soul ballads and is Sia’s most revealing performance on the album. Another highlight is the Beatlesque, melancholic, break up ballad ‘You Have Been Loved’ which has an intense honesty - Sia’s pre chorus melismas are heart wrenching. ‘Academia,’ is a clever musing on a neurotic attempt to over rationalise a relationship gone wrong.

But saying that Some People Have Real Problems is not so much a fine ‘album’ does not diminish its immense appeal as a collection of fine, beautiful performances, with Sia’s haunting voice at its core.

Some People Have Real Problems is out now.