Some People Have REAL Problems

This album begins with the barely-instrumented "Lullaby," the better to show off Sia's voice, and what a voice: Smoky, raspy, quirky, it'll have you wondering who she reminds you of. Maybe a little Fiona Apple, some Chrissie Hynde, but Sia is mostly unique. There's a sleepy quality to her delivery that fits nicely with this collection of mellow songs. Indeed, the disc is perhaps too chill, with some tracks too easy to tune out (no surprise the CD is a Starbucks selection). But Sia rouses herself for the delightful hidden disco track "Buttons," summons some righteous anger on the uptempo "The Girl," and gets playful on the sparse electro pop of "Playground," a tune that showcases her knack for quirky-cute songwriting as she whispers, "I don't want to grow up/Bring me all the toys you can find." She tries too hard with the lyrics of "Academia," a song that shoots for clever and sadly lands on pseudo-intellectual, but still works pretty well thanks to its gorgeous, dreamy chorus. And it must be said, even those more forgettable tracks are also well-crafted.