8th Jan - Sia's Some People Have Real Problems

Artist – Album: Sia – Some People Have Real Problems

Released: 8^th January 2008

Sounds Like: A coffee table album about coffee tables

Some People Have Real Problems is really not very cool. Released on the Starbucks owned label Hear, on first listen it recalls the likes of Norah Jones, Adele or a tame Amy Winehouse. The presentation itself is unappealing, the scribbled Paint-esque cover appears forced, and even the title comes across as strangely juvenile.

Within the first few bars of the impressive ‘Little Black Sandals’, though, all this is forgotten. Sia possesses a wonderfully faltering voice, already showcased on work with Zero 7 and Massive Attack, and, for the majority of tracks on this album, she has found the ideal sound for it. The majority of the tracks have a jazz-tinged piano sound and there’s an enchanting blend of playfulness and sincerity to the album.

Stand out tracks include the aforementioned redemptive opener ‘Little Black Sandals’, the expanding ‘Electric Bird’, and Kink’s cover, ‘I Go To Sleep’. Unfortunately there are a few duff notes nestled in amongst the captivating Mom-rock. ‘Academia’ and ‘Playground’ both feel as though Sia is pushing the crayola persona too far.

Overall, it feels like Some People Have Real Problems is a decent album with some extraordinary highlights that is likely to have been ignored by the world at large.

Albumaday... rating:   6/10

1.       Little Black Sandals – 4:14

2.       Lentil – 4:27

3.       Day Too Soon – 4:24

4.       You Have Been Loved – 4:23

5.       The Girl You Lost to Cocaine – 2:40

6.       Academia – 3:16

7.       I Go to Sleep – 3:47

8.       Playground – 3:29

9.       Death by Chocolate – 5:03

10.   Soon We’ll Be Found – 4:21

11.   Electric Bird – 4:26

12.   Beautiful Calm Driving – 5:02

13.   Lullaby – 4:35

Listen to ‘Electric Bird’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8gjjz3LThA