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A second album is always harder to complete. It’s the album that shows your debut record wasn’t just a fluke and that you actually do have great talent. Enter Missy Higgins. Her debut album, The Sound of White, will go down in the history books as one of the highest selling Australian albums ever. When it came time for Missy to release the second album, many people had doubt in their minds and asked the question “Did she do it?”
Yes she did. Although it doesn’t show a great departure for Higgins, it still strays enough to please listeners. Missy is smart enough to know that she has a good thing and doesn’t change the format too much. That’s not too say she is sitting in her comfort zone. Whereas TSOW was very piano based, OACN showcases Missy and her guitar playing skills. Songs such ‘100 Round The Bends’, ‘Angela’, ‘Peachy’ and current single, ‘Steer’, have Missy using a lot more guitar in her sound. I honestly think she benefits a lot with the guitar work on this album. You’d be surprised to find that only 3 of the 11 songs here are piano based. Good choice Ms. Higgins.
As mentioned before, Higgins hasn’t rested on the fact that she had a great selling debut. She’s moved in some different directions and the risk has payed off. ‘Forgive Me’ finds her in the role of a husband and father asking for forgiveness for their wrongdoing. ‘Secret’ has Higgins with just an acoustic guitar and a sexy, slinky kind of groove in her voice. I will bet money that this will be a live favourite.
Missy Higgins hasn’t reinvented herself for her second album. She’s not going to start playing hip-hop or emo rock. She’s better than that. She is sticking with what she knows and allowing it to grow naturally. I think that we will see another year belonging to the gorgeous Ms. Higgins.
By Simon Finck |
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