CD Review of...
Missy Higgins
“The Sound of White”
By Debi Rotmil
21-year-old Australian native Missy Higgins’ album “The Sound of White” debuted in her homeland in 2004, and became the number one selling album of the year. With this body of work’s audibly stunning hooks and revealing lyrics, it’s no wonder Missy has turned heads down under. Listeners in America will soon get a dose of what the other side of the world has been talking about in May 2005, when the album will have its U.S. release.
With contemplative songs such as the heart stopping “All For Believing,” and the heartbreaking “The Special Two,” we are met with a litany of stylistically well-cut songs, imbued with personal struggle and self-examination, riding on hooky melodies. These songs are so infectious, you won’t be able to shake Missy’s Aussie accented lyrics and melodies from your head. A personal favorite is “Katie,” an addictive, gorgeous tune about independence, with a cascading piano riff that ripples in waves amongst Higgins’ vocals. Another star in the bunch is “Ten Days,” a track that sings of the miles and days after love lost, lamenting the futility of how time doesn’t always heal all wounds as she sings, “Time has changed nothing at all, you’re still the only one that feels like home.” One wonders if she should give it more time than just ten days; nevertheless, sometimes you have to cry and smile at the same time. Missy, with a juicy, refined voice, treats us to a contagious tune that bops along as a great summer song. This is also evident in “Scar,” the Australian single off the album, which is a scathing rant about how life’s dream-crushing, stifling conformities leave indelible emotional marks that can be re-opened and judged.
Although her approach to piano is mildly reminiscent of Fiona Apple, and her guitar work not unlike most acoustic guitarists, what stands her apart is the honesty that lives between the words, the refreshing tunes and her measure of down to earth innocence yet untouched by the commercial medium. With female singer/songwriters elbowing each other for room, one can wonder if she will stand out when “The Sound of White” is released here. With her organic no nonsense approach to graceful ballads and fetching tunes, she may have a leg up on the competition.