Review: Sia’s “Some People Have Real Problems”

Sia Furler is an Australian-born, London and Los Angeles-based singer, best known for her work with the chilled-out ensemble Zero 7 and for the song “Breathe Me,” which capped off the epic series-finale of “Six Feet Under” a few years back.  Her powerful, soaring R&B-ready vocal style is her unmistakable trademark.  In fact, her music will probably never be embraced by modern R&B radio, but it should be for her voice alone.  Sure, her songs are much more singer-songwriter-tinged and less club-ready than the majority of artists in that genre, but she’s still a worthy candidate for belter of the year. 

“Some People Have Real Problems” is the follow-up to her album “Colour The Small One” and her live E.P. “Lady Croissant.”  Nothing here is nearly as heart-stoppingly moving as “Breathe Me,” but it is indeed another finely-honed record. 

Where “Colour the Small One” was somewhat laid-back and reflective almost to the point of being depressive, this record is allowed to let its quirks shine through. “Buttons,” the album’s first single, is pretty bouncy by her standards. It’s an insanity-fueled, glittery dose of eighties-style ear-candy.  In a puzzling move, the song is actually on the album as a secret track, (Go to track 13 at the 6:32 mark.)  Late last year its video gained a lot of buzz on youtube for being equally clever, funny, horrifying and shocking.  (It consists of series of shots of Sia mugging for the camera, with various bags and stockings over her head.  Thankfully, she must not take herself too seriously.)

“Academia” is the second best track here, as whimsical and creepy as it soaringly ominous and beautiful.  During the chorus, you can hear special guest Beck singing back-up.  His baritone gives the song weight and urgency.  He and Sia must be friends considering he also co-wrote her song “The Bully” from “Colour the Small One” and that Sia appeared in one of the videos the companion DVD for his album “The Information.” 

Beck appears again on “Death By Chocolate” as part of an unlikely chorus of singers (including Giovanni Ribisi and Jason Lee among others.)  The song is striking and soulful, despite the unlikely back-up. 

“The Girl You Lost To Cocaine” has an unlikely title for such a happy sounding, upbeat track.  This track shows Sia at her strongest.  Too often, she gets herself stuck in chilled-out soft, contemplative pieces.  On “Lullaby” for instance, she gets a little too soft, and her words become murky and muttered, so it’s good to hear her really let loose on the former. 

“Electric Bird” is a moving song that makes great use of a horn section.
“I Go To Sleep” is an oddly soulful Kinks cover.  It’s a song she originally covered during live performances with Zero 7, and later on her aforementioned live album “Lady Croissant.”  It’s nice to get a studio version. 

“Little Black Sandals” is also a single-worthy song about leaving a relationship.  In the chorus, she sings “These little black sandals are walking me away.  These little black sandals saved my life today.” 

The dreamy, almost delicately orchestral backdrop of “Lentil” starts off quiet and then soars when she sings with determination, “I never meant to let you down. / I’m trying not to fall apart.” You believe her because of the quiver in her voice.  She then reaches for the rafters and sings it even louder in case you doubted her.  This is what great, soulful ballads are made of. 

On the downright unusual “Playground,” Sia declares, “I don’t want to grow up.  Bring me all the toys you can find.”  It’s obvious from the album’s packaging that she really means this.  The album’s cover is a picture of her drawing on her face with markers, which is a rather humorous sight paired with the record’s title.  Remove the disc from its sleeve and you’ll find crudely-drawn day-glow-hued stick-figures with that album’s title scrawled out again in blue and pink.  Inside, instead of standard liner notes, you’ll find a series of brightly-colored postcards.  In an age when packaging seems to be a dying art due to the recyclable and almost disposable nature of the new digital world of online-music, it’s nice to see that someone still puts such care into visual presentation. 

Whether “Some People Have Real Problems” is a better record than “Colour the Small One” is hard to say.  The records are mostly likely equal.  Here she’s less whispery and much more out in front, but no less intense.  .  She does sometimes tend to over-sing a little, and that can deliver challenges, but you can chock that up to her wanting to show her skill. 

Essentially, Sia’s got Alicia Keys’ soul, Nelly Furtado’s sass, Regina Spektor’s  oddball sense of whimsy, a touch of Norah Jones’ class, and a wackiness all her own.  Overall, this record is very satisfying.    Considering it was released on Starbucks’ Hear Music label, perhaps it can be the soundtrack to your next latté.