I always intended for this review to follow on from Morgan Page’s one, as a progressive approach to 2011. When I started listening to it, London was a bit wet and windy and I was thinking of how I could introduce Sia and her fifth studio album “We are born”. Since then, however, our poor friends on the other side of the world have had more than their fair share of rain. As anyone that hasn’t been living in a small isolated cave will know, Australia isn’t enjoying the barmy weather it’s famed for. My poor friends in and around Brisbane look like they have particularly suffered!

We Are Born by Sia
We Are Born by Sia

So by progressive, I mean that we had our ‘kick-back’ music from Mr Page and that gave us time to recover from our festive fun and dream about what we might do with 2011. Sia now ups the tempo a little bit and gets us ready for what 2011 will throw at us. I suppose, in a funny way, “We are born” is a kinda metaphor for a new year.

Opening with some lively electro-pop tracks like “The Fight” and “Clap Your Hands”, a vibrant and well put together feel wakes you from your blurry 2011 eyes with a pleasant jolt.

For those of you thinking “Hang on a minute! I recognise that voice!”, well done to you and 5 extra points if you can guess where you know it from? No? Well, she is the female vocalist from Zero 7. But that’s were the similarities really stop. This album is all about Sia Furler and what she has to offer.

Clearly a talented singer/songwriter, her previous albums didn’t really make any waves. Having listened to them I can see why. It’s not that they aren’t good but they aren’t great. A much more acoustic feel that fades into a crowd of mediocre singers rather than any defined style.

When these didn’t do so well, Sia moved to the UK and hooked up with Zero 7 where she got the exposure she needed. With it, she also seemed to decide to change her style a little and inject a far more energetic feel to her music and that’s pretty much what we have here.

With a voice that to me sounds like a cross between Paloma Faith, Christina Aguilera and Shakira (but without the nuts lyrics), there is plenty to savour. Incidentally, she has also written tracks for Christina as well as a number of other stars.

Tracks like”Be Good To Me” and “I’m In Here” take the pace of things down a bit but allows Sia to push her vocals and whereas some artists (back to Christina again) have a habit of over doing it, Sia manages to demonstrate range without going over the top.

The album finishes of with a great cover of Madonna’s “Oh Father” and I think that really tops it off. Here we have a little ray of sunshine, directly imported from Australia. And for those in Oz, enjoy a bit of your home grown fruit.

2 and a half G’s

GGg

2 thoughts on “Antipodean sunshine to blow away the rain : We Are Born by Sia

  1. Great review. You’re selling records…. heard ‘Clap your hands’ on the local alternative music station and liked it but thought it sounded a bit ‘Christina Aguilera” and now I know why! It’s like an ear worm though, it just wiggles on in there and won’t let you go. Will have to buy the rest of the album now. And if I’d known she was the Zero 7 vocalist, I would have already bought it!

    Things are starting to dry out over here, by the way. Thank god. More rain due next week though. Wish us well.

    Stay well G,

    Joel

    1. Hey Joel!

      Sorry for taking so long to approve this and reply. I’ve been snowed under and only just got around to updating my blog.

      I’m writing a new review now 😉

      I’m glad Oz is getting itself sorted. Stay safe,

      G

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