Aussie-born singer Sia is perhaps best known for her collaborations with Zero 7, but she is an established solo performer, and this is her fifth album. This is very much a pop record, but Sia’s singing is far more soulful than is usual for the genre, and this adds a touch of sophistication to what might otherwise risk being a pretty run of the mill album. ‘We Are Born’ opens strongly, with the first two tracks, ‘The Fight’ and ‘Clap Your Hands’ being fine examples of well-written pop songs. Many of the tracks are very well crafted; Sia has co-written several songs on Christina Aguilera’s new album and it’s not hard to see why she’s been drafted in. Here, she runs the full gamut of pop, from danceable numbers like ‘Bring Night’, though the more soulful ‘Hurting Me Now’ to ‘The Co-Dependent’, which makes more prominent use of guitars and rock influences. The problem is that in spite of this, she never pushes the genre’s limits. Maybe that’s for the best though, as it’s the simplest straight-up pop songs that are the most enjoyable on this album.
