Sia
Country of origin:
Australia
Type of music generally:
Ethereal pop/rock
Status:
Most recent release, Some People Have Real Problems (2008)
See also:
Sia's site
Comparisons:
Sarah McLachlan, Dido (but more down-tempo); early work was compared to Nikka Costa and Nelly Furtado)
Covers/own material:
Co-written, occasional cover
General comments:
Sia provided the vocals on Zero 7's Destiny (and another couple tracks on the album I believe). Her first solo album was a bit like funky soul (in the sort of Nikka Costa/Poe vein) I quite like it a lot—it is great for cranking the volume on in the car... Her second solo album is a lot quieter and hasn't held my attention as much... (gordoja@optonline.net)The main vocalist from Zero 7, Sia (Furler) is another favourite of mine and is also great live (both with and without Zero 7). Her album Colour the Small One is one of my favourites of the last couple of years. (muttley64@ntlworld.com)
a friend of mine has been flogging the sia horse to me for the past couple months. when i finally got a chance to listen to something other than "breathe me," I was rather surprised to discover that she had more of a soul/r&b vibe. that is normally not my thing, but i rather enjoyed her voice and tone so i picked up her new record (some people have real problems) as well. i enjoy that too. in a nutshell, sia strikes me as an interesting corrine bailey rae.
i should also point out that sia's videos are quite imaginative as well. definitely worth tracking on youtube or what-have-you. (woj@smoe.org)
Recommended first album:
Colour the Small One or Some People Have Real Problems
Recordings:
<- A HREF="#healing">Healing Is Difficult (2002)
- Don't Bring Me Down EP (2003)
- Colour the Small One (2004)
- Lady Croissant (live, 2007)
- Some People Have Real Problems (2008)
Healing Is Difficult
Release info:
2002—Dance Pool/Sony—5062 35200 0
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
For Sia fans
Group members:
Sia
Guest artists:
Otto Williams—bass
Sam Frank—saxophone
Quadraphonic—strings
Isobel Dunn—string arrangement (4)
Jesse Flavell—guitar
Different Gear—remix of "Drink to Get Drunk"
Produced by:
Sia Furler, Sam Frank, Nigel Corsbie, Blair Mackichan, Jesse Flavell
Comments:
disc I am obsessing about but haven't had time to blither. (gordoja@optonline.net)
Colour the Small One
Release info:
2004 (2006 US)—Astralwerks—ASW 48103
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Sia Furler—vocals, glockenspiel
Guest artists:
Jimmy Hogarth—guitar, acoustic guitar, percussion, bass, keys, programming
Sam Dixon—bass, chorus guitar, string guitars, accordion, noises, programming, additional drum recording
Martin Slattery—keyboards, flute, clarinet, piano, electric guitar, chimes, horn
Kevin Cormack—noises, electric guitar, percussion, guitar, accordion, drums, acoustic guitar
Jeremy Stacey—drums, kick drum
Felix Bloxsom—drums, hi-hats, marimba
Sophie Barker—background vocals (7)
Yvonne John Lewis—background vocals (9)
Felix Howard—acoustic guitar (10) Arnulf Lindner—double bass (10) Wil Malone—string arrangements and conducting Gavyn Wright and the London Session Orchestra—strings
Produced by:
Jimmy Hogarth; additional production by Four Tet and Ulrich Schanuss on "Breathe Me" remixes
Comments:
I've had Colour the Small One for a while, but still haven't gotten into it. There's something about her voice that's just a little bit too affected for me. (timjy@sbcglobal.net)While overall it does not have the same impact [as the song "Breathe Me"], it is an enjoyable record in its own right. (afries@zip.com.au)
what a wonderful voice. I didn't like her first solo release too much but this one seems much more promising to me. (salondon@uci.edu)
A solid effort. While I don't find it quite as engaging as her later work, there are a number of really good songs, including "Breathe Me." The US release includes the excellent "Broken Biscuit" and "Sea Shells" and 2 "Breathe Me" remixes. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Lady Croissant
Release info:
2007—Astralwerks—ASW 81258
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Sia
Guest artists:
Joey Waronker—drums
Gus Seyffert—guitar
Joe Kennedy—keyboard
Sam Dixon—bass
Oliver Kraus—cello
Felix Bloxsom—drums (1)
Dan Carey—guitar, Wurlitzer, bass, keyboard (1)
Produced by:
Dan Carey (1)
Comments:
