Sia deserves 1,000 forms of praise

14 minutes; that’s all it took for singer-songwriter Sia Furler to crank out Rihanna’s hit single, “Diamonds.”

In the past four years Furler has made her talents known to the world not through her voice, but through those of other chart-topping artists such as Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera and Flo Rida. The Aussie legend has stepped back into the spotlight through the unveiling of her latest solo album, “1,000 Forms of Fear,” released July 4 and available on iTunes.

On this album, Furler serves up smooth melancholy and gritty, swelling choruses that show off her incredible vocal capabilities, which range from powerhouse belting to sounding on the verge of tears. Furler’s voice is like the tide, simultaneously vulnerable and powerful, resulting in a dynamic musical experience.

Furler’s songwriting style usually revolves around the conceptual, not unlike Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Although we see her revert back to songs based on universal ideas (see “Fire Meet Gasoline” and “Hostage”) it is clear she has made an effort to branch out. Furler closes the album with “Dressed in Black,” where she states “You do for the wounded what they couldn’t seem to/you set them free/like a butterfly kissing a child with an eye for the minor key.” Here her lyricism turns into something enchanting, although she may have indulged herself in the full 80 seconds of soulful wailing at the end of the track.

After hiding behind her songwriting for four years, Furler is brave to drop as many bombs about her struggles with alcoholism and depression in this album as she did. Fortunate for listeners, Furler has channeled that emotion into one electric album.

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