Sia - Healing Is Difficult (2002) VBR

Sia - Healing Is Difficult

Year 2002

Tracks
01 Fear
02 Drink to Get Drunk
03 Taken for Granted
04 Blow It All Away
05 Get Me
06 I'm Not Important to You
07 Sober and Unkissed
08 Healing Is Difficult
09 Judge Me
10 Little Man
11 Insidiously
12 Little Man (Exemen Works)
13 Drink To Get Drunk (Different Gear Mix)

For most people Sia Furler's unique voice is associated with Zero 7's 2001 chillout album, 'Simple Things'. However, 'Healing is Difficult' sees her delve into her soul/funk /R&B influences to great effect. If you're expecting this to be a similar dose of Zero 7-esque tunes, you couldn't be further from the truth.
What strikes you is Sia's almost autobiographical content to her lyrics. The quirky opening track, 'Fear', intros with a young boy talking about what he believes fear is, only to be followed by Sia singing about the fears of her friends and family, including herself ("Sometimes I worry my boyfriend will die, my first love is already dead". This is an artist who is not afraid to open herself up to the listener and experiment lyrically.
The most recognisable track on the album is 'Taken For Granted'. It begins with Prokofiev's grandiose 'Romeo and Juliet Ballet, Op. 64: Montagues and Capulets', until a steady 4/4 drum rhythm comes in and Sia's vocals transform it into something of classical beauty and modern anguish. It clearly shows the power behind this woman's voice and the dynamics she is capable of producing. She expresses similar sentiments in 'Sober and Unkissed' (track 7) as well.
But what is it that makes Sia stand out from the rest of the crowd?
For one, her harmonies. They seem to range from one end of the spectrum to the other. In certain pieces she can be quite "conventional" (as in 'Blow it all Away'), where they fit together in pleasant sounding chords. On the other hand, she's equally capable of pushing out those boundaries and putting together almost discordant jazz harmonies, as heard in the title track. No one of them is better than the other, but all contribute to an album that refuses to be placed alongside others of the same genre. It needs to be said though that if you're not used to hearing such changes in harmony, it can be quite distracting.
This is not your average sounding funk album. Indeed, in a musical world where a lot of new R&B releases seem to have the same feel, Sia screams above the rest. The fact that there is so much energy in her music makes for a very refreshing listen, with many aspects of it to keep you coming back for more.
Healing may be difficult for Sia, but her music certainly brings out the best and most interesting in R&B. This is honest music and deserves to be listened to.