Missy Higgins: ‘Steer’

Missy Higgins - ‘Steer’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

We’ve got here the first single of Missy Higgins’ eagerly awaited sophomore release On A Clear Night.  I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the album because I interviewed the Melbourne chanteuse, who really is a beautiful person and just lovely to chat to.

Missy (Melissa to her mum) came to national attention after winning the Victorian leg of Triple J Unearthed with the mesmerising piano-based ballad ‘All For Believing’.  Her debut record The Sound of White moved away from the late teen darkness that pervaded her eponymous EP and found a brighter pop sensibility, especially in the single ‘Scar, which has been her most successful to date.  That album also garnered her a ludicrous six ARIA Awards, 2 APRA awards and and MTV AVMA.

On her new recford, On A Clear Night, she enlisted the production genius Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello) who gives the record a lush, warm feel.  This album is bolstered by drummer extraordinaire Matt Chamberlain, best known for his work with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.  He has an immaculate feel and lifts the songs to a level that I don’t think any other drummer could have. I found The Sound of White to waver in parts, but On A Clear Night really feels like a more mature, solid album which sees Missy branching out in instrumentation and song styles and structures. 

Most of the songs are acoustic guitar based, rather than piano based like many of her earlier efforts.  Missy started playing piano at an early age, but only picked up guitar in her teens.  It’s obvious that her guitar skills have improved over the years too.  Says Missy of the increased role of acoustic guitar on On A Clear Night, “Probably eight of the songs were written on guitar and the rest on piano because the guitar’s a lot more portable instrument to have on tour. It’s so much easier just to bring your guitar into your hotel room and write songs that way rather than lug your keyboard in, plug it in, set it all up and get headphones… it’s just so much easier”.

No doubt Virgin and EMI would castrate me if I uploaded any other songs off the album, which is a shame because I feel there’s many stronger songs than ‘Steer’ on On A Clear Night, such as the soulful ‘Secret’, ‘The Wrong Girl’ and the haunting ‘Forgive Me’.  But you’re just going to have to wait until April 28 when it hits shelves.

http://whothehell.net/AyE
http://whothehell.net/Dt4