Album Review

Sia – Some People Have Real Problems

• 6th Dec 2007

You’ve got to hand it to this Roisin Murphy/Sybil (yeah you read it right) channelling chick. This LP shines in the same way as say Joss Stones debut release did and though I doubt it’ll attract the same attention, it easily deserves too, at least it almost does.
She’s got a fantastic voice that gently growls and lulls the listener as it delivers some great songs that feature varying elements diverse as subtle scratching or gentle orchestrations throughout its enjoyably slack-assed entirety. Lyrically clever ‘Academia’ is by far the most pleasing point of the LP, offering up some kooky cool sounds. The ‘I go to Sleep’ cover is noteworthy but nothing more and then, after a sassy stage number the LP hits hard times. Sia’s voice wears you down as it loses that initially pleasing prowess and instead grates away at your patience and by the time ‘Lullaby’ (the ironically titled closing track) comes, well you’re just glad its over if A:- you’re still awake or B:- you’ve actually stuck it out so far . Its as disappointing as any Stephen King film you can think of, entertaining until the very end when it all goes a bit Fatboy Slim.