(Reprise) 2005
by Barry Lyons

It's always easier to write about an artist who's been around for a while because the reviewer can resort to the background of expectation and information drawn from a track record of experience. But a new artist presents the problem of "placement" and the oft-used habit of pointing out various influences and styles. As for Missy Higgins, who hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is making her U.S. debut with The Sound of White, it isn't easy to pinpoint any obvious stylistic brethren — and that's a good thing.

But who is Missy Higgins? First of all, it's hard to imagine that she has come so far in just a few years. That sentence will seem odd to Earvolution readers, but it has specific application for her fans in her native Australia where she has hit the top of the charts with The Sound of White, a stunningly mature collection of songs that was originally released there last fall. Here's the short version of her bio. She grew up surrounded by music: her father played piano and her older brother was in a jazz combo. She sang for a bit with her brother and later began writing music when she was in dormitory school. With the prodding of two siblings, she submitted "All for Believing" and, to the long-shot surprise of all, walked away with Australia's top prize for best new song of the year. She had one year left in high school, had a hit song throughout the country, and was besieged with offers from record labels. She finished her last year in school, and instead of signing up with a label right away she decided to light out to Europe with a backpack. After a six-month trek, she returned, got signed, hooked up with some studio musicians, which eventually resulted in The Sound of White.

Higgins' producer, John Porter, who also produced The Smiths and Ryan Adams, wisely avoids overproduction and instead gives Higgins a clean and uncluttered sound here, with tasteful arrangements befitting of a musician best suited for a small club. Dovetailing quivering cello along with the occasional lap steel and subtle jazz-like flourishes contribute to the varied and rich soundscape of this album.

There is nothing particularly eccentric or angular about Missy Higgins' songs a la Tori Amos, but like Amos — and with just a dash of Sarah McLachlan — she never veers into sentimental sappiness. And unlike McLachlan and Amos, there is a distinct yet subtle jazz influence to many of her keyboard songs. No, her songs don't "swing" in the jazz sense of the term as Higgins is firmly ensconced in that loose category of pop/rock singer-songwriter. But, there is a jazz-like sensibility to some of her keyboard filigrees and vocals. The latter comes as no surprise, as Higgins has said that the great jazz singers of the previous century are her biggest influences. Yet many of her songs, pop driven that most of them are, are often delivered with a sensuous delivery that befits the vocal styles — and one where she does not shy away from the wide vowels of her native accent.

Lyrically, Higgins is not a sentimental balladeer. The opener, "All for Believing," sets the stage for the entire CD where Higgins' world is one where striving emotional intimacy seems paramount: "I'm all for believing if you can reveal the true colors within." She can also paint a charming scene of quaint domestic bliss in "Don't Ever:" "We'll make friends with the milkman and the butcher Mr. Timms will give us discounts when he can." The Sound of White is filled with such poetic sensibility and poignancy, hardly the sentiments of another flash-in-the-pan pop tartlet.

Missy Higgins may only be in her early 20s, but she has temperament and maturity of a seasoned songwriter. She's a serious, thoughtful and contemplative songwriter and performer, and there's little doubt that these qualities, which set her apart from many newcomers, will only deepen as her career moves forward.