I love this live album. There's 1 new studio song, 2 Zero 7 songs, 1 track from her first studio album, 3 from her second (including a killer version of "Breathe Me"), and 2 previews of her third. This album has more of the soul/r&b vibe, and Sia really lets loose with the vocals. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Some People Have Real Problems
Release info:
2008—Monkey Puzzle Records/Hear Music—HMCD-30629
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Sia—vocals
Guest artists:
Gus Seyffert—guitar (all tracks); backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 10)
Sam Dixon—bass (all tracks); guitar (8, 13)
Felix Bloxsom—drums (1, 12); percussion (1)
Larry Goldings—keys (1-4, 7, 10, 12, 13)
Jimmy Hogarth—guitar (1, 4, 6, 11, 13); keys (1); percussion (6)
Joey Waronker—drums (2-11, 13, and "Buttons"); percussion (5, 7, 8, and "Buttons")
Ed Stevens—keys (2, 3, 5-11, 13, and "Buttons")
Oliver Kraus—strings (2-4, 10, 12)
Dominic Glover, Jim Hunt, Nichol Thomson—brass (5, 11)
Dan Carey—guitar (6)
Martin Slattery—clarinet and flutes (6); percussion (3)
Harry Deerness—accordion (6, 11); keys (11); percussion (11)
Greg Kurstin (the bird and the bee)—keys (9)
Abigail Dalmont—cello (10)
Pete Davis—programming (10)
Mike Green—backing vocals (1, 2, 6, 10)
Lucia Ribisi—backing vocals (1, 6, 9)
Inara George (the bird and the bee)—backing vocals (2, 6, 11, 13)
Mary Pearce—backing vocals (3)
Ryan Faulkner—backing vocals (6)
Beck Hansen—backing vocals (6, 9)
Brian Lebarton—backing vocals (6, 9, and "Buttons")
Giovanni Ribisi—backing vocals (9)
Jason Lee—backing vocals (9)
Pantera—backing vocals (9)
Binki Shapiro—backing vocals (9 and "Buttons")
Lenka Kripac—backing vocals (9 and "Buttons")
Produced by:
Jimmy Hogarth
Comments:
To me it is indeed a pleasant surprise. I wasn't familiar with Sia before this happy encounter except for the song "Breathe Me" and her guest appearances on a couple of Zero7 albums that I have forgotten. I find Zero7 awfully dull and I have generally had enough of the whole downtempo-thing. AND I thought Sia was exactly that; a downtempo singer/songwriter like Natalie Walker and the like.
But she is definitely not. Some People have REAL Problems is more like Cat Power's The Greatest in terms of fully orchestrated arrangements and pathos while Sia's voice reminds me a lot of Feist's and Janis Joplin's. I am aware that Sia has gained considerably mixed reviews for this disc. For instance, the Tennessean writes that her soaring, gritty vocals are closely associated with what Portishead's Geoff Barrow labeled coffee table music, but I simply disagree. There is way too much emotion and sadness here and I would never listen to this while trying to feel comfortable. However, I WILL listen to this for a long time, I suspect. Have already several melodies and sentences stuck in my head. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)I have mixed feelings.
I've never liked that slightly nasal soul-diva-ish vocal tick Sia so often employs, but on the tracks where she lets it go a little and communicates a more immediate and less affected personality (ie "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine"), I really enjoy her.
I especially like the band on this record... Nice, organic settings, great acoustic piano and delicate snares. Sounds like they're actually recording together in a room. (timjy@sbcglobal.net)I'm really enjoying Sia's new album. There's an intensity that's different from her previous albums. Stylistically it's all over the place—pop/rock infused with r&b, hints of her downtempo work, a dash of gospel, another dash of ectronica, moments of delicacy (particularly on the last two tracks). Best of all it really works. The band is tight, the arrangements carry the album, giving a cohesiveness to the variety. Try "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine," "I Go to Sleep," or the single "Day Too Soon." Note: buying a hard copy of the disc gets you access to 4 downloadable bonus songs which are all really good. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Further info:
Sia's version of "Paranoid Android" appears on the 2006 tribute album Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads.
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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