All songs are recorded live at the Bowery Ballroom New York on April 17 2006, except new studio song Pictures. Sia Furler is best known for her vocal contributions as back-up for Jamiroquai, Massive Attack and Zero 7s album The Garden in 2006. With 4.6 million plays on MySpace, its a strong indication the chanteuse is gathering a formidable reputation and following globally. This impeccable singer shows her quality and class on originals from her first two albums Healing Is Difficult, Colour The Small One, and covers of Zero 7s Destiny and Distractions from Simple Things. She handles and power ballads with equal efficiency and conviction, though breaking the UK market may take some doing as a solo artist. Nevertheless, Sias Lady Croissant is an exquisite collection by a woman on top of her game as she trawls through jazzy, soul, R&B that provide her with the golden opportunity, live, to show what a beautiful, delicate and powerful melodic singer she actually is as a lead performer, as opposed to providing support for others. Sia has grabbed her chance with sincerity and conviction. Theres of raw emotion, balance nicely with warmth and tenderness, found in bucket-loads Dont Bring Me Down (sounding like Fleetwood Macs Stevie Nicks) Breathe Me. Melancholy is also her department, with violin drenched Blown It All Away. On Distractions, a stirring ballad, shes lets rip with equal efficiency bringing a massive cheer from the fans. Apart from Pictures, theres little evidence of her going down the populist route, because, most songs here dont have much chance of commercial airplay. And theres nowt wrong with that. This girl is doing things her way, for which she should be admired. A remote possibility is a cover of The Pretenders I Go To Sleep, a major highlight of the album.
She will be critically lauded for this effort, but commercial sales might elude her, this time.