Album Review
Sia – We Are Born
Australian singer Sia is no stranger to the music scene. From urban, indie down-tempo to wacky neon costumes, her fourth release, We Are Born is possibly her best, most well-rounded and polished offering yet.
Born from working with a myriad of producers and writers (notably Greg Kurstin and Samuel Dixon) and a couple of years of rest and random gigging, Sia delivers her most up-tempo release to date.
When asked by MTV about why she chose the name We Are Born she responded that she got tired of answering the meaning behind her previous album “thirty thousand times” during promo that she made a conscience effort to avoid a meaningful name. Instead, it is titled after the first sentance of the album’s first song.
If you hadn’t heard of Sia previously, you have probably heard her credited with producing four songs on Christina Aguilera’s new album Bionic. This has catapulted the singer into the mainstream, which she tends to shy away from, citing herself as ‘incredibly shy’.
Sia has come on a long journey in the music business. She states herself that Healing Is Difficult and Colour The Small One (her first two records) and working with the band Zero 7 were depressed days. The only reason she ended up in London as a singer was because of the death of a friend. But when she suddenly found happiness and became an up-tempo pop artist, Universal dropped her. She credits that as being the best thing to happen to her.
Thankfully this album seems like a proud record from the singer. No longer is she typecast into the down-tempo ballad singer (and neither does she think she deserves to be set into stone as a certain performer), the album is a smorgasbord of tastes, sounds, feelings and emotion.
The first single from the album, ‘You’ve Changed’ was originally released by producer Lauren Flax in 2008 but has been re-worked and served as the lead single last Winter. The song is catchy, dancey and everything that Sia has become. Forthcoming single ‘Clap Your Hands’ is a bit electro, infectiously funky and a definite hit. It’s a stand-out track on the album encapsulating every aspect of Sia’s style.
The album has an eclectic mix of visions but there is a distinct divide, half of the songs are happy sounding, while half are sad. Ballads such as ‘I’m In Here’ and ‘Cloud’ really make the album complete. They are meaningful, powerful and provide an inside look at the singer’s fears and emotions.
The album has a lot of pain and angst running through it and Sia has been no stranger to feeling intense pressure. The singer has often tweeted and told interviewers that she suffers from panic attacks and anxiety due to her career. She has tweeted that she suffers from Graves Disease which affects her immune system and thyroid and has declared she is too sensitive for the industry and plans to tour this album and then finish with music.
Getting back to the album, ‘Be Good To Me’ showcases the singers impeccable range, sounding like the Amy Winehouse we all desire. ‘Stop Trying’ is a real get-up-and-go clap-a-thon and is guitar-driven and energetic. ‘The Co-Dependent’ is also a rather rock-y inspired short song but holds a deep meaning, yet not without a catchy chorus – a staple of Sia numbers.
The album is an aural delight, bringing the listener on a journey but being so relatable at the same time. Sia wants to tell us she is just like us, she doesn’t buy into fame and fortune, she is down to earth, bubbly and just herself, why everyone will love her.
If anyone, she is the happy, colourful, quirky and eccentric singer of today with the voice of someone who has been through it all and back, it’s soothing yet powerful, triumphant yet meek.
The concluding tune of the album ‘Oh Father’ is a little treat, some may remember it from a little-known album entitled Like A Prayer, yet Madonna couldn’t even get it this right.
10/